The Ricochet Reviewer: Books, Movies, and Comics

Director: Sean Foley Writers: Julian Barratt & Simon Farnaby, based on an original idea by Simon Farnaby Stars: Julian Barratt, Russell Tovey, Simon Farnaby, Essie Davis, Steve Coogan, Richard McCabe, Kenneth Branagh A washed-up actor (Julian Barratt) whose claim to  fame is starring in a popular 80s cop show gets involved in the pursuit of a murderer (Russell Tovey) who believes his character is real.  This is a pretty funny movie filled with the kind of British cringe-inducing skewering of the unjustifiably arrogant that was perfected in The Office.  Every joke has a dark shadow as we watch this man, whose seemingly high opinion of himself serves as a defense mechanism to prevent him from having to face how irrelevant he has become, gets his self-esteem beaten down again and again.  It actually becomes a rather depressing exercise at some point, which prevents the film from becoming anything like a laugh riot.   The plot was a bit too complicated for my taste.   Kenneth Branagh h

by Jim Hogshire Jim Hogshire worked for several supermarket tabloids,  so it's not surprising that his expose of their inner workings shares some of the same deficiencies.   Jim Hogshire These include a willingness to speculate freely about his subject, often constructing chains of circumstantial evidence to substantiate claims such as tabloids hiring CIA agents in order to provide them with plausible cover for their activities around the world.  He also asserts that the tabloids are associated with government psychological warfare departments, serving as right-wing propaganda tools.  All of these accusations are interesting and may even have a good deal of truth in them.  More reliable are Hogshire's accounts of tabloid editorial practices and anecdotes about some of the goings-on behind the scenes.  Taken with a grain of salt, there is much to enjoy here.

Writer/Director: Adam Leon Stars: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson, Meeko, Sam Soghor, Adam Metzger, Greyson Cruz A couple of New York would-be graffiti artists (Tashiana Washington and Ty Hickson)  need $500 in order to pull off a big scheme that will expose their tag to the entire city.   We follow them as they attempt to get the money by hook or by crook, getting a complete portrait of their lives and their environment in the process.  This indie film meanders a bit but is often very funny and quite good.  The two lead actors are terrific.  What passes as a big dream for their characters makes everything feel a little squalid and sad, but their essential goodness and their concern for each other shine through all, giving us hope that they will dream better dreams later.

by Toni Morrison This novel tells the story of two life-long friends.  Sula  comes from a line of independent women and grows up to have contempt for the small-town morality of the Bottom, where she grew up, as well as an abiding hostility toward her mother and grandmother.   Nell embraces the life of the community and tries to pursue a conventional life as wife and mother.  In their future awaits an act of betrayal that will force them to reevaluate each other and their own lives.  Toni Morrison's beautiful prose brings to life the community of the Bottom. Toni Morrison "Sula" (Swedish) "Sula" (French) "Sula" (Turkish) "Sula" (Dutch) "Sula" (Greek) "Sula" (Italian) "Sula" (Spanish) "Sula" (German) "Sula" (Lithuanian) "Sula" (Portuguese) "Sula" (Norwegian) "Sula" (Japanese) "Sula" (Korean) "Sula" (Danish)

by F. Paul Wilson A missing five-year-old, a mysterious artifact, a secretive  lodge, and a dangerous creature occupy a young Repairman Jack as he and his friends investigate strange goings-on in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.   F. Paul Wilson tells a good story.   F. Paul Wilson Following the adventures of Jack and his friends gave me pleasant flashbacks to reading series like Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators when I was a kid.   Exposing adolescents to the mysteries of the supernatural is a reliable metaphor for confronting the mysteries of the adult world.  We also get to see Jack’s developing penchant for finding his own unique solutions to injustices that society seems ill-equipped to solve. 

by Edgar Rice Burroughs Billy Byrne transforms from a tough Chicago lowlife  to an honorable man of action during a series of adventures in which he is shanghaied by pirates, battles samurai headhunters, and hides out from the law in Mexico, earning the love of a beautiful society woman in the process.  The edition I read included both “The Mucker” and its sequel, “The Return of the Mucker.”   The first story is actually pretty interesting, with some good interactions among characters and an unusual Burroughs hero.  He is an uncivilized brute who gradually questions his behavior by observing the actions of others.   "Billy Byrne" (Czech) The second story features Burroughs’ penchant for depending on coincidence at its worst. Edgar Rice Burroughs

Director: Jan de Bont Writer: Graham Yost Stars: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton, Jeff Daniels, Alan Ruck, Glen Plummer SWAT officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) must face  off against a mad bomber (Dennis Hopper) who has rigged a city bus to explode if its speed falls below 50 mph.  When this film was first released, I was as caught up in the action as anyone and easily forgot the absurdity of the plot.   Upon a recent reviewing, however, I found that it just didn't hold up for me.   I couldn't overlook how silly the basic concept is, and the stereotyped characters and dialogue grated on my nerves.  Nevertheless, director Jan de Bont deserves some credit for taking this idea farther than most directors could have.