Diving into the Top 10 finds the first of TWO titles by Jennifer Haigh and a graphic novel.
#9) American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang – Gene Luen Yang’s Award-winning graphic novel unfolds as three distinct stories that weave together by the book’s end. Jin Wang is the only Chinese-American student at this school, and he wants nothing more than to blend in. Danny is an All-American high school basketball star who is mortified when his Taiwanese cousin, Chin-Kee visits for a couple of weeks every year. The Monkey King strives for divinity, looking to transform his identity to something far more than he is. With an insightful eye on American youth, Yang creates a tale that will resonate with anyone.
#8) Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh – Jennifer Haigh’s first novel is a tough read. Not in the sense that it is boring, or dense, or lacks punctuation or anything like that. The subject matter was just upsetting in a subtle way that felt like part of another time. Perhaps that’s a good thing in this day and age, but Mrs. Kimble focuses on a charming man of dubious ethics, who woos women, marries them, and then inevitably disappoints them. What upset me about this novel was the desperate way the three Mrs. Kimbles loved their husband. Not that it felt false, which was probably the most upsetting thing about it.
Haigh is a great writer. Her prose is easy and enticing. Her characters nuanced and varied. I very much enjoyed the through-line of Charlie’s story, Mr. Kimble’s first child, and the way he grew up from an enterprising young boy, to a mistrustful, yet kind adult. As domestic dramas go, this is a winner, but one that may be occasionally frustrating in the best possible way.
#11) Engines of Oblivion by Karen Osborne – Osborne’s second offering in her series, The Memory War, took some time to draw me in, but ultimately succeeded in telling a complicated story about the ongoing saga of first contact that turns to interstellar war, and the women who change the course of history. Engines of Oblivion picks up with Natalie Chan, a supporting character form the first installment of the series, Architects of Memory, who frankly, took a while to emerge back into my brain even after having read the previous novel only a year or so ago. The main characters from Architects do return, and their presence is felt throughout, but this is really Natalie’s story, and her evolving relationship with the Master Node of the mysterious Vai. The challenge with Osborne’s novels is that her plots are so dense, and convoluted, that I often don’t really know what’s going on. Ultimately, the characters are real enough, and the story engaging enough that it almost doesn’t matter that I’m missing the larger story she is trying to tell, but part of me is frustrated by that as well.
#10) Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt – This sweet story is, at its heart, a story about family lost and family reunited. 70-year-old Tova lives alone with the 30-year-old grief of her son’s death, ruled as a suicide. Her husband has also recently passed away, and Tova lives her solitary life in the the small tow of Sowell Bay, WA among the company of the KnitWits, friends who she enjoys, but more accurately tolerates. When Cameron, a young lost man comes to town searching for his father in a desperate attempt to get his life on track, the two invariably collide and find they have more in common than they could ever imagine. What makers Remarkably Bright Creatures stand out from its someone pedestrian, albeit well-constructed central story, is the only real joy in Tova’s life — her job cleaning at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, and the unusual relationship she develops with Marcellus, the Giant Pacific Octopus who is a resident there. How Marcellus affects the trajectories of both Tova and Cameron’s lives adds a unique twist to Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel.
My next two books were a bit different for me. One came about randomly as I decided to explore reading more indigenous authors, and the other was a short story collection from a Japanese master that I was inspired to read because of an excellent movie.
#13) Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice – This slight novel is filled with atmosphere. Far to the north, in a remote Anishinaabe community, winter approaches. When all power and networks suddenly fail, the people of the town find themselves cut off from the rest of the world, and it is only through a small number of unexpected arrivals do they learn this phenomenon is widespread. Where some folks have prepared for a long winter by following older traditions, like hunting to stock up on meat, others are ill-prepared, and it’s up to the community to support everyone. While things are tough in town, it soon becomes apparent that things are far worse in the larger cities to the South.
Evan and Nicole, a young couple with two children, are the heart of this story, with one foot in the modern world, and one still holding on to tradition. As the situation grows increasingly dire, and nightmarish dreams reveal real threats, the community morphs into something new in hopes of surviving in a dark new world.
#12) Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami – Acclaimed Tokyo writer Haruki Murakami collection of short stories, Men Without Women, published in 2017, explores a variety of scenarios where men find themselves without women and their lives a thrown into upheaval. Two of the stories contained in this collection, ‘Drive My Car’ and ‘Scheherazade’ were combined to create the marvelous screenplay for the 2021 film, DRIVE MY CAR, by filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi to great effect, which is why I decided to read Murakami’s collection. While an adept and accomplished writer, I wish I could read the stories in the original Japanese, because I felt that the quality of the writing was impacted by the translator, two of which are used for this group of stories. The bulk of the stories in this collection were beautifully done, but a couple toward the end were not as strong.
