The Ricochet Reviewer: Books, Movies, and Comics

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) Director: Trey Parker Writers: Trey Parker & Matt Stone and Pam Brady Stars: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, Isaac Hayes,   Jesse Brant Howell,  Anthony Cross-Thomas The parents of the South Park kids, incensed at the detrimental influence of Terence and Philip's new movie on their children, spearhead a movement to execute the Canadian flatulence artists, thereby provoking a military confrontation with our neighbor to the north and possibly apocalypse itself.   Although it runs out of steam toward the end, this film is frequently a brilliant satire.  Many have mentioned its digs at censorship, but I think that it is much more perceptive as a comment on how American parents so often abdicate responsibility for raising their own children and blame other sources, such as movies, for juvenile misbehavior.

Bonegrinder (1977) by John Lutz Violent deaths in the vicinity of a small Ozark lakeside community spark rumors of a monster on the prowl, attract national attention, and throw the local population into chaos.  The most interesting aspect of this novel is the way it tracks the local mood through the initial excitement at the attention and attendant business opportunities that the mysterious killings provide to the eventual horror that comes with the dawning realization that there might really be a monster out there.  Overall however, author John Lutz has produced a pretty low-key thriller that lacks much in the way of genuine suspense and has a real let-down of an ending.   There's also a subplot involving a local bigshot who seems to be scheming something that never pays off.  John Lutz "Bonegrinder" lurked in a box of unread paperbacks for more than twenty years before rising to waste several hours of my reading life.   If you happen to see this one on the shelf of your

Heaven's Net Is Wide (Tales of the Otori #0) (2007) by Lian Hearn This is a prequel to The Tales of the Otori, telling the early life of Lord Shigeru, one of my favorite characters of that series.  It follows him during the years that he endures the defeat of his family at the hands of the Tohan clan and assumes the persona of a peaceful and defeated farmer while plotting his revenge, ending with the events that open the original series.   Lian Hearn writes well and her portrait of a fantasy alternate Japan remains a fascinating setting.  Gillian Rubenstein AKA Lian Hearn There can be a mechanical aspect to a prequel because it must hit certain plot points in order to set up the previously written stories, introducing the danger that characterization will be subordinated to plot.  However, Hearn acquits herself well and the characters’ choices always seem well-rooted in psychology and internal motivation.  This book also avoids the unfortunate penchant for deus ex machina that she

Arrival (2016) Director: Denis Villenueve Writers: Eric Heisserer, based on the story "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang Stars:  Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whittaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Mark O'Brien, Tzi Ma, Abigail Pniowsky When alien ships arrive to hover above twelve different sites around the world, the US military dispatches a linguist (Amy Adams) and a physicist (Jeremy Renner) to attempt first contact and discern their purpose.   Where most science fiction films with aliens have everyone speaking English for the sake of narrative convenience (I’m looking at you, Star Trek), this intelligent film uses the difficulty of communication as an opportunity to tell a story we don’t often see.   What would it be like to confront a truly alien race, whose motives and language seem incomprehensible?   Based on a short story by award-winning science fiction author Ted Chiang, “Arrival” poses big questions and doesn’t cop out at the end.   When the true nature of the alie

Get Smart (2008) Director: Peter Segal Writers: Tom J. Astle & Jack Ember, based on characters by Mel Brooks & Buck Henry Stars: Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp, Terry Crews, David Koechner Analyst Maxwell Smart (Steve Carrell) of the secret intelligence organization CONTROL gets his chance to work in the field when the identities of current field agents are compromised.  In collaboration with the seasoned Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), he goes on the trail of Siegfried (Terrence Stamp), an evil mastermind with a plot to destabilize the world.  This update of the classic 60s TV series is lots of fun.  Carrell is perfectly cast and makes the part his own instead of copying Don Adams's performance.  The filmmakers include many tributes to the original show without becoming self-conscious about it.  There are some big action sequences that don't let us forget that we're watching a comedy, because the laughs are integrated so well.  Ma

  How Green Was My Valley (1941) Director: John Ford Writers: Philip Dunne, based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn Stars: Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Anna Lee, Donald Crisp, Roddy McDowell, John Loder, Sara Allgood  This film traces the changes that befall the Morgan family and the Welsh mining community where they live as the pressures of capitalism and industrialization put an end to a gentle way of life.  The narrator prefaces the story by acknowledging the tendency of memory to amplify our primary impressions of the past, thereby setting the stage for some of the rampant sentimentality to follow.  John Ford's film is melodrama rather than a deeply insightful look into the human condition, but it is affecting, nevertheless.  The film provides some much needed balance by treating such issues as unionization, environmental deterioration, and the corrupting effect of poverty and unemployment on the human soul.  There are many fine performances, including Roddy McDowell whe

Shower (1999) Director: Yang Zhang Writers: Shangjun Cai, Yi'nan Diao, Xin Hou, Fendou Liu, Yang Zhang Stars: Jiayi Du, Zheng Fang, Bing He, Wu Jiang, Ding Li, Cunxin Pu, Xu Zhu This charming film tells the story of a man who returns home after many years from his busy life in the city to the bath house run by his father and mentally challenged brother.  He is gradually seduced by the peace and sense of community that he finds there, as well as his awakened sense of responsibility toward his aging father and handicapped younger brother.  Touching and funny, with a wonderful cast of sharply drawn supporting characters.  Writing about it makes me want to watch it again.

Black Dog (1998) Director: Kevin Hooks Writers: William Mickleberry, Dan Vining Stars: Patrick Swayze, Meat Loaf, Randy Travis, Gabriel Casseus, Brian Vincent, Graham Beckel, Brenda Strong Patrick Swayze is Jack Crews, a good man and ace trucker who lost his license and did some time over a manslaughter beef; now he just tries to make ends meet and keep a roof over the heads of his wife and daughter.  He agrees to run some guns to make the mortgage payment and from that point on he's in trouble up to his neck.  Obviously, this is a stupid movie, but that needn't preclude it from being fun.  Unfortunately, it's just boring for anyone who isn't a member of the monster-truck crowd.  For high-octane highway mayhem, rent "The Road Warrior" instead.

  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (1998) by Dean Wesley Smith (editor) Fiction based on TV series can explore topics that would never pass the artistic, political, and financial gauntlets of a production studio. Fans can have a distance from the creative orthodoxy that probably arises among the professional writers and producers who must come up with stories that both uphold the conventions of the series and also meet with approval from the higher-ups at the studio.  "Strange New Worlds" is an anthology that takes advantage of this to present some innovative stories.   Dean Wesley Smith Many of the straightforward problem/solution stories are fun, but the most interesting work takes place in odd little corners of the Trek universe.  We learn what goes through the mind of the paralyzed Christopher Pike.  Kirk has one final adventure in the moments following his death.  With its crew unconscious, the emergency protocols in a starship's computer take over to save the day.  The