Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Mark Wahlberg to play Spenser in Netflix Movie

© by Gerald So | 7:30 PM

My friend and fellow Spenser fan Joