A Tale of Two Cities
Why: It's maybe the most timeless tale of love and sacrifice ever written. Even though it's been done before, it doesn't really have a signature adaptation, even though the 1934 or '35 version was critically acclaimed.
If not directed by me: Tom Hooper or Joe Wright
Starring:
Christian Bale as Sydney Carton
Keira Knightley as Lucie Manette
Michael Fassbender as Charles Darnay
Tom Wilkinson as Dr. Alexander Manette
Meryl Streep as Madame Defarge
John Malkovich as Monsieur Defarge
Derek Jacobi as Jarvis Lorry
Jamie Bell as Jerry Cruncher (combining old and young into one character)
Ulysses
Why: It's yet to get a big-budget adaptation and though this is clearly fit more for the pages than for the screen, something good could be done here, if not great. There's plenty of potential for great performances, great period sets, and long shots of Ireland and the sea. But making this as a visual medium would require a great deal of creativity, as writing it did.
If not directed by me: Steve McQueen. Not that Steve McQueen; I want the guy who directed Hunger and Shame.
Starring:
Colin Firth as Leopold Bloom (I've finally determined that Liam Neeson is too old. Also considering Daniel Day-Lewis, but the role doesn't require the intensity that he usually brings.)
Young, relatively unknown Irish actor as Stephen Dedalus (I think it's important that this actor is unknown, plus I don't think there's anyone out there who fits the role.)
Julia Roberts as Molly Bloom (She's American so bitch away, but she was awfully good in Michael Collins in 1996.)
Moby-Dick
hy: There's been a bit of interest in stories of seafaring kind of recently (if 2003 is recently) so why not go for this one? It's the best and probably the most important American novel ever written and most people probably don't even know it's been filmed before. As of now, Pinocchio is the best giant whale film out there. As much as I love Pinocchio, that has to change. Plus with technology now, this film could look unbelievable.
If not directed by me: Steven Spielberg
Starring:
Geoffrey Rush as Captain Ahab
Paul Dano as Ishmael
Djimon Hounsou as Queequeg
Lou Diamond Phillips as Tashtego
Macbeth (in 3D)
Why: Hamlet won best picture once. Othello has a number of great films. Romeo & Juliet has two or three memorable ones. What about Macbeth? Well Polanski made one in the 70s but it was far from great. I'd love to adapt this and make it 3D. That probably sound strange, but Shakespeare wrote this as an extremely violent and bloody play, and that can be taken to the extreme without losing the integrity of the words, I think.
If not directed by me: Let's face it; this is mine.
Starring:
Ewan McGregor as Macbeth
Kate Winslet as Lady Macbeth
Gerard Butler as Macduff (this to me is the most obvious casting decision after seeing him in Coriolanus)
Patrick Stewart or Sean Connery as Duncan
Orlando Bloom as Malcolm
James McAvoy as Donalbain
Guy Pearce as Banquo
King Lear
Why: Along with Macbeth, this is one of those "Great 4" tragedies that doesn't have a signature film. Like Macbeth, I think some interesting things could be done visually to elevate this easily past the stage.
If not directed by me: Kenneth Branagh, by far the greatest Shakespearean director of this age.
Starring:
Ian McKellen as King Lear
Michael Fassbender as Edmund
Jamie Bell as Edgar
Cate Blanchett as Goneril
Kate Winslet as Reagan
Michael Caine as Kent
Anne Hathaway as Cordelia
Kenneth Branagh as Gloucester
Ricky Gervais as Fool
The Danny Thomas Story
Why: It's a truly inspiring and relatively unknown story. A struggling, impoverished actor prays to Saint Jude, makes it big, and repays by making the most well-known children's hospital in the world.
If not directed by me: Robert Zemeckis. I don't know why, but I see some parallels maybe to Forrest Gump and could see him doing a good job with this.
Starring:
Michael Fassbender as Danny Thomas
Michelle Williams as Rose Marie Thomas
Charlize Theron as Marjorie Lloyd
Jack McGee as Bishop Samuel Stritch
Rooney Mara as Marlo Thomas (old)
Untitled project about American Revolution and USA's early days
Why: It'd be a nearly impossible thing to do, but it'd be really interesting, too.