End of year usually people an opportunity to create an arbitrary of their favorite “fill in the blank” from the previous year. Every year, I do keep track of the books I have read, and 2022 was not the best year for me with regard to reading. I only read 26 books, which, while I haven’t gone back and done a survey of how many books I’ve read each year over the past few years, seems a little light. But I still managed to create a list of 15 titles that were worth mentioning. I will be posting my Top 15 books read in 2022 over the next week or so, so I hope you enjoy, and maybe even get a recommendation or two.
#15) My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones – My #15 book of the year also happens to be the first book I finished in 2022. Stephen Graham Jones’ bestseller is an interesting addition to the horror fiction genre. It features a Native American, high school outcast from rural Idaho named Jade Daniels, whose encyclopedic knowledge of slasher films (we’re not talking horror, we’re talking specifically slasher) comes in handy when a body count starts to rack up in Proofrock, a small mountain community nestled by the shores of Indian Lake. Naturally, Proofrock has its own horrific history, with a woodbound camp nicknamed Camp Blood for reasons we learn through the course of the book, and it’s own legend, of Stacy Graves, the Lake Witch.
Jones’ inclusion of Jade’s frankly astounding knowledge of slasher films, her indigenous background, and the personal circumstances that force this socially outcast, suicidal high school student to the fringes of community elevate the book above the usual horror fare. It has been a long time since I’ve read a novel from this genre, and while it didn’t frighten me, it does go to extreme length to include some truly grotesque moments, one involving a mountain of rotting elk corpses that I will have trouble shaking.
#14) Cress Watercressby Gregory Maguire – Young rabbit Cress Watercress, is relocating with her mother and younger brother after losing their father to a mysterious, but most certainly dire fate. Cress is in the early throes of grieving, and is more unhappy about leaving her home. The beleaguered family finds sanctuary, and a steep rent, at the Broken Arms, a near dead tree with a strict, blind owl as landlord, and takes residence in a tiny apartment beneath its roots.
Cress reluctantly gets to know the other residents of Broken Arms, including an elderly mouse couple, a rambunctious family of squirrels, and a couple of songbirds. There are threats all around, from her younger brothers respiratory problems, to a clumsy bear, a hungry fox, a conniving skunk, and a rarely seen but dangerous snake. As Cress navigates the challenges of adolescence, the loss of her father, and the arduous task of making new friends, the dangerous, yet magical life of these woodland animals combine with a sweet coming of age story, compete with gorgeous illustrations by David Litchfield.
We’re almost halfway through the year, and I’m finally getting to my Top 5 films of 2021. Yes, it took me more than a couple of months to deal with the errors I was getting from my web host that prevented me from doing so, but that’s finally done and I’m back for my irregular, sporadic posts.
Most notably, and personally, somewhat disappointing, is the fact that my Top 5 films of 2021 are all directed by men. While there are many films directed by women throughout my Top 50, including 4 in the Top 10 alone, it speaks to me of the disproportionate amount of films still directed by men. That said, none of the men who helmed films in the Top 10 are from the U.S. We’ve got Scotland, Japan, Malaysia, and Iran represented among these directors, all of whom bring a decidedly international view of life in their films. The tones of these films vary greatly, from the reflective calm of Tsai Ming-liang’s offering, to the hectic chaos from Sion Sono. The sense of alienation and dislocation suffusing my number one film is so reflective of the time and the world today, I’m not surprised that it resonated with me so strongly.
Red Post on Escher Street
#5 – Red Post on Escher Street, directed by Sion Sono (Japan) – I can’t quite remember why I selected this fim as one of our weekly film discussion films, especially since director Sion Sono was known more for his over-the-top sexual and violent content in his previous films, which I tend to shy away from. I must have read or heard something intriguing that prompted me to give this 148 minute movie a shot.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen a film that just grabbed me by the lapels and shook me, taking me completely by surprise, making me cry and laugh simultaneously with the ballsy abandon of the batshit crazy, but technical marvel of Sion Sono’s RED POST ON ESCHER STREET. A famous and well respected indie filmmaker is tapped by a major studio to make their next film, hoping he will bring some respectability and festival award to their mainstream work. Director Tadashi decides to use non-actors to fill out his massive cast that includes dozens, if not hundreds of extras. The announcement of auditions in the small town sends a variety of folks, from an amateur theatrical company, and a devoted Tadashi fan club, to a grieving widow and a young woman who may or may not have murdered her husband into a bit of a tizzy. Add to this crew the meddling studio executive, and the director’s ex-girlfriend and the story moves along down unexpected paths. The whole thing clocks in at nearly two and half hours, but I wish it went on even longer.
There is lots of humor in this film, but lots of drama as well. The underlying message of the film is a strong one, captured by the use of such a huge cast of the role of the extra in a film. The final 20 plus minutes are a feat of filmmaking that astounds, even though we’ve probably seen the like dozens of times. ESCHER STREET director Sono has a major festival fan base, and is known for his gruesome horror films, and borderline pornographic sexual examinations. I have yet to see any of his other films, and they don’t necessarily sound like they’re my cup of tea, but if RED POST ON ESCHER STREET is any indication, I just might have to try another.
A Hero
#4 – A Hero, directed by Asghar Farhadi (Iran/France) – Asghar Farhadi is the master of the ethical quandary. His complex stories put people in situations where they just can’t win, whether they are trying to do good, or acting in their own self-interest. And that’s the real beauty of his writing: there are really no villains… no bad guys. Everyone is just thoroughly human. On a weekend furlough from prison for defaulting on a debt, Rahim and his lady friend Farkhondeh try unsuccessfully to turn in some gold coins that she found for cash to pay off his debtor. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough to cover the debt, so Rahim decides to do the right thing and see if he can find the original owner of the coins.Tis decision sparks aa chain of events that turn him into a hero. Throughout the film, Rhaim exhibits the agonizing movie trait of consistency making the wrong decision, or letting others make the decision for him. Those around him, whether his son, his girlfriend, his debtor, the prison official, or a charity that help to raise money to cover his debt to get him released from prison, all have their own motives for their actions, the the complicated web of motivations only serve to put Rahim in a more and more challenging position.
“How Farhadi manages to spin this complex tale while (mostly) avoiding contrivances for the sake of the story is nothing short of masterful. Amir Jadidi embodies Rahim with an easy, soft-spoken charm, reeling you in to root for him even as you shake your head as he gets himself deeper and deeper into a bad situation. Stone-faced Mohsen Tanabandeh portrays the unforgiving debtor with strident conviction, but not without humanity, elevating him from the vengeful victim, to something much more three-dimensional. Sahar Goldoust brings a lot of motivation and nuance to the often thankless role of the girlfriend, helped by Farhadi’s integration of a mini storyline exploring Farkhonheh’s challenging family living situation, and the rigid societal conventions in modern day Iran.. In addition to the human exploration, Farhadi also explores the motivations and complexities of institutions like the prison and the charity. How he is able to integrate all of these many nuanced perspectives and motivations in under two hours is nothing short fo masterful. Sound design and cinematography are top notch as well, as you feel as if you are on the busy streets of Shiraz, amidst the shops and traffic. A HERO is his best work since his award-winning A SEPARATION, and that’s saying a lot since his output since then has all been terrific.
Days
#3 – Days, directed by Tsai Ming-liang (Taiwan/France) – I’m continuously amazed at how music I enjoy Tsai Ming-liang’s films, no matter how opaque or glacially-paced they are. After seeing his documentary, AFTERNOON, I’m beginning to think that the themes Tsai explores emerge from his leading man, Lee Kang-sheng’s life. DAYS is rather interesting because it was pieced together from footage that Tsai shot when Kang (the actor) traveled to Bangkok to seek relief from an affliction that sent shooting pains through his neck. He also shot scenes of a new discovery for filmic inspiration, a young non-actor Anopng Houngheuangsy, preparing his meal with precise care, washing the vegetables and fish that he then proceeds to cook. These two character do eventually come together, possibly meeting for the first time for a business transaction that turns into something else, or possibly men who see each other from time to time and have developed a rhythm to ease each other’s loneliness for a short time.
I recently went back to watch Tsai’s debut film, REBELS OF THE NEON GOD, and was surprised at the young, the then just over 20-year-old Kang appeared. It’s true, that while he still doesn’t look his 52 years, the actor carries a world-weariness in his face and body that was most-likely exacerbated by the debilitating pain he was suffering during the shoot. Also intriguing was the fact that Tsai use the actual hoe that he and Kang share in real life as the setting for Kang (the character’s) home in the country. The blending of random filmed scenes, and real life with a simple, yet beautiful story is nothing short of glorious. I know Tsai is slowing down his film output, and has claimed to be in retirement, but I do hope we get more visual storytelling from this intriguing master.
Drive My Car
#2 – Drive My Car, directed by RyûsukeHamaguchi (Japan) – Sometimes a film receives so much critical praise because it just that good. DRIVE MY CAR, which writer/director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi adapted from the short stories of Haruki Murakami with co-screenwriter Takamasa Oe is one such film. My experience watching the film was unusual to say the least, as two plus hours through the three-hour film the cinema lost power, and was unable to complete the film that night. I was able to return the following day to finish the film, but arrive about 30 minutes before the film had cut out the night before, and allowed me to really examine the subtleties and complexities of Hamaguchi’s filmmaking. I think it heightened the overall experience for me.
The story revolves around successful stage actor Yûsuke Kafuku who enjoys a fulfilling relationship with his wife Oto, who writes television series. The two are comfortable together, and enjoy a unique sex life in which Oto relates complex stories as she nears orgasm that evolve into scripts for her shows when Yûsuke retells them to her the next morning. Five years after a startling tragedy that reshapes Yûsuke’s life, (and prompts the opening credits, 45 minutes into the film) he is invited to a theater festival in Hiroshima to direct Uncle Vanya, the play that found much success years earlier when he played the title role. Yûsuke has chosen to stay in a hotel an hour away from the theater so as to listen to the script being read while driving in his beloved red Saab. He is bewildered and put out to discover that contractually the theater festival must utilize a driver to chauffeur the director back and forth. Twenty-three year old Misaki Watari is the scrappy, young woman who works as Yûsuke’s driver, and gradually the two form a trusting bond that is unknowingly spurred on by their respective grief, each having undergone a traumatic family experience. The rehearsal process begins, and Yûsuke ends up casting Kôji Takatsuki, former TV star who worked on one of Oto’s series, and was her lover. Kôji is unaware that Yûsuke is aware of this fact, and the two form a rather interesting bond that informs each of their personal directions.
There is so much that happens in this film, both story-wise and visually that it’s difficult to adequately review the film. but suffice it to say, the three hours go by easier than many films half its length. Cinematically, the scenes of Yûsuke and Misaki driving through Hiroshima and beyond are gorgeous, utilizing tunnels, bridges, intertwining highways and stunning landscapes to full affect. Hamaguchi even makes a massive garbage disposal plant a wonder to behold. I can’t really think of a category that I couldn’t nominate this film in, but I certainly won’t be neglecting the craft the films editing, use of music, sound design, and cinematography, as well as the acting. Misaki Watari is reminiscent of a young Bae Doo-na, and Hidetoshi Nishijima’s Yûsuke is stoic to the point of robotic, until that stifle emotion comes sputtering to the surface in a scene that is getting me choked up now just thinking about it.
Limbo
#1 – Limbo, directed by Ben Sharrock (UK) – I’m quite intrigued by young filmmaker Ben Sharrock. Ben’s sophomore feature film LIMBO, was awarded the Cannes Film Festival ‘Official Selection 2020’ label before having it’s World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival, followed by a European Premiere at San Sebastian IFF where it won the TCM Youth Jury Award. It’s an adeptly written, beautifully shot film about immigrant refugees awaiting word on their asylum requests in the desolate coast of Scotland. His first feature, the zero budget PIKADERO, is about a young, broke couple living in Spain during the economic crisis, looking for a place to consummate their relationship because they both live at home with their parents. Sharrock graduated from The University of Edinburgh with a degree in Arabic and Politics before attending Screen Academy Scotland, where he graduated with an MA in Film Directing followed by an Master of Fine Arts in Advanced Film Practice. It’s an interesting pedigree that he uses with distinction in LIMBO.
Omar is an up-and-coming Syrian musician who has fled his homeland to escape the devastating war. While he awaits asylum in Scotland with other refugees, he carries his oud everywhere he goes, but doesn’t play it. He speaks with his mother, also a refugee of Syria with his father, but far away. They all await news of Omar’s brother, who remained home fighting in the Syrian army. There have been several films in recent month about immigrant refugees, often trying to find a place in their new homes in Europe, Canada, the U.S. The gorgeous, but unforgiving landscape and climate of coastal Scotland are lovely representations of the separated isolation these refugees feel, without a home… in limbo.
Amir El-Masry gives a low-key but powerful performance as Omar. He’s got some big filmwork on his resume, including THE NIGHT MANAGER, TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN, and STAR WARS: EPISODE IX: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER. He’s got some great support as well, most notably as his roommate, Farhad played sensitively by Vikash Bhai, as the somewhat sad sack, yet optimistic comic relief, but with layers that slowly emerge with great affect. And what a delightful surprise to see Sidse Babett Knudsen, the star of the Danish series, ‘Borgen’ in an absurdly hilarious role as one of the Scottish instructors helping the immigrants acclimate to their new potential home. It’s writer/director Ben Sharrock who really shines here though, with that great combination of strong story, interesting, complex characters, and a deft eye.
