Media Consumed: August 2011

Books Read
Swamplandia!   by   Karen Russell
*School Days: Cartoons from The New Yorker   Ed. Robert Mankoff
*Heavy Water   by   Jonathan W.C. Mills
Tom Thumb   by   George Sullivan
*Cowboys and Aliens  by   Scott Mitchell Rosenburg
Tomatoland   by   Barry Eastabrook
+Ten Little Indians   by   Agatha Christie

* = denotes graphic novel, TPB, or collection of comic strips
+ = denotes play

Swamplandia! was a very interesting read. The tone begins rather cheery, then quickly becomes dark. Yet, the protagonist of the story remains hopeful throughout. The ending is incredibly dark, almost depressing. Some very bad things happen. What makes it all that much more frightening is that even though the world of the novel is a "different world" than our own, it really isn't.

Tom Thumb was an interesting biography about a very interesting historical figure.

Cowboys and Aliens is the graphic novel that the movie is based upon. The book is better than the movie.

I thought Tomatoland would be an examination of the history of the tomato. It has some of that, but its mostly a critique of the tomato farming industry.

Movies Watched
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Dylan Dog
Captain America
Cowboys and Aliens
Indian Summer

Rise of the Planet of the Apes was entertaining, but I also felt it was kind of short. The film could be seen as a prequel to the original series, but it's actually a complete reboot.

It didn't do well at the box office, but Dylan Dog was a really fun movie to watch.

I loved Capt so much I had to go see him again.

Cowboys and Aliens was ok, but it could have been so much more. There was so much potential in the idea, but it ended up being wasted.