The Big Short

Where I got the book

A friend :)

Why I’m reading

I basically put all of Berlin-Peck’s summer movies on my (extensive, 300+ entry) IMDB watch list -- but this one was the most interesting. We weren’t really in the mood for a comedy or a drama, and a documentary would’ve put us to sleep, so this was more or less perfect.

Expectations

A reenactment of the 2007-2008 housing/financial crisis, with a bunch of famous people, contextual humor, and some fourth-wall breaking to explain the problem in simple terms.

How was it

It was vaguely what I expected, with only a few differences -- the fourth-wall breaking wasn’t as obvious or gimmicky, it followed several separate groups of people who never really meet, and the explanation isn’t as simple as I thought it would be. Of course, that’s not to say I didn’t love the movie; it was fantastic… and the explanation couldn’t be simple. Apparently the crisis was not just irresponsibility, it was IRRESPONSIBLE CRAZYPANTS EVIL STUPID. The story follows several groups of people who saw the housing/financial crisis coming, and shorted the housing market (i.e. bet that the housing market would fail). Housing is traditionally very stable, so it seems like a stupid bet, but there’s tons of corruption happening and no one is doing their homework. But remember: these guys made money in the crisis, but they absolutely did not cause the crisis.

The main players (at least, the guys on the cover…) are:

• Michael Burry (Christian Bale) The nonconformist, brilliant, socially inept, ex-neurologist, metalhead founder of the hedge fund Scion Capital, and (one of) the first to predict the crisis. He goes all-in on sell credit default swaps (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_default_swap) against the housing market. My favorite character, although Carell had the better part and performance.
• Mark Baum (Steve Carell) Head of FrontPoint Partners, a small hedge fund that also shorted the housing market early on. Several of his team members actually go out and visit many of the towns and houses suspected of mortgage fraud. Although his anger management problems were a bit campy at the start, he’s the emotional center of this movie. Based on Steve Eisman.
• Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) A trader who believes Burry’s prediction and tries to sell credit default swaps to hedge fund managers, including Baum -- he makes money on the fees. Acts as the narrator of the story. I found his role the most confusing, really; as far as I can tell, he’s helping himself (sales fees) and Baum (swaps sound stupid, but will actually be profitable) and hurting the bank he works for (which will eventually have to pay out for the swaps).
• Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt), with Charlie Geller (John Magaro) and Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock) The latter two are young, small-time investors who jump on the bandwagon. Rickert lends a bit of Oceans 11 fun to the movie, using his experience and connections to let them follow through on their plans.

Recommendation

Anyone looking to understand the crisis -- and yeah, you do actually have to think, it’s not a topic that lends itself to simplification. Great if you’re not in a comedy mood but too tired for drama; it’s a little of both, but doesn’t yank on your heartstrings. Not good if you’re looking for a fun Ocean’s 11 style romp around Wall Street (that’s probably Wolf of Wall Street).

Feels

A little bit documentary, a little bit drama, a splash of Ocean’s 11 -- it’s exactly what every cool economics professor wants to be. It was never going to be a blockbuster, because it did its job too well to be a blockbuster.

Favorites

The renter we meet when Baum’s team goes mortgage fraud sightseeing. He’s fat, in his late 20s, poorly dressed, vaguely hispanic, tattooed, and sleepy -- the perfect stereotype of oh, of course this is the kind of person who caused the financial crisis. But no, no, no -- he’s been paying his rent on time and just settled his little girl in school; it’s his landlord who hasn’t been paying the mortgage. He was on screen less than a minute, and encapsulated exactly the kind of person who was blamed for, and most hurt by, the crisis. Also, the alligator was hilarious. Also, the few times a character turns to the screen and comments on a plot point (i.e. to say whether something dramatic actually happened or was added for drama).

Least favorites

The ending-before-the-ending, where they suggest everything worked out and the people responsible were punished -- just kidding, no one got punished, it’s still going on! They were trying to shock the audience, but I could practically feel the reward centers in my brain reacting as if there really was a happy ending. It was the end of the movie; audiences are already conditioned to expect a happy ending, and the movie gave them one -- it wrapped everything up nicely, and the ‘just kidding!’ had no more impact than a hand coming out of a grave at the end of a horror movie. If they really wanted shock, they should have left it on a dark note.

Captain America : Civil War

Why I'm watching
Marvel’s been knocking these out of the park. The first Captain America was alright I guess (Hugo Weaving was massively underused) but Captain America: Winter Soldier was great (and not just great for a superhero movie).

Where I watched the movie
Local theater with just Alan (usually we do these superhero movies with a big group…)

Expectations
Something along the lines of Captain America: Winter Soldier in plot and feel, but with all the A
vengers getting cranky at each other and failing to communicate. I won’t lie, I’m expecting the infighting to be annoying (come on guys, just sit down and talk it out, it’s all a misunderstanding)

So how was it?

Uhhhh…. Really good. Really, really good. I don’t know how they got that many characters together (including two entirely new introductions) and built that complex of a plot without getting confusing, convoluted, bloated, or boring. Are you taking notes, DC? Because the latest Superman reboot managed all four and an insanely bland story.

There’s a lot going on in this one, but the central issue is (I’m not kidding) paperwork. After the disaster in Sokovia, the UN wants control over the Avengers, and the Avengers initially take sides over signing a treaty -- Iron Man is for, Captain America against. The actual “civil war” comes when a bomb goes off and Bucky Barnes (Rogers’ old frenemy, the Winter Soldier) is implicated.

And guess what? It wasn’t all just a misunderstanding. There’s lots of people feeling all sorts of feels, having all sorts of opinions and perspectives, and no one is entirely wrong. (Okay, well, in terms of priorities, Cap’s team is right to go after the bad guy that Stark’s team doesn’t quite know about; there could have been better communication there).

Best villain yet, I think.

Recommendation
Oh, just go see it.

Feels
It had exciting action scenes and a reasonable amount of humor (much less than the Avengers movies) -- but you’re gonna feel some feels. Lots of good people hurting each other because they’re doing what they believe is right. While it avoids pointless grittiness, this isn’t a lighthearted superhero movie.

Favorites
It’s all about the pacing. We get action scenes that are dynamic and interesting (and don’t drag on as characters repetitively bash each other into buildings), slower scenes with some humor (that’s actually funny and appropriate to the situation), glimpses of humanity (without bleeding hearts and dramatic speeches), side characters who actually matter (and aren’t just plot devices)... basically my favorite part is the whole movie.

Part of that good pacing includes just chucking two new superheros into the mix with minimal backstory (especially Spiderman, oh god) or explanation of powers (still not 100% on what Black Panther is or how he does what he does).

Okay, I lied: my favorite part is the central fight, team Cap vs. team Stark -- more specifically, the constant undertone of "Imma beat your face in, but we’re still cool, right? Right."

Least favorites
There were a few things I was iffy about, but ultimately liked. Black Panther’s character was a little weird for the first, oh, third of the movie, because I didn’t have context for him -- but in the end, I love the way they did it.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Podcasting...

I spent pretty much all of February listening to hours and hours and hours of podcasts, so why not post them? Summaries taken from each podcast's respective website.


Ask Me Another (NPR)
"Ask Me Another blends brainteasers and local pub trivia night with comedy and music into a rambunctious hour-long show.

Fantastic for keeping me awake on my two-hour commute to work. The trivia is fun, but it's really the interactions (and awful puns) that make AMA so much fun. Plus, there are usually celebrity guests!




Click (BBC)
“the best debate on global technology, social media and the internet,” or “your guide to all the latest gadgets, websites, games and computer industry news”

Fun and conversational updates on technology.






Discovery (BBC)
"Explorations in the world of science."

'Explorations' is exactly the right word for Discovery. The podcast spends about 20 minutes exploring random issues in science, from editing the genome to Einstein's refrigerator patent.






Faith Middleton Food Schmooze (NPR)
Faith and her foodie friends talk about food, share recipes, review cookbooks, and make you SUPER hungry.





  

Freakonomics 
 "...surprising conversations that explore the riddles of everyday life and the weird wrinkles of human nature... with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, social scientists and entrepreneurs" 


 
Fresh Air (NPR)
 "Hosted by Terry Gross, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries."

Interviews and other interesting tidbits on a variety of contemporary subjects. Terry's interviews are great (and it seems like she's interviewed everyone at some point...)



Graham Norton (BBC)
"Graham hosts a vibrant Saturday mix of music, problems and celebrity chat."

Graham Norton is a talk show host for the BBC (pretty much the best talk show host ever, check him out)... and this is his podcast.

Inside Science (BBC)
"...illuminate the mysteries and challenge the controversies behind the science that's changing our world."

More quick stories about random scientific discoveries and problems.


NPR Books (NPR)
A mix of 4-5 minute reviews and 20-30 minute interviews with authors.



