Hello my survivor friends!
Did we all survive the eclipse apocalypse this week? (And, ‘this week’ for you time travelers would be the second week of April in 2024 – hence the solar eclipse reference)
I was not in the path of totality, but I was fairly close to it. It was a bright sunny day and the sudden dimming of the sun during the eclipse was awesome in the true meaning of the word.
You can easily see how pre-science cultures would have been terrified by this ‘act of God’.
Who knows, maybe this will inspire a renewed generational interest in science instead of flat-earth and religious reaction.
Speaking of religious reactionaries – I got out to see the new Dune movie last week. I liked it. It’s slick and beautiful and tells a good story.
I can remember reading the original books, probably in the 1980’s, and being sucked into the narrative – not being able to put them down. That says something about the power and inventiveness and craft of this narrative – that it could grab a scatterbrain like me by the throat and hold me down for hours – that’s unique. There are only a few books that were able to do that. And this was one of them.
This second movie was long. I noticed many people in the theatre, including me, had to get up and visit the rest room – could not make it. So, you might consider adult diapers if you want to get through without missing anything! (hah hah)
Having read the books, especially the first book. I knew where it ended and was surprised that they got there. With 30 minutes left in the movie, I turned to my daughter and whispered, “They’re not even going to get through the first book.”
But they did. Those last 30 minutes were a sprint to the finish.
I won’t spoil anything, but I will share some random thoughts, because most of my thoughts are random.
First, why is everyone wearing codpieces? Is this going to be a new fashion trend? Do you need extra protection for your junk in the desert of Arrakis?
Second, Even with my scant experience, I know that making love in the sand is tricky at best.
Third, they were walking a narrow path with the religious overtones. Back in 1965 when the first book was written no one outside of Damascus had heard about Jihad and it was a safe literary artifice. Today, not so much. They did the best they could, but the religious stuff seemed a bit of a parody at times.
That’s what I got for you. I did like the movie. See it on the big screen because it’s rich and lush and loves the scenery – chews it up.
Second, I watched a movie, almost entirely by accident called JoJo Rabbit from 2019 by Taika Waititi.
This was a brilliant little gem of a movie. I’m not going to spoil it for you. Just go watch it. It hits a lot of buttons, is beautifully shot, and Taika Waititi is a genius storyteller with a brilliant sense of humor – but also with a fearless edge.
You probably know Taika Waititi from his breakout film “What we do in the shadows” – his Vampire Mocumentary from 2014 – which was excellent. It that spawned a series on FX, which I think is entering it’s 6th season?
Or maybe you will know his big-time-directorial debut – Thor Ragnarök from 2017 – And yes he is not only a genius but a prolific genius.
So go watch JoJo Rabbit – or any Taika Waititi production for that matter and you won’t be disappointed.
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That’s it for me this week. Next episode will be the last episode of season 4, if I can pull it off! It’s a bit like painting a floor where now I’ve painted myself into a corner and have to find an avenue of escape.
Come over and join us on the Facebook group.
All of these notes with the links to all this stuff are in the show notes and posted on my website at oldmanapocalypse.com.
After this season ends we’ll begin producing other stories for a couple months as I plan out the final season and work on the big, teetering pile of other odds and ends that clutter my life. There is still time for you to send a story.
Thank you for listening and putting up with me.
I always love to hear from you so send me a note or send me a story.
Love you guys to the moon and back – even when it crosses directly in front of the sun.
Keep your special eclipse glasses handy and whatever you do – keep surviving.
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