Each Thursday (or Friday, since some weeks we seem to be running behind on everything), Needcoffee.com's staff of whackos will wrack our brains to give you interesting and new things to do over the
weekend. Books, movies, whatever. We'll throw them out, you do with them what you will. And hey...if you have something
you want to recommend--whatever it is--drop us a line.
Incidentally, we've provided links where we can for you to buy the stuff or find out more if you're interested, courtesy
of those Amazon types. Hey, come on, we can't be totally selfless in
this, can we?
January 31, 2003
Book of the Week:
by Charles Hables Gray. As the inevitable and wise Spider Jerusalem once said, "Why be boring? Why not
have some fun with the idea? I mean, this is postbiological man we’re talking about here..." And while we're on the road
towards more and more people becoming enhanced humans (from dialysis to contact lenses, Gray contends), what is this going
to mean to being a citizen, being a political entity? Gray does a fairly good job of presenting the situation and issues,
and it's certainly a different read.
Audiobook of the Week:
by Thomas Harris, read by Kathy Bates. Sure, a couple of weeks ago we had recommended
Red Dragon in this slot. And the reading there by Chris Sarandon was impressive. But it didn't give us the creeps
quite like Kathy Bates' interp of the book. Granted, some of it sounds like it was heavily influenced by the film--in
Bates' delivery, mind you--but it's unique and original enough to stand on its own. And Bates' version of Jame Gumb is just...downright
evil.
Art Book of the Week:
by Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth & James Wyeth. Oh the fantastic weirdness, just a hair off from what
seems like it could be reality--that's the Wyeth touch, and why you can generally recognize their work anywhere. This book
covers all four members of this "artistic sect," and is chock full of great images of theirs. Personal favorites are Andrew
Wyeth's Spring and N.C. Wyeth's The Opium Eater.
Graphic Novel of the Week:Absolute Authority by Warren Ellis & Bryan Hitch. The book that was too good and too popular
for DC/Wildstorm not to let it go to hell is back--but it's not a new series. It's a ginormous hardcover of Ellis' twelve-issue
run on the title and comes in a slipcase. Along with the bigger book and bigger artwork, you get Ellis' script of the
first issue and some nifty sketches by Hitch. Yeah, it's expensive. But damn, it is too sweet for words.
DVD Boxed Set of the Week:
. The only show on television I watch anymore. Granted, it's got more flavors these days that Baskin Robbins,
or so it seems sometimes, but I tend to hang out on the original. The perennial Jerry Orbach, the addition of Sen. Fred
Thompson as the D.A., oh it rocks. And now the first year gets the DVD treatment. Now--some might say why bother, since
you can't throw a rock at a TV schedule these days without hitting some version of L&O on rerun--but those some are
not completists like I. I say go for it.
DVD of the Week:
. Okay, so it's not Harold and Maude (but then again, what is?), but if the only part of
American Pie you really enjoyed were the Graduate
references, then this film might do to pass an entertaining piece of time. Aaron Stanford is a nice discovery, and we always
like to see John Ritter. Worth renting, at least.
CD of the Week:The Crushed Velvet Apocalypse by The Legendary Pink Dots.
The Legendary Pink Dots combines a host of musical styles, from ambient to pop to psychedelic, and do it well. By
turns melancholy-creepy or ethereal, their music is never dull, derivative, or uninspiring. Something to suit every
emotion or taste, this album shows off their range and skills beautifully. We recommend this to you, but well, the damn
thing is out of print. Good luck, my children.
Book of the Week:
by Charles Hables Gray. As the inevitable and wise Spider Jerusalem once said, "Why be boring? Why not
have some fun with the idea? I mean, this is postbiological man we’re talking about here..." And while we're on the road
towards more and more people becoming enhanced humans (from dialysis to contact lenses, Gray contends), what is this going
to mean to being a citizen, being a political entity? Gray does a fairly good job of presenting the situation and issues,
and it's certainly a different read.
CD of the Week: The Crushed Velvet Apocalypse by The Legendary Pink Dots.
The Legendary Pink Dots combines a host of musical styles, from ambient to pop to psychedelic, and do it well. By
turns melancholy-creepy or ethereal, their music is never dull, derivative, or uninspiring. Something to suit every
emotion or taste, this album shows off their range and skills beautifully. We recommend this to you, but well, the damn
thing is out of print. Good luck, my children.