Stieg Larson: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Well now, this caused some debate.

Yet another Swedish crime author. And yet more bloodshed to stain that calm Swedish landscape.

I really enjoyed this and most folk must agree given the recent release of the Hollywood film of the same name. But, there are those that disagree...

• Some folk reckon it is sexist and demeans the status of women with the characterisation of the "girl" with violent sex scenes being plain gratuitous
• In a World Book Club edition, Henning Mankell slated Stieg Larson as a dreadful writer and didn't consider him to be in the same league as the great and the good (such as himself, we presume). Sheesh, just as well Stieg ain't about to hear him. 

Still a good read!

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2600: The Hackers Quarterly

Another magazine I discovered while browsing the Kindle subscriptions listings was this fella. Its been published in hard-copy for quite a while but with limited distribution; being on the Kindle must have changed all that.

It makes no claims to be anything other than what it is: hackers from around the world sharing their experience with a few tips and heads-up for good measure.

You really do need to be a geek to appreciate this one though. Still what with

• the hackers collective known as Anonymous, 
• attempts by all sorts of "free world" democracies trying to cobble the masses with SOPA, PCIRA, ACTA and the likes,
• the hyperbole vented at Wikileaks and Pirate Bay  (if you are not blocked)
• leading to the creation of the Pirate Party

it is essential that we all raise our awareness of what is going on and not tolerate the powers that be infringing on our privacy and worse.

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Asimov's Science Fiction

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Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

This Thai film won the Palme d'Or at 2010 Cannes Film Festival and various folk have raved about it; but not everyone would agree.

If you do get a chance to see this, take it - but go prepared ... check out the Wikipedia review for some context perhaps. It is a very gentle and subtle film about the transition we will all make.

The film's story arose from a 1983 book written by a Buddhist abbot about a local (to Isan, Thailand) man who claimed he could clearly remember his own past lives. Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul uses the book as inspiration for the film's sensibility often featuring content in scenes or episodes as the eponymous Uncle Boonmee approaches his own death. Shot mostly on location in Isan, close to the border with Laos and scene of considerable violence in the late 20th century.

This is the superficial story-line and the film gently allows Boonmee to die after recalling his past, often in quite surreal episodes. The film's objective might be to examine this strange transition between life and death - this is articulated quite clearly in dialogue - but there are depths and chasm's waiting for the unwary. Some of this subtlety is lost to non-Thai audiences as references to old Thai TV shows misses us completely - such as the caricatured monkey ghosts whose shining red eyes apparently revealed TV monsters hidden to disguise the poor costumes. Other allusions might pass you by altogether too but there are plenty of clues remaining to point you in the right direction. But one or two remain stubbornly opaque, such as the .. um .. catfish - perhaps only understood by the real Boonmee.

Another layer to add yet more complexity, are the various technical tricks with sound editing, filming styles and even the film medium itself directly enhancing the whole experience. Multiple viewing will definitely be rewarded until this film becomes part of your own past life.

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