Peter and the Secret of Rundoon

And now, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson present the final novel in the Starcatchers trilogy and the penultimate novel in the Peter Pan Pseudo-Prequel franchise: Peter and the Secret of Rundoon. A more compact and concise volume than Peter and the Shadow Thieves, it has a lot to do-- namely, getting everything into place for Peter Pan, sort of. Except the novel's events take place about 20 years before the actual classic begins. So not really into place, but getting into a lull that could last a couple decades.

But I digress.

Remember how, in Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and Molly were on a ship headed for Rundoon? Well, they've finally ended up there, and guess what? It's not a very nice place. King Zarboff rules the land with an iron fist (and the help of his pet snake, Kundalini, who eats anyone he doesn't like).

But that's not all. Remember Lord Ombra, from Peter and the Shadow Thieves? Of course you do. He's evil, remember? He's none too pleased that things didn't go according to plan in Book 2, and now the scale of his schemes have increased. Here's a hint: first Peter, then the world!

To top it off, on Mollusk Island, aka Never Land, there's a tribal war going on, and the vicious Scorpions look like they'll conquer Peter's allies. Shining Pearl, the chief's daughter, thinks she has an idea of how to stop them, but it'll be risky...

I've noticed a parallel between the Disney-published Pseudo-Prequels and their Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. There was a stand-alone based off an already established Disney franchise (featuring pirates, no less), and the stand-alone did so well that other installments were planned, designed to be more interconnected and come out a year apart. The second installment, released in 2006, had about as much story as the first one, if not a little less, but was longer and felt more bloated. The third, released in 2007, was even more packed, convoluted, and outlandish than the previous two, but significantly better than the second one.

See what I mean?

And this volume will be more divisive than the others, simply because it's weirder. But it's still a lot of fun, and makes a great ride to the finish that can't be put down. It's a nice change of scenery from the previous one, expanding the number of locales even farther. The adventure runs as high as Peter can fly, and there's a particularly memorable sequence that involves both, as depicted on the cover.

Did I mention that I really like the illustrations? Both the cover and the illustrations are done by the talented Greg Call, which lend a nice atmosphere to the book. The covers all feature increasingly chaotic moments, with Peter and the Secret of Rundoon being the most so. They're a lot of fun to take in, and genuinely make you think, when you pick up the book: How the heck does this happen?

So, in summary: Good writing, weird plot, fun and memorable moments, and some great illustrations. Whatever your stance is on Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson deviating from James Barrie's notes, you should give this series a try.

My rating: 9/10

And you know how else it's like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies? A couple of years after the "end" of the "trilogy" was released, the decision was made for there to be one last installment. And that's how we get to Peter and the Sword of Mercy...

Coming Soon: Peter and the Sword of Mercy.

Peter and the Shadow Thieves

And we're back with the second and longest of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter Pan Pseudo-Prequels. Why pseudo-prequels? Because they mess around with a number of backstory details, offering a different explanation for several things than James Barrie did in his notes. I have been informed of this after posting my review for Peter and the Starcatchers, so there's my disclaimer for the series. It's more faithful than the Dune prequels, though.

With that said, here's Peter and the Shadow Thieves. Keep a weather eye on the horizon, mateys, thar be some spoilers ahead.

The world of Peter Pan becomes more complex as Peter embarks upon his second adventure. While Mollusk Island, also known as Neverland, is far from safe, it's better than London-- which, of course, is where Peter must go. Molly Aster needs his help, because there are some new terrors afoot. First is the ruthless pirate captain Nerezza, who has a mean streak that more than makes up for his lack of a nose. Second is Lord Ombra. The Master of Shadows, he is after all the remaining starstuff he can get his hands on, and boy, is he evil...

And that's all I'm going to tell you, plotwise. Suffice it to say Peter and Molly get into a lot of new scrapes, but the sense of danger is not the highest because of the knowledge that they survive. The little tweaks suggest an alternate plotline that could lead to the major characters actually dying, but we all know that won't happen. So Peter and the Shadow Thieves must derive its suspense from the uncharted territory. Namely, Ombra and Nerazza. And they're quite the motley crew of villains, making Captain Hook look like a fool by comparison.

It's nice to see some other ties into the more traditional Peter Pan universe. These include some simple Darling characters, as well as the development of Peter's relationship with the Mollusk tribe. While the book is a bit bloated at times, it is the longest in the series, so we can say thay Barry and Pearson learn from their mistakes. It's still a fun read, one that goes by pretty quickly. Next stop, Rundoon.

My rating: 8/10

Coming Soon: Peter and the Secret of Rundoon.

Peter and the Starcatchers

Here's a book that made quite a splash when it came out. It's the first of a trilogy (more recently extended to four books) that provides a prequel story to James Barrie's timeless classic Peter Pan. And it's written by thriller writer Ridley Pearson and comedian Dave Barry. This is supposed to be good? I wonder.

And then I read the book.

How did Peter Pan get to Neverland? How did Captain Hook get there, and what all made him first start to hate Peter? How did Peter come to know the natives? And why did Peter seek out Wendy on that fateful night? Some of these questions will be answered here! The rest... well, that's what sequels are for.

Peter is an orphan on a ship, the Never Land en route to the land of Rundoon when he spies two things. First, there is a chest filled with something strange and extremely valuable. Second, there is Molly Aster, a girl about his age... who is almost as mischievous as him.

The ship is overtaken by the ruthless pirate Black Stache, and Peter and Molly, along with several of Peter's orphan friends, are stranded on an uncharted island. They have nothing with them but the clothes on their backs...

...And the mysterious chest.

I had no idea of how such different writers as Barry and Pearson could come together for any project, or how their writing styles could be in any way meshed. Well, it actually worked, and the writing flowed quite nicely. The style has some humor, some suspense, and a very nice sense of wonder. It's immensely enjoyable getting to see all the pieces fall into place, and to see characters begin to transform into the characters of Barrie's novel. Peter Pan flies off the page once again, ready to be enjoyed by an entirely new generation. It's a lot of fun, and a great, great read.

My rating: 9.5/10

Coming Soon: Young Frankenstein and Peter and the Shadow Thieves.

Alice in Wonderland (2010 Tim Burton Version)

OK, let me say these things first, so you'll get the rest of the review. They're the "DO NOT"s. First, DO NOT go to see the new Alice in Wonderland expecting the Disney animated classic. Just watch the classic if that's what you really want. Second, DO NOT treat this like it's going to be another Tim Burton movie. It's PG, and it's adapted from a classic children's book, sort of. So it's not going to be another Sweeney Todd. Third, DO NOT expect anything. If you do, you won't know what to make of the movie.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about the first "must-see" movie of 2010.

It's been thirteen years since Alice's (Mia Wasikowska) fateful fall down the rabbit hole and into a world that seems as if it could only be thought up while under the influence of drugs. In that time, she's convinced herself she's dreamed it all up. And who can blame her, really? It's a lot easier to believe it was just a figment of a mind that's gone 'round the bend. Now she's in a rather uncomfortable situation, as she's being proposed to by a downright undesirable fellow with some stomach unrest. She takes the initiative when she sees a white rabbit to follow it. Who can blame her, really?

Of course, she ends up in Wonderland.

Actually, it's called Underland, she just got it wrong the first time. No not that Underland. The Mad Hatter (the one and only Johnny Depp) has a prophecy that concerns Alice, and she's been brought back to fulfill it. What is this prophecy? Well, the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) doesn't like it at all, and neither does the Knave of Hearts (Crispin Glover). Why? you ask, because you're naturally getting curiouser and curiouser and haven't read all the reviews that have previously come out.

To slay the Jabberwocky (voiced breifly by Christopher Lee!).

I actually enjoyed this movie quite a bit, because I listened to my own "DO NOT"s. It makes no sense and perfect sense at the first time. There are a lot of nods to the books, even though this is a sequel to them. While I wouldn't suggest the youngest audiences watching this movie, it's suitable for a PG crowd. My favorite of Burton's little details in Wonder/Underland is the inclusion of rocking-horseflies. Which is pretty awesome.

The acting is all quite nice, with Depp's Scottish Hatter and Bonham Carter's Queen stealing the show in every scene they're in. Except when Alan Rickman is in there. Or perhaps the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry).