If not directed by me: Steven Spielberg
Russell Crowe as George Washington
Matt Damon as John Adams
James Franco as Thomas Jefferson
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Benjamin Franklin
Ralph Fiennes as Samuel Adams
William Hurt as John Hancock
Colin Firth as Benedict Arnold
Michael Shannon as Patrick Henry
Daniel Radcliffe as Nathan Hale
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The 100 Celebrities I Hate the Most
I figured politicians don't count. Athletes, actors, socialites, etc. If they're actors or whatever, it may not mean that I hate their body of work, but just hate them as a person. It could also mean, though, that I despise their work.
I hate these people:
I hate these people:
- Adam Sandler
- Zooey Deschanel
- Redfoo
- Larry the Cable Guy
- Tom Green
- Chris Brown
- Ray Lewis
- Manny Ramirez
- Nick Swardson
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Rose O'Donnell
- Snooki
- The Situation
- Roman Polanski
- Reverend Jeremiah Wright
- Michael Moore
- Randy Moss
- Lil Wayne
- Skip Bayless
- DJ Pauly D
- John Mayer
- Dane Cook
- Kim Kardashian
- Rob Schneider
- Jimmy Fallon
- Reggie Bush
- Willow Smith
- Troy Polamalu
- Dwyane Wade
- George Lopez
- Perez Hilton
- Jerry Jones
- SkyBlu
- Nicki Minaj
- Ellen Degeneres
- Alec Baldwin
- Wiz Khalifa
- Ozzie Guillen
- Tom Cruise
- Alex Rodriguez
- Chad Kroger
- Kobe Bryant
- Stephen A. Smith
- Ben Affleck
- Tom Brady
- Ken Jeong
- Jaden Smith
- Justin Bieber
- Paris Hilton
- Josh Beckett
- Matthew McConaughey
- John Travolta
- Rihanna
- Jay Cutler
- Skrillex
- Pete Carroll
- Mike Tyson
- Ashton Kutcher
- Adam Levine
- Tyler Perry
- Lindsay Lohan
- Terrell Suggs
- Bill Maher
- Dez Bryant
- Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
- Oprah Winfrey
- Sharon Osbourne
- Tim Burton
- Madonna
- Mac Miller
- Andy Roddick
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Zach Galifianakis
- will.i.am
- Carmelo Anthony
- Mark Cuban
- Curt Schilling
- Jon Stewart
- Toby Maguire
- Donald Trump
- Sinead O'Connor
- Lady Gaga
- Rex Ryan
- Wanda Sykes
- Keeanu Reeves
- Hanley Ramirez
- Jessica Simpson
- Tiger Woods
- Kanye West
- Terrell Owens
- Michael Bay
- Chad Johnson
- Charlie Sheen
- Stuart Scott
- Russell Brand
- Johnny Depp
- Helena Bonham Carter
- Miley Cyrus
- Mark Wahlberg
- LeBron James
Monday, September 24, 2012
Top 10 Things That Used to be Cool But No Longer Are
1. Star Wars
Wow, this made quite a change. Star Wars went from being the coolest movie series ever to being a big joke. It all goes back to the prequels and the special editions, smearing the good name of the originals. Darth Vader has become the butt of the joke, of course, appearing on my least favorite shirt ever (The Many Emotions of Darth Vader) and appearing in comical(?) Volkswagen commercials. George Lucas forgot what made Star Was great and that is why it's no longer cool.
2. Guitar Hero
When Guitar Hero came out, it was awesome and a very innovative game. Guitar Hero 2 was a huge seller as well, but then they got lazy. A new game came out seemingly every two months and the gameplay got worse and worse, even if the songs got better. Guitar Hero 3 kind of sucked, looking back at it. And do you know anyone who bought Guitar Hero: Van Halen or Metallica? Rock Band took over that brief music video game fad.
3. M. Night Shyamalan
This man was on top of the world after writing and directing The Sixth Sense, one of the greatest films of all time. And what happened after that? Unbreakable, while I never saw it, is supposed to be really good. Signs was okay, a bit hit or miss perhaps. But every movie after that got exponentially worse, it would seem. The Village, while interesting, was anything but good. The Lady in the Water was a disaster, putting it lightly. The Happening is one of the greatest unintentional comedies of the 21st century, and The Last Airbender may have outdone it in 2010.
4. Reality/Talent show TV
I would argue that it never was, but obviously a ton of people disagree with me. The fact that things like Big Brother and Survivor are still on TV just blows my mind, quite frankly, but the biggest thing is the talent shows. American Idol, the X Factor, the Voice, whatever. They're the same thing with a few different gimmicks (in the Voice they don't see who's singing!!!!!!). Do we really need all of these? Oh and how about Dancing with the Stars? Who doesn't want to see C-list celebrities dancing competitively?
5. The Office/Two and a Half Men
With the departure of Steve Carell, The Office has had NOTHING going for it. Similarly, Two and a Half Men has been a load of crap since Ashton Kutcher came on. I hate Ashton Kutcher with the burning passion of a thousand suns.
6. Barack Obama
He was maybe the most charismatic and exciting presidential candidates in our history and beat John McCain pretty easily. But what has he done for me lately? Nothing. He continues to be an American apologist and spend money we do not have. Obviously I'm in the minority here because it looks like he's getting re-elected but my reasoning is that he's done nothing to get re-elected. If Mitt Romney ran a halfway-decent campaign Obama's past 4 years would make everyone vote for Romney. That's not the case, however.
7. Green Day
Green Day was awesome from about 1994-2004. Then their music got way too self-important and there's just something irritating about a 40-year-old Billy Joe Armstrong trying to be my age. And now they only release music once in a blue moon and while it's decent, it's not even comparable to Dookie or even American Idiot, their two best albums. Their last album was 2009 (though they've got one coming out soon). To find out what truly pisses me off about Green Day, you gotta see the video of Armstrong's rant at the I Heart Radio Music Festival this past year. They only gave him like 20 minutes or so and he flipped out like an 8-year-old because he didn't want Usher to take up his time. In Usher's defense, he actually released music in the last 3 years.
8. Skateboarding
If you can do that Shaun White X-Game type stuff, go right ahead. Otherwise, you're just getting in everyone's way. Nowadays longboarding is the thing, and there's no better way to tell everyone on a college campus that you're a huge douchebag than to longboard to class.
9. Will Smith
He's not really in movies anymore, Men in Black 3 being his first movie since 2008, and it wasn't great. Aside from that, this man used to be the biggest celebrity in the earth, having a successful music career in his early days and becoming the biggest box office draw of the early 21st century. Somewhere, somehow, something happened. And it's far more than Willow and Jaden doing their best to destroy the Smith legacy by releasing terrible music and not knowing how to act. Will Smith, as likable as he is, just isn't significant anymore.
10. Monday Night Football
It's still got the theme song and stuff, but it's not the same. John Madden and Al Michaels are gone, Michaels now on Sunday and Madden now retired. And then there's the whole matter of it being on a cable network, which is a bit strange. Conversely, Sunday Night Football has gotten so much better and has virtually the best game every week.
Wow, this made quite a change. Star Wars went from being the coolest movie series ever to being a big joke. It all goes back to the prequels and the special editions, smearing the good name of the originals. Darth Vader has become the butt of the joke, of course, appearing on my least favorite shirt ever (The Many Emotions of Darth Vader) and appearing in comical(?) Volkswagen commercials. George Lucas forgot what made Star Was great and that is why it's no longer cool.
2. Guitar Hero
When Guitar Hero came out, it was awesome and a very innovative game. Guitar Hero 2 was a huge seller as well, but then they got lazy. A new game came out seemingly every two months and the gameplay got worse and worse, even if the songs got better. Guitar Hero 3 kind of sucked, looking back at it. And do you know anyone who bought Guitar Hero: Van Halen or Metallica? Rock Band took over that brief music video game fad.
3. M. Night Shyamalan
This man was on top of the world after writing and directing The Sixth Sense, one of the greatest films of all time. And what happened after that? Unbreakable, while I never saw it, is supposed to be really good. Signs was okay, a bit hit or miss perhaps. But every movie after that got exponentially worse, it would seem. The Village, while interesting, was anything but good. The Lady in the Water was a disaster, putting it lightly. The Happening is one of the greatest unintentional comedies of the 21st century, and The Last Airbender may have outdone it in 2010.
4. Reality/Talent show TV
I would argue that it never was, but obviously a ton of people disagree with me. The fact that things like Big Brother and Survivor are still on TV just blows my mind, quite frankly, but the biggest thing is the talent shows. American Idol, the X Factor, the Voice, whatever. They're the same thing with a few different gimmicks (in the Voice they don't see who's singing!!!!!!). Do we really need all of these? Oh and how about Dancing with the Stars? Who doesn't want to see C-list celebrities dancing competitively?
5. The Office/Two and a Half Men
With the departure of Steve Carell, The Office has had NOTHING going for it. Similarly, Two and a Half Men has been a load of crap since Ashton Kutcher came on. I hate Ashton Kutcher with the burning passion of a thousand suns.
6. Barack Obama
He was maybe the most charismatic and exciting presidential candidates in our history and beat John McCain pretty easily. But what has he done for me lately? Nothing. He continues to be an American apologist and spend money we do not have. Obviously I'm in the minority here because it looks like he's getting re-elected but my reasoning is that he's done nothing to get re-elected. If Mitt Romney ran a halfway-decent campaign Obama's past 4 years would make everyone vote for Romney. That's not the case, however.
7. Green Day
Green Day was awesome from about 1994-2004. Then their music got way too self-important and there's just something irritating about a 40-year-old Billy Joe Armstrong trying to be my age. And now they only release music once in a blue moon and while it's decent, it's not even comparable to Dookie or even American Idiot, their two best albums. Their last album was 2009 (though they've got one coming out soon). To find out what truly pisses me off about Green Day, you gotta see the video of Armstrong's rant at the I Heart Radio Music Festival this past year. They only gave him like 20 minutes or so and he flipped out like an 8-year-old because he didn't want Usher to take up his time. In Usher's defense, he actually released music in the last 3 years.
8. Skateboarding
If you can do that Shaun White X-Game type stuff, go right ahead. Otherwise, you're just getting in everyone's way. Nowadays longboarding is the thing, and there's no better way to tell everyone on a college campus that you're a huge douchebag than to longboard to class.
9. Will Smith
He's not really in movies anymore, Men in Black 3 being his first movie since 2008, and it wasn't great. Aside from that, this man used to be the biggest celebrity in the earth, having a successful music career in his early days and becoming the biggest box office draw of the early 21st century. Somewhere, somehow, something happened. And it's far more than Willow and Jaden doing their best to destroy the Smith legacy by releasing terrible music and not knowing how to act. Will Smith, as likable as he is, just isn't significant anymore.
10. Monday Night Football
It's still got the theme song and stuff, but it's not the same. John Madden and Al Michaels are gone, Michaels now on Sunday and Madden now retired. And then there's the whole matter of it being on a cable network, which is a bit strange. Conversely, Sunday Night Football has gotten so much better and has virtually the best game every week.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
25 Greatest Running Backs of All Time
- Barry Sanders (1989-1998)
- Jim Brown (1957-1965)
- Walter Payton (1975-1987)
- Red Grange (1925-1934)
- Emmitt Smith (1990-2004)
- LaDainian Tomlinson (2001-2011)
- Tony Dorsett (1977-1988)
- Marshall Faulk (1994-2006)
- Earl Campbell (1978-1985)
- Bronko Nagruski (1930-1937, 1944)
- Jim Taylor (1958-1967)
- OJ Simpson (1969-1979)
- Curtis Martin (1995-2005)
- Marcus Allen (1982-1997)
- Eric Dickerson (1983-1993)
- Jerome Bettis (1993-2005)
- Franco Harris (1972-1984)
- Thurman Thomas (1988-2000)
- Larry Conska (1968-1974, 1976-1979)
- Gale Sayers (1965-1971)
- Joe Perry (1948-1963)
- Shaun Alexander (2000-2008)
- Terrell Davis (1995-2002)
- Edgerrin James (1999-2009)
- Paul Hornung (1957-1962, 1964-1966)
Questions after watching Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
While this movie will leave you with mixed feelings of terror, discomfort, and downright hatred, I'm going to focus on confusion. Yes, the confusion one gets while watching 1972's Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny is a mind-numbing feeling. I compiled a brief of questions, both from a filmmaking perspective and a filmwatching perspective, that I had after watching the film.