NPR Interviews (NPR)
Gathers together a host of interviews from other NPR podcasts: scientists, authors, actors, politicians, comedians, regular people.


NPR Movies (NPR)
5-10 minute reviews of upcoming movies, including many movies I otherwise would never have discovered. Also gathers together movie topics from other NPR podcasts.


NPR Politics (NPR)
 "...where NPR's political reporters talk to you like they talk to each other. With weekly roundups, quick takes on news of the day, and reporting from the campaign trail, you don't have to keep up with politics to know what's happening this election year. You just have to keep up with us."

A relaxed, conversational, and well-informed take on current American politics.


NPR Technology (NPR)
Quick 3-5 minute updates on new advances in technology.

NPR World (NPR)
Quick, 5-10 minute updates on current politics and social issues around the world.


Science Hour (BBC)
"Science, health and technology news and highlights of the week."

More science! I think I'm noticing a trend. This one gets a little deeper into the subjects it covers.







 Seriously... (BBC)
"A rich selection of documentaries aimed at relentlessly curious minds. No subject is too strange, no idea too weird."




 
TED Radio Hour (NPR)
 "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas: astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, new ways to think and create. Based on Talks given by riveting speakers on the world-renowned TED stage..."

Unlike the Ted Talks podcast below, this gathers together several TED talks on similar topics, and knits them together with interviews and new information.



Ted Talks Audio
Audio from new and popular TED Talks. These can be a little frustrating if the TED presenter uses a lot of visual information in their talk.




Wait Wait Don't Tell Me (NPR)
"NPR's weekly current events quiz. Have a laugh and test your news knowledge while figuring out what's real and what we've made up."
 

Very similar to Ask Me Another (I couldn't tell the difference until I moved from radio to podcast).

Gumption // Nick Offerman {Audiobook}

Why I'm reading
Two words: Nick Offerman.

Where I got the book
Audiobook from the Greenwich library, read by the author.

Expectations
I've seen interviews with him, so I know he's an odd mix of his Parks and Rec character and a stereotypical touchy-feely actor. Surprisingly not contradictory.

So how was it?

In Gumption, Offerman covers a hodge-podge group of "great Americans." He meanders from one to the other in a very conversational way, with all sorts of side notes and personal anecdotes. And, of course: meat, woodworking, politics, and manliness.

Recommendation
Fans of any kind of American history; he doesn't contain himself to the usual "great Americans."

Feels
Like a rambling one-sided conversation-cum-monologue, probably over a pint in a pub.

Favorites
Offerman includes a surprising number of women "great Americans," and it's not at all pandering.

Least favorites
I could've done with a little more structure.

Writing style
I haven't read Paddle Your Own Canoe, his autobiography, so I wasn't ready for the utter verbosity! He writes like someone with a thesaurus open at their elbow -- no, that's not right. He writes like someone who occasionally enjoys reading the thesaurus. Surprisingly not as annoying as it should be.

Mockingjay // Suzanne Collins {Audiobook}

Why I'm reading
Duh.

Where I got the book
Greeeeeeenwich.

Expectations
Finally getting to this whole rebellion thing.

So how was it?

After being rescued in Catching Fire, and bumming around with what is probably several layers of PTSD, Katniss ends up the Mockingjay: the rebellion's figurehead. There’s lots of arguing about everything, a new flavor of makeover, and actual rebellion-fighting action! Then she sets off with a small elite squad and the real action actually starts. Also, Peeta’s all sorts of messed up.

This vastly exceeded my expectations. Not so much in terms of plot, but in terms of how Collins handles the emotional aspects of war. There's a brief afterword at the end (read by the author in the audiobook) explaining how she came up with the idea: she was flipping through channels, and saw  young reality TV stars juxtaposed against young soldiers in Iraq. I'm so glad I stuck around for the afterword (I usually don't read them) because it explains how this book had such an impact; the plot and the characters are your typical dystopian thriller, but there's a strong undercurrent of -- I don't know what to call it, but it reminds me of M*A*S*H.

The afterword also explained why I was constantly thinking jeez, I really hope they filmed this shot-for-shot, the scenes are set up perfectly for film -- Collins worked in TV!

Recommendation
Well, if you’ve made it this far…

Feels
Like everyone’s dying and you don’t have time to care. Seriously, just assume everyone dies. Not everyone does, but at least then you'll be -- let's not say pleasantly surprised, but at least not totally crushed.

Favorites
Continues to be Finnick and Haymitch, although Haymitch plays a smaller role this time. The shenanigans with the camera crew. Katniss’ last arrow.

Least favorites
The whole thing with Peeta was a little silly initially, but I guess it served its purpose. I also wasn't a fan of the way she wrote the fire... thing at the very end.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Imitation Game // Benedict Cumberbatch {Movie}

Why I'm watching
I could say that I think Alan Turing is awesome, and it wouldn't be a lie. But I’m really watching this because I’m (still) on a Benedict Cumberbatch kick. I love Turing, but a docu-drama probably wouldn’t normally interest me.

Where I got the movie
Borrowed from Greenwich.

Expectations
Nothing specific; Turing is awesome, Cumberbatch is awesome, Knightly is pretty awesome too. So… awesome. But tragic, all things considered.

So how was it?

Hmm. It pains me to say this, but… not so awesome.

I can’t believe this got an Oscar for screenplay. Worth watching for the acting, absolutely; but the story itself is painfully trite, romanticized, and nowhere near accurate.

The story follows Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), misunderstood mathematical genius, who applies for a job as a code-breaker during WWII. He works to break the German Enigma code, more or less single-handed, often having to fight the rest of his department to do so. The timeline sticks mostly to the WWII era, with a few flashbacks to childhood events, and a small amount of time on Turing's tragic end.

As for the accuracy, well... it's not. I didn’t know most of this when I watched the movie, but it still felt inaccurate because it was just such a textbook hero story. You can read a list of inaccuracies on Wikipedia. Slate also has an interesting article about characterization; I can't bring myself to blame the characterization problems on Cumberbatch, because the entire first half of the plot hinges on Turing being basically on the Autism spectrum. He couldn't have played it any other way (and indeed, when the plot stops harping on the Autism, he becomes a much more engaging character).

Recommendation
It's absolutely still worth the watch if you're interested in Turing's life, gay rights, WWII, cryptography, etc. Don't let my disappointment make this seem like a terrible movie. Just don't expect realism.

Feels
Deliberately classic. Insistently uplifting. Hollywood.

Favorites
Everything about the last few scenes. When Turing breaks down after the project is over, it’s heartbreaking. Apparently Cumberbatch was actually upset.

A police officer also finds him sweeping up cyanide from an experiment -- a nice reference to how historians now think he might have died.

I also appreciated the subtlety and dignity of Turing’s homosexuality. Somehow they got that right, when everything else is so ham-handed. Cumberbatch and Knightly have this fantastic non-sexual chemistry. He manages to deliver a desperate marriage proposal that has all this affection and honestly… and zero romantic interest.

Least favorites
The plot. It’s just so contrived. It tries so hard to be heartfelt, but you can't be heartfelt without being honest and human... which means not relying on a bunch of Heartfelt Tortured Hero tropes. The inaccuracies aren't just inaccuracies; they change the whole tone of the film.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Breakfast on Pluto // Cillian Murphy {Movie}

Why I'm watching
Who can resist Cillian Murphy in drag?

Where I got the movie
Greenwich Library (new job!)

Expectations
Something in the realm of Kinky Boots and Hedwig and the Angry Inch: sexy, heartfelt, and dealing with gender and human nature.

So how was it?

Good, but not exactly what I was expecting. The story follows Patrick "Kitten" Braden, whose sexuality and gender identity are... never directly examined, but you could say transgender. We see him grow up as an abandoned, feminine, and extremely bratty young man in Ireland in the 1970s, fascinated by the mother who abandoned him.

The movie was a lot more subtle than I was expecting -- definitely an Irish production. And it's very, very, very interwoven with the history and politics of 1970s Ireland (yes, that means car bombs.) I wasn't wrong in thinking this would be like Hedwig; if anything, it was more like Hedwig than I was expecting: raw, confused, and personal-political.

Recommendation
Fans of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, 110%. Except the singing.

Feels
Raw, a little mixed up, heartfelt without being melodramatic.

Favorites
The silly spy daydream (hallucination?) was adorable by itself, but really kind of dark in context. I really connected with Kitten's friends; smaller parts, but just as important and interesting.

Least favorites
The CGI birds were unnecessary. Some of the dialog was hard to follow (hey, Irish).

Severance // Chris Bucholz

Why I'm reading
I want to start reading more sci-fi, and the summary made this look fantastic. A generation ship, cliques, drugs, costumed orgies(!), meat plants, and a murder mystery.

Where I got the book
Another LibraryThing Early Reviewers ebook!