Also, the character of Alice has a nice arc in this movie. She starts from being more like the passiveAlice we know from the original, thinking it's all just a dream and such, but slowly becomes more active until she actually does some pretty heroic stuff. And it's all with the half-useless advice of Absalom the caterpillar (Alan Rickman).

There's a lot to enjoy, and if you listen to the "DO NOT"s you'll have a good time. Plus, you'll get to see perhaps the most outrageous Johnny Depp moment ever put on screen.

My rating: 8.5/10

Coming Soon: Young Frankenstein and Peter and the Starcatchers.

Mel Brooks, Part Three: Blazing Saddles

This is it. The moment we've all been waiting for. Just in time for the Oscars, a review of a true classic. Blazing Saddles is a torch to light the way for comedy.

The year is 1974, and Mel Brooks creates a movie about 1874. The place is the West. It's a movie that the studio wanted to censor, that TV stations wanted to make cuts to, and that a number of paraniod people wanted to call racist. It's a comedy legend, challenging all its viewers to push the limit and go for what's really the funniest. And it is funny.

The railroad has hit a patch of troublesome quicksand, and the line needs to be redirected. But where? Hedley Lamarr (with an L, thank you very much, and played by Harver Korman) has the notion to put it through the peaceful town of Rock Ridge. The rail supervisors (one of which is played by the larger-than-life Slim Pickens) ransack Rock Ridge, really raising a ruckus (say that five times fast) and driving away the town's sheriff.

Who to send in as a replacement? Lamarr has a notion about that too, tricking the governor (Mel Brooks) into making the new sheriff someone so offensive, he will be able to do nothing: a black rail worker named Bart (Cleavon Little). What will happen? I'll let you find out, but it involves a man named Jim (Gene Wilder). Most people, of course, call him... Jim.

This movie is simply a riot. Perhaps Mel Brooks's finest film is one of his first. It pokes fun at everything, and I've barely scratched the surface of what the film includes: an Oscar-nominated performance by Madeline Kahn, a cameo by Dom DeLuise, and an ending that is one of my favorite movie scenes...ever. I love this movie for everything that it does to parody as much as possible.

There's so much I could say about this film: what it means for freedom of expression, why it wouldn't be made today, what makes it so great. But that could make you almost forget that it's really funny. Even the American Film Institute puts it as #6 on their "Greatest Comedies of All Time" list, coming up behind only a few greats like Bringing Up Baby, Dr. Strangelove, and Some Like It Hot. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the efforts of comedy's equivalent of a mad scientist.

My rating: 10/10

Coming Soon: Young Frankenstein.

Mel Brooks, Part Two: The Twelve Chairs

It's time for the second of my Mel Brooks reviews!

The year is 1927. The place is the recently formed Soviet Union (although it's much easier to just call it Russia). When a man (Ron Moody) discovers his dying mother placed all of the family jewels into one chair in a set of twelve, he sets off along with a con man (Frank Langella) to track down the fortune. Unfortunately, his mother's greedy priest (Dom DeLuise) hears of The Twelve Chairs, he goes a-hunting for them as well. And the great race begins.

This is a movie which is normally glossed over, as it is in between The Producers and Blazing Saddles. It's also not as outrageous (except in DeLuise's priest). But it's a different style from the "traditional" Mel Brooks. It's got more somewhat sober moments than most of his other work, and Brooks is only in the movie for a couple of short scenes. For many parts it barely feels like a Mel Brooks movie.

That's not to say it isn't enjoyable. It has history-based jokes (don't worry, it's all pretty well-known stuff), pure silly one-liners, and a fantastic parody of classic "chase movie" cinema, complete with sped-up characters and high-pitched voices. It's easy to see how this one gets lost in the crowd, but it's definitely worth a look.

My rating: 7.5/10

Coming Soon: Blazing Saddles... the legend rides on.

The Way of Kings cover

I must say, I'm a huge fan of Michael Whelan's cover art, and I think this one is quite nice. An epic cover for an epic start to an epic series. Now I really want to read it. As if I didn't before.

Until next review (I've got two waiting),

The Writer