What is the Ice Cream Bunny? I've never heard of such a thing and can't help but view this as an attempt to have an Easter Bunny until finding the word "Easter" was copyrighted. That's what it really feels like.
Why is over half the film a story that Santa tells the kids? From a narrative standpoint, what is this film trying to do?
Why do Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, donning Hawaiian shirts, make brief cameo appearances?
If Santa refuses a ride on a plane because it would mean leaving his sleigh there in the sand, why does he get a ride in the Ice Cream Bunny's fire truck without thinking twice? This one makes the least sense to me.
Why does the Ice Cream Bunny have an firetruck?
Why are there sound effects of multiple fire trucks when there's clearly only one?
Why are there sound effects of two or three dogs barking when there is only one dog in the film?
Why does it take the dog about two seconds to get from the sleigh to the fire truck, but about forty-five seconds for the fire truck to get to the sleigh?
Why is the sound quality so god-awful?
Who made the decision to go with the kazoo as the primary instrument for the score?
Why do only kids run to the sleigh? I understand kids and Santa Claus is kind of a package deal, but I mean if people see a sleigh crash in the middle of Florida, one or two adults is going to check.
In the scene where Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny first meet and talk to each other, why does the camera focus for half the conversation on the wheel, completely away from the characters? It's the titular scene, it's what we've all been waiting for!
I highly recommend watching this film, although you will find none of these answers. It is truly the worst thing ever made by a human.
What is the Ice Cream Bunny? I've never heard of such a thing and can't help but view this as an attempt to have an Easter Bunny until finding the word "Easter" was copyrighted. That's what it really feels like.
Why is over half the film a story that Santa tells the kids? From a narrative standpoint, what is this film trying to do?
Why do Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, donning Hawaiian shirts, make brief cameo appearances?
If Santa refuses a ride on a plane because it would mean leaving his sleigh there in the sand, why does he get a ride in the Ice Cream Bunny's fire truck without thinking twice? This one makes the least sense to me.
Why does the Ice Cream Bunny have an firetruck?
Why are there sound effects of multiple fire trucks when there's clearly only one?
Why are there sound effects of two or three dogs barking when there is only one dog in the film?
Why does it take the dog about two seconds to get from the sleigh to the fire truck, but about forty-five seconds for the fire truck to get to the sleigh?
Why is the sound quality so god-awful?
Who made the decision to go with the kazoo as the primary instrument for the score?
Why do only kids run to the sleigh? I understand kids and Santa Claus is kind of a package deal, but I mean if people see a sleigh crash in the middle of Florida, one or two adults is going to check.
In the scene where Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny first meet and talk to each other, why does the camera focus for half the conversation on the wheel, completely away from the characters? It's the titular scene, it's what we've all been waiting for!
I highly recommend watching this film, although you will find none of these answers. It is truly the worst thing ever made by a human.
Monday, September 17, 2012
25 Greatest Quarterbacks of All Time
- Johnny Unitas (1956-1973)
- Joe Montana (1979-1994)
- Peyton Manning (1998-)
- Brett Favre (1991-2010)
- Dan Marino (1983-1999)
- Roger Staubach (1969-1979)
- John Elway (1983-1998)
- Tom Brady (2000-)
- Fran Tarkenton (1961-1978)
- Bart Starr (1956-1971)
- Troy Aikman (1989-2000)
- Steve Young (1985-1999)
- Terry Bradshaw (1970-1983)
- Otto Graham (1946-1955)
- Dan Fouts (1973-1987)
- Warren Moon (1984-2000)
- Y.A. Tittle (1948-1965)
- Joe Namath (1965-1977)
- Sammy Baugh (1937-1952)
- Sonny Jurgensen (1957-1974)
- Jim Kelly (1986-1996)
- Sid Luckman (1939-1950)
- Len Dawson (1957-1975)
- Kurt Warner (1998-2009)
- George Blanda (1949-1975)
Eli Manning
Drew Brees
Bobby Layne
Norm van Brocklin
Friday, September 14, 2012
How to Become a Successful Rapper - A step-by-step guide
There's really quite a simple formula to it all.