Expectations
An inventive futuristic world, a murder-mystery plot, probably some so-so YA level character development, randomly capitalized Things and Groups, and a "twist" ending about the purpose of the generation ship. A sci-fi snack.

So how was it?

Severance follows Laura Stein, a vaguely mid-level engineer on the generational ship Argos, which is headed towards a new home in another star system. One of her underlings ends up dead after a routine maintenance assignment, leading Stein to unravel a conspiracy that could rip the ship in two.

It was exactly what I expected... only a hell of a lot better than I expected. The writing was a little clunky (like a YA book) but I don't even care. The world development was fantastic -- imaginative, but still grounded, built into the plot but not harped upon, and completely plausible. The plot never felt too slow, didn't put the main character through dramatic trials just to watch her suffer, and built up foreshadowing without (gasp) being too predictable.

There was a great amount of humor, too, from the friendly piss talk between Stein and her friend Bruce, to the hilariously stupid inhabitants of Argos. The description had me worried, with mention of groups like Breeders and Markers... factions and capitalized Proper Nouns are a big, cheesy thing in YA literature. Yeah, that's not a problem with this book. I won't spoil what the Markers are because it's too funny, but they exist in the same world as teenagers who look at the curved ship walls and spin until they puke (vomit clubs, and they've gone out of style).

N.b. I keep referring to YA books, but I'm not sure if this fits or not. Reading level and entertainment value, yes, YA. But there's a reasonable amount of casual swearing, and honestly, it avoids a lot of the annoying YA tropes.

Recommendation
Sci-fi and action/adventure fans, mystery fans.

Feels
Exciting, fun, a little gritty -- but it doesn't make a point of being gritty, if that makes sense. Dirty and a bit scruffed up. I think I could see this adapted into a movie fairly well. It has an almost comic book vibe.

Favorites
Characters, hands down. He doesn't dig too deep into any of the characters, but they're realistic and fun. The main character is relatable without being Typical Teenage Girl, competent but not especially good or bad at what she does, smart and brave but not unreasonably so, etc. etc. She's just in the right place at the right time, and does what needs to be done. Well, okay, there's one special bit about her -- she's a "canned baby" -- but it's not a big deal.

Least favorites
The writing was indeed a little clunky... I wanted to break out my red pen at points. There were also two side characters I wish had a little more "screen time," so I could appreciate their friendship. But overall, I had very little to complain about.

Writing style
Clunky, yes, but... there are little tiny hints of Douglas Adams' influence. Ramshackle technology, a silly little metaphor here and there, and a storyline that jumps around and doesn't always go where you're expecting. Not perfect, but it has its delightful moments.

The Queen's Necklace // Alexandre Dumas

Why I'm reading
After Monte Cristo, I wanted to check out the author’s other works. I picked The Queen’s Necklace at random.

Where I got the book
Project Gutenberg (again!)

Expectations
I’m going into this blind, for once. I'm expecting something like Monte Cristo, maybe a little more mystery - robbery? - and less action. But I must say, the first line… "Our old acquaintance, the Marshal de Richelieu, having with his own hands colored his eyebrows with a perfumed dye." What have I gotten myself into?!

So how was it?

I found out after the fact that this is the second book in a series, so... yeah. I might look into reading Memoirs of a Physician and The Marie Antoinette Romances.

The story has three plots intertwined - and when I say “plots” I do mean “plots”. One, enterprising young Jeanne maneuvers herself into the high life she believes she deserves; two, the mysterious Monsieur de Cagliostro takes interest in a doppelganger to the queen; and three, Beausire, the doppelganger’s seedy boyfriend, plans the elaborate theft of a necklace made for the queen.

Recommendation
For readers who enjoy court intrigue, historical dramas, and mistaken identity. Not for fans of action and adventure. If the slow parts of The Count of Monte Cristo were too slow for you, avoid The Queen’s Necklace.

Feels
Sedate, with sparks of mystery and surprise. Lacks closure.

Favorites
The introduction is extremely engaging; unfortunately, it doesn’t have much to do with the story. M. de Cagliostro was my favorite character - almost like the Count, but we’re not told much about his motivations.

Least favorites
The story was slow, and lacked a lot of the tension that made Monte Cristo such a good read. I’m not a huge fan of the whole doppelganger trope - and, even though the queen figures it out fairly early, she does nothing to avoid the typical doppelganger shenanigans. At least everything falls apart quickly and realistically (if not intelligently) instead of building an improbably web of assumptions and mistakes.

Writing style
This is episodic, just like Monte Cristo. Once again the different perspectives are used to create dramatic irony.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!