The final week of August has been one of the hottest and most humid weeks of the summer. It should end today--the heat, that is, not the humidity. So far my new astronomy cycle has been a washout, but things should improve by Sunday. Monday is the new moon already, so I don't have much time remaining. I have a newly cleaned telescope mirror, and I'm anxious to get out and use it.
Piano practice is paying off. I've been at the new pieces for about six weeks now, interrupted by my medical issue. But almost all of the pieces are at least playable, and memorization is proceeding well. I hope to memorize everything except the two pieces by Bach. That includes three Haydn movements, 2 pieces by Satie, a Debussy Prelude, and an Etude by Philip Glass. I've just started memorizing the Glass, and am well into the Haydn.
In fitness news I am again back at it, after a hiatus due to some health issues. I am still experiencing some pain, but it is intermittent and not as severe. There can be some lingering pain even weeks after passing a kidney stone. Next week is the start of the intensive 6-week training program we use for high altitude hiking. I am not really certain I can get through it again, though I am willing to give it one more try. I made it through the program last year, but Deb's 2 injuries precluded any hiking. Weather is supposed to be less hot and much drier. Here's hoping.
I am just finishing up my last book of the reading month, and will be publishing my August post either late tomorrow or early Sunday. Watch for it, all you fans of great literature (and not so great).
In viewing news, we are now watching, in addition to films, three series and two Great Courses. Tonight we watched episode 1 season 2 of Rings of Power. It mostly fills in a lot of detail about Sauron and what he has been up to. Not a really compelling episode to begin the new season, but it has some wonderful shots both indoors and out, including Cirdan's shipbuilding workshop at the Grey Havens. And we finally get to see those Elven Rings on the fingers of their owners. We continue to watch Star Trek Discovery, Season 1, though that becomes less and less interesting as it goes along. There is decent acting and great effects, but way too much violence and sadism. I miss Star Trek, when they went exploring, and Science was an important topic. Now it's about war and battles and traitors and cruelty, and lately we went again to an alternate universe, where bad versions of everyone from our universe lives. Good grief! And lastly (and still holding our attention) is The Peripheral, also quite sadistic and violent, but at least the plot seems original (William Gibson) and quite fascinating. The CGI views of a future London are quite spectacular, too.
We are watching a 24 episode Great Course on Mystery Fiction, and we just began one on Gravity, after finishing up one on the best piano literature. That latter one was one of the best seen so far, of about a dozen courses we have viewed on various topics, from weather to ancient astronomy. It is a truly great channel, and the professors are mostly the best in their field, and good speakers.
In film news there are three to report, Deb's choices up first, and then my choice. (my film festival choices begin this weekend). First is The Birdcage, from 1996, an American remake of La Cage aux Folles. Mike Nichols directed Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as the gay couple. It is as inoffensive a film about gays as can ever be imagined, and perhaps even funnier than the original version. It is certainly colourful. Gene Hackman is terrific as the Republican Senator from Ohio, whose daughter wishes to marry the son of Williams. Many great supporting roles make the film consistently good, especially the houseboy role played to perfection by Hank Azaria. Highly recommended, especially if you liked the original.
Next came a downer of a film. The Hypnosis is a Swedish film from 2023, about a young couple making a pitch to find an investor for their women's health app. They attend a weekend workshop on how to hone their sales pitch, and then get to present it to actual investors. But she goes completely off the rails after visiting a hypno-therapist before leaving. The film becomes nothing but an uncomfortable cringe affair. It's supposed to be a comedy and zany--it ain't. If you enjoy feeling extremely uncomfortable for about 80 minutes of the total 100 minute running time, then you may enjoy this film. We did not. This thing won film awards at festivals!
Speaking of a cringe worthy film, I chose Fellini's Orchestra Rehearsal from 1978. This film makes Plan 9 From Outer Space appear as the masterpiece that it is. Fellini's film is so bad that it makes my kidney hurt (the good one). He attempts to show what happens when the unions take over the workplace. He chooses the most conservative of organizations, the orchestra. The film uses a caricature of a conductor as the orchestra leader, and the film shows the quick descent into chaos caused by bad leadership and new union rules for workers. No doubt Fellini had a bit of a grudge against unions, having to make his later films trying to appease them. Even so, this must rank as his worst film (at least I hope it is the worst). Imagine if some young film goers wanted to learn about Fellini and went and saw this film. A must to avoid. Much cringier than even The Hypnosis (what a double bill it was to sit through).
Mapman Mike
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