- Be proud of your hometown. If you happen to be from Evanston, claim to be from the hood of Chicago. Reference this constantly. Occasionally to mix things up, use the area code instead of your city name. (See Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Pitbull, etc.)
- Use the word "fuck" as a verb frequently, and also the word "nigga." It can be argued that the latter is only for black people, but Drake is biracial and uses it just as much as anyone. So a slippery slope, obviously, but can be used to great effect. (See Waka Flocka Flame, Drake, etc.)
- Get Rihanna to sing a chorus for you. (See Jay-Z, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, etc.)
- Can't do an entire song by yourself? 3 minutes too much for you? Not to worry! Get Nicki Minaj to do a verse. It may make no sense and be excruciating to the ears, but hey, it's all about the airtime! (See Lil Wayne, Drake, B.O.B., etc.) Also works with Rick Ross. (See French Montana, DJ Khaled, Kanye West, etc.)
- Do a song with David Guetta. (See Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida, etc.)
- A stupid sounding nickname (supplementary to your stage name) never hurts, and then say as often as possible, in case they forget who you are. (See Young Hov, Roman Zolanski/Barbie or whatever, Drizzy, Chris Breezy, Rozay, Lil Tunechi, Weezy F, Mr. 305, Mr. Worldwide, etc.)
- Say the name of your music label in every song, or have some annoying sounding, artificially stuttering woman do it for you. (See Young Moolah Baby, Mmmmmmmmaybach Music, Rocafella, etc.)
- If you're young and new to the scene, team up with veterans who've been around and know what they're doing. (See Royce da 5'9'', Kendrick Lamarr, etc.)
- Make diss tracks. Even if it's with people you've happily collaborated with before. It gets the people talking. (See Lil Wayne, Pusha T, Nicki Minaj, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac)
- Be part of "ensemble" songs. While your royalty check won't be as big, it's certain to get you more exposure and it can be a good way to win a Grammy. (See "All of the Lights," "Bedrock," "Mercy," "Pop That," etc.)
- Make frequent mixtapes. Even if they suck really bad, just make a lot of them. Eventually you'll have a semi-popular song, I suppose. (See Lil Wayne.)
- Smoke weed. Don't be subtle about it, either. (See Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, etc.)
- Even years after you've been a multi-millionaire and a member of the "1%," continue to rap about how you grew up poor and had to sell drugs. Perhaps even take your stage name from a known drug dealer that you have nothing to do with. Also continue to rap about how you're persecuted, even when you're the most respected person in the music industry. (See Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rick Ross, Eminem, etc.)
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Baseball Stadiums
The list of all the baseball stadiums I've been to, ranked from best to worst.
- Yankee Stadium (new) - Bronx, NY
- Coors Field - Denver, CO
- Target Field - Minneapolis, MN
- Yankee Stadium (old) - Bronx, NY
- Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
- Citi Field - Queens, NY
- Miller Park - Milwaukee, WI
- US Cellular Field - Chicago, IL
- Milwaukee County Stadium - Milwaukee, WI
- Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome - Minneapolis, MN
- Pro Player Stadium or whatever the hell it was called when I went there - Miami Gardens, FL
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol - A review
It took me a while to buy the world's fastest selling book, but I'm glad I did. Overall I have mixed feelings about Dan Brown, as I loved Angels & Demons, disliked The Da Vinci Code, and was utterly and entirely bored by Digital Fortress. But it's difficult to deny that he's the master of the puzzle-driven thriller, and a pretty good storyteller in his own right.