#9) American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang – Gene Luen Yang’s Award-winning graphic novel unfolds as three distinct stories that weave together by the book’s end. Jin Wang is the only Chinese-American student at this school, and he wants nothing more than to blend in. Danny is an All-American high school basketball star who is mortified when his Taiwanese cousin, Chin-Kee visits for a couple of weeks every year. The Monkey King strives for divinity, looking to transform his identity to something far more than he is. With an insightful eye on American youth, Yang creates a tale that will resonate with anyone.
#8) Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh – Jennifer Haigh’s first novel is a tough read. Not in the sense that it is boring, or dense, or lacks punctuation or anything like that. The subject matter was just upsetting in a subtle way that felt like part of another time. Perhaps that’s a good thing in this day and age, but Mrs. Kimble focuses on a charming man of dubious ethics, who woos women, marries them, and then inevitably disappoints them. What upset me about this novel was the desperate way the three Mrs. Kimbles loved their husband. Not that it felt false, which was probably the most upsetting thing about it.
#11) Engines of Oblivion by Karen Osborne – Osborne’s second offering in her series, The Memory War, took some time to draw me in, but ultimately succeeded in telling a complicated story about the ongoing saga of first contact that turns to interstellar war, and the women who change the course of history. Engines of Oblivion picks up with Natalie Chan, a supporting character form the first installment of the series, Architects of Memory, who frankly, took a while to emerge back into my brain even after having read the previous novel only a year or so ago. The main characters from Architects do return, and their presence is felt throughout, but this is really Natalie’s story, and her evolving relationship with the Master Node of the mysterious Vai. The challenge with Osborne’s novels is that her plots are so dense, and convoluted, that I often don’t really know what’s going on. Ultimately, the characters are real enough, and the story engaging enough that it almost doesn’t matter that I’m missing the larger story she is trying to tell, but part of me is frustrated by that as well.
#10) Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt – This sweet story is, at its heart, a story about family lost and family reunited. 70-year-old Tova lives alone with the 30-year-old grief of her son’s death, ruled as a suicide. Her husband has also recently passed away, and Tova lives her solitary life in the the small tow of Sowell Bay, WA among the company of the KnitWits, friends who she enjoys, but more accurately tolerates. When Cameron, a young lost man comes to town searching for his father in a desperate attempt to get his life on track, the two invariably collide and find they have more in common than they could ever imagine. What makers Remarkably Bright Creatures stand out from its someone pedestrian, albeit well-constructed central story, is the only real joy in Tova’s life — her job cleaning at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, and the unusual relationship she develops with Marcellus, the Giant Pacific Octopus who is a resident there. How Marcellus affects the trajectories of both Tova and Cameron’s lives adds a unique twist to Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel.
#13) Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice – This slight novel is filled with atmosphere. Far to the north, in a remote Anishinaabe community, winter approaches. When all power and networks suddenly fail, the people of the town find themselves cut off from the rest of the world, and it is only through a small number of unexpected arrivals do they learn this phenomenon is widespread. Where some folks have prepared for a long winter by following older traditions, like hunting to stock up on meat, others are ill-prepared, and it’s up to the community to support everyone. While things are tough in town, it soon becomes apparent that things are far worse in the larger cities to the South.
#12) Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami – Acclaimed Tokyo writer Haruki Murakami collection of short stories, Men Without Women, published in 2017, explores a variety of scenarios where men find themselves without women and their lives a thrown into upheaval. Two of the stories contained in this collection, ‘Drive My Car’ and ‘Scheherazade’ were combined to create the marvelous screenplay for the 2021 film, DRIVE MY CAR, by filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi to great effect, which is why I decided to read Murakami’s collection. While an adept and accomplished writer, I wish I could read the stories in the original Japanese, because I felt that the quality of the writing was impacted by the translator, two of which are used for this group of stories. The bulk of the stories in this collection were beautifully done, but a couple toward the end were not as strong. 
#14) Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire – Young rabbit Cress Watercress, is relocating with her mother and younger brother after losing their father to a mysterious, but most certainly dire fate. Cress is in the early throes of grieving, and is more unhappy about leaving her home. The beleaguered family finds sanctuary, and a steep rent, at the Broken Arms, a near dead tree with a strict, blind owl as landlord, and takes residence in a tiny apartment beneath its roots.
