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?
May 21, 2004
Book of the Week:
by Will Hart. We love this stuff, so sue us. This Bear & Co. release tells the true story behind all the
creation myths that are all over the world: gods came down and suddenly fashioned mankind in their own image? Nah, not
gods: aliens. Hart uses DNA research, the Book of Genesis, and other bits of evidence to make his case: we're all
gene-gineered freaks! Awesome!
Audiobook of the Week:
by Elizabeth Cohen, performed by Bernadette Dunne. This latest Blackstone Audio release is something that will
hit close to home for a lot of folks, though treated in a fascinating way. Cohen finds herself with a new baby at the same
time that her father, stricken with Alzheimer's, needs to be cared for. So as one family member loses memories and the
ability to function, the younger member begins to pick up those skills and make its own memories. Stirring and affecting,
it's presented here in unabridged form.
Graphic Collection of the Week: Dead@17: Complete First Series
by Josh Howard. Viper Comics has collected this series for those miserable human beings among you who didn't listen to
us and blew it and missed it
on the first go round. Or hey, if you dig trades, then that's okay too. But the good news is it's all here, and some
bonuses too: a sketchbook, some pages from the original version Howard self-published and...my personal favorite: fan art
from a six-year-old. How cool is that? Anyway, huge points to Howard for taking matters into his own hands and making the
shit happen. We respect that around here.
Comic Book of the Week: Lucifer #50
by Mike Carey & P. Craig Russell. The origin of Mazikeen, the story of Lilith and how Lucifer first got involved with
her, along with the beginning of the rebellion in heaven...it's all here. And even better, it's all rendered by kickass
artist P. Craig Russell. This series continues to impress, and if you need a jumping-on point, feel free to grab hold here.
And I'd like a poster of that cover, please. Thank you.
TV DVD of the Week:
. So what happened after the events documented in the classic Lawrence of Arabia? T.E. Lawrence went
to Europe to lobby for Arab independence, and Ralph Fiennes picks up the role of Lawrence from Peter O'Toole. He keeps just
enough of O'Toole around to keep the switchover from being jarring, but makes the part his own all the same. BFS brings
this TV movie to DVD for those wishing a bit of history to play out on their idiot box this weekend.
DVD of the Week:
. Universal brings this mysterious box office disappointment to DVD (although it broke even with international
coin) with a really stacked edition: featurettes out the wazoo, an alternate ending, deleted scenes, home video footage
shot by Jason Isaacs (who rocks, of course), and a featurette on the legacy of the story hosted by Sarah Ferguson (!).
Again, it deserves a watch. It ain't Disney. And thank the gods for that.
Anime DVD of the Week:
. Geneon whips out four more episodes of one of the most gorgeous series to come out of anime in a while.
Here you've got a race of endurance, a confirmation of some amazing powers, and a pissed off emperor who wants the source
of said powers. You've got an art gallery on this volume (as previous ones) alone with a limited edition paper vanship
model. Anime and origami--together at last.
Docu DVD of the Week:
. If you like to learn about the founder of the Christian mythos but you could do without all the hullabaloo
and flying bits of flesh, thanks the History Channel for coming to your rescue. With a prerequisite number of talking
heads in tow, it covers everything from how truthful the gospels should be considered to what exactly Jesus did to piss
everybody off so much. Ground breaking? Not terribly. But it's better than a high profile snuff film.
Adverse Video of the Week:
. Nothing says "comedy gold" quite like Elizabeth Berkley (famous for her pole-licking prowess in
Showgirls) playing an FBI agent (and doing so with a relatively straight face). She has to partner with a postal
inspector to stop some faceless villain who's blowing holes in Los Angeles. Between Berkley taking the whole thing way
too seriously and cursing her brains out, you've got plenty of drinking game fodder here.
Kung Fu DVD of the Week:
. Dimension brings Jackie's Chan second film in the director's chair to you, and you should be pleased. Between
this and Young Master, you've got the documented evolution of what makes a "Jackie Chan Film." There's all the
fights on fast forward, WTF-level stunts and humor you will later come to expect. Also, there's a hackey sack game for your
ass in here that's worth the price of admission.
DVD-A of the Week: Tommy by The Who. Not everybody's a tremendous fan of this album, and it's easy to see
why (or hear why, rather): it's weird as hell. Creepy in places, even. But fans of it will rejoice when they check out
Uni Music's DVD-A release of it. Not only does it sound really, really good but the album is just the first disc. Second
disc contains outtakes, demos and some stereo-only demos, not to mention a PDF of original lyric manuscripts and a half-hour-plus
interview with Pete Townsend.
Music CD of the Week:
by Vernon Reid. A bit of a departure from Mistaken Identity: gone are the wild beats, wonderfully
ridiculous guitar work and crazy samples. Instead you have Reid and his buddies in Masque bringing you an album that
honestly feels like a release more from a jazz ensemble than it does from one of the greatest axe-men on the planet. Indeed,
the stand out track is "Brilliant Corners," a Theolonious Monk cover. If you're looking for a different, less daring album
of guitarness, then this is your bag. Living Colour fanatics are of course included in this.