Like Angels and Da Vinci this is another novel involving famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, and follows the formula of the other two novels to a T. That makes the beginning pretty boring, as you're just waiting for him to discover some weird thing (in this case a severed hand) that leads him into this race against time and the authorities as he tries to uncover a secret hidden for centuries.
Once the plot does kick in, it's pretty entertaining. Brown made a wise decision to bring the action home to Washington, and instead of focusing on religious mysteries, focused on the hidden symbols and secrets of the Freemasons. As always, he uses just enough facts to make it not seem ridiculous, even though it of course is.
In this case, his partner is Katherine Solomon, a renowned noetic scientist and sister of the man whose hand was severed. I felt there was more going on with the characters than in the other two, mostly because Langdon already knew his partner. It allowed them to talk about the past, which Brown arguably takes too far. There are a lot of flashbacks in this novel, but they all advance the plot.
While being vague on the plot details in order to not spoil anything, I can discuss a few more things. For one, there's the villain. He's quite menacing, a huge, tattooed man who has terrorized the Solomon family for years for unknown reasons. If anything, though, he's too invincible. At first he was realistically menacing but a few times towards the end it got a little frustrating to me.
The mysteries are as intriguing as ever, bringing in new historical figures such as Albrecht Durer and Benjamin Franklin, as well as reintroducing Isaac Newton and the Rosicrucians. It's less about American history than I was expecting, and more about the Masons, which can either be a strong point or weak point, depending on what you want to read. Personally, I was looking for some more revelations about America. There is a twist that reveals why the whole thing is an issue of national security that I really didn't like. There were actually a few times I felt cheated in the novel, which I suppose you can expect from Dan Brown.
The ending is a strange one. It's both a disappointment and a good ending. I found the resolution to the plot to be really disappointing (and actually more or less given away early on), but I did like how the story concluded with the characters, so that's a plus.
I figured considering how huge this novel was when it came out in 2009 that everyone had read it, but a few people have asked me at school how it is, so that's why I decided to write this review. I'll conclude by saying it's pretty good, but not great. I'd recommend it, especially if you like Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code.
Like Angels and Da Vinci this is another novel involving famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, and follows the formula of the other two novels to a T. That makes the beginning pretty boring, as you're just waiting for him to discover some weird thing (in this case a severed hand) that leads him into this race against time and the authorities as he tries to uncover a secret hidden for centuries.
Once the plot does kick in, it's pretty entertaining. Brown made a wise decision to bring the action home to Washington, and instead of focusing on religious mysteries, focused on the hidden symbols and secrets of the Freemasons. As always, he uses just enough facts to make it not seem ridiculous, even though it of course is.
In this case, his partner is Katherine Solomon, a renowned noetic scientist and sister of the man whose hand was severed. I felt there was more going on with the characters than in the other two, mostly because Langdon already knew his partner. It allowed them to talk about the past, which Brown arguably takes too far. There are a lot of flashbacks in this novel, but they all advance the plot.
While being vague on the plot details in order to not spoil anything, I can discuss a few more things. For one, there's the villain. He's quite menacing, a huge, tattooed man who has terrorized the Solomon family for years for unknown reasons. If anything, though, he's too invincible. At first he was realistically menacing but a few times towards the end it got a little frustrating to me.
The mysteries are as intriguing as ever, bringing in new historical figures such as Albrecht Durer and Benjamin Franklin, as well as reintroducing Isaac Newton and the Rosicrucians. It's less about American history than I was expecting, and more about the Masons, which can either be a strong point or weak point, depending on what you want to read. Personally, I was looking for some more revelations about America. There is a twist that reveals why the whole thing is an issue of national security that I really didn't like. There were actually a few times I felt cheated in the novel, which I suppose you can expect from Dan Brown.
The ending is a strange one. It's both a disappointment and a good ending. I found the resolution to the plot to be really disappointing (and actually more or less given away early on), but I did like how the story concluded with the characters, so that's a plus.
I figured considering how huge this novel was when it came out in 2009 that everyone had read it, but a few people have asked me at school how it is, so that's why I decided to write this review. I'll conclude by saying it's pretty good, but not great. I'd recommend it, especially if you like Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code.
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