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?
December 12, 2003
Book of the Week:
by Robert Shelton. The biography to read for Dylan fans, Shelton, critic and friend of The Bob, has
crafted a portrait of the man himself like none other. And he would know better than most, since he wrote the New
York Times piece that helped launch Dylan's career. Da Capo Press has reprinted the book that carries you through
the mid-80s of Dylan's life and work. Highly recommended.
Humorous Book of the Week:
. I've said it before; and here, I will say it again. One day, I hope to grow up and be as funny as those
whackjobs who run The Onion. Here in their latest collection of no-longer-available-elsewhere bits from Three Rivers
Press, you get such
headlines as "Either Jay Leno a Repeat or P. Diddy Got Arrested Again" and "Boss' Dick Not Going to Suck Itself,"
not to mention a scathing review of the Attack of the Clones cereal. Hours of hilarious crap in here, folks.
Audiobook of the Week:
by Takashi Matsuoka, read by Ron Rifkin. Welcome to Japan, 1861. As the country is opening its doors to
the outside for the first time in two hundred years, it's not prepared for what it's letting in. A couple of missionaries,
and one with a very dark secret, will wind up aligning themselves with a young nobleman under siege and making a final stand
in the castle of the title. Matsuoka writes a decent yarn, and this abridged version is delivered with talent by Ron
Rifkin, one of those hard working character actors whose name you sadly probably don't know. But it's a great combo to
get you to and from work.
Comic Book of the Week: Stormwatch: Team Achilles #18 by Micah Ian Wright & C.P. Smith. Oh, we're digging
this book. The Citizen Soldier storyarc appeared to be a little wobbly at first but now it's hurtling towards its conclusion
in a very satisfying manner. The Stormwatch team is trying to prevent the decimation of Washington D.C. while fighting off
undead foes and fending off too-helpful metahumans. And Citizen Soldier's secret may be so ballsy, you wonder how these
guys are getting away with creating this.
Comic-Related Book of the Week:
by Glen Cadigan. At first, from the title, I thought this TwoMorrows release was going to be a glorified
Who's Who, although God knows you could probably create an entire book out of just the Legion. It's had how many
versions and characters who have changed with each version? Egad. Well, better than that, the book is an interview with
just about everybody you could possibly want to interview regarding the Legion, including Jim Shooter, Dave Cockrum, Keith
Giffen, Curt Swan and others. It also features a slew of previously unpublished artwork. Score.
Documentary of the Week:
. One helluva nature documentary--and a modest breakout success at the box office--this film needed to have been
seen on the big screen, but if you missed it, you can make due with this release from Sony Pictures Classics. Not only do
you get the sweet visuals that the title refers to, but you also get a making of docu, a commentary from the director,
a music featurette and more. Especially now that it's winter (at least in the northern hemisphere) getting outside via this
DVD will do you some good.
DVD Boxed Set of the Week:
. A Bochco flop--which is sadly becoming more and more common--this series still had its merits, from its startling
series opener to its intricate characterizations and plotlines. A&E now presents the entire shebang, the one season that
aired, across six discs. You get not only all the episodes, but a commentary from co-creator David Milch on the pilot as
well as an interview with Bochco. Cop show fans should rejoice and snag.
DVD of the Week: . Ah, c'mon. This thing's a hoot. You get a young Holmes played aptly by Nicholas Rowe, not to mention his first meeting with Watson and Moriarty, in an adventure that you'd think somebody would one day pick up on for a series or something--precursor of Young Indiana Jones or not. This Paramount release is a nice Spielberg 80s adventure that's good fun for a weekend viewing.
Anime DVD of the Week:
. This release from Central Park Media is an epic story based on a series of novels by Yoshiki Tanaka, in which
a young prince gathers together some allies to repel the invaders who have destroyed his home. You get all four parts
and the sequel, Age of Heroes, across two discs. If you need an anime fantasy fix for the weekend, look no further.
Damn thing's gorgeous artwise as well.
Holiday DVD of the Week:
. If you want to cut right to the chase and snag five winter-themed episodes all in one fell swoop without either
having to worry about which boxed set they're on or buying the boxed sets in the first place, this release from Fox is
right up your alley. You also get the brief (but amusing) "Mr. Burns' Finest Moments" featurette. Perfect for if you just
need a quick and dirty Simpsons fix.
Adverse Video of the Week:
. How many films would dare to have Suzy Amis, Dylan McDermott, Tim Robbins, Crispin Glover, Harry Dean Stanton
and William S. Burroughs among the cast? Answer: not many, folks. This release from Artisan, though, has the balls to
carry that ensemble--and to have them play characters that quirk so hard they almost jerk themselves right off of your
television screen. But hey--when Uncle Billy's in a flick you have to pay homage.
CD of the Week:
. When you get an album that states "Paid for by The Committee to Keep Music Evil," you know you've got
something that's at least got the attitude right. Probably one of the more bizarre records I've checked it out in a while,
it's also highly rewarding. I know that sounds a bit odd when it's got titles like "You Look Great When I'm Fucked Up"
(an incredibly sweet instrumental) and "Prozac vs. Heroin" (an odd song of laid back malevolency), but trust me, it's a
helluva record. Headed up by mad genius Anton Newcombe, I've got to get me some more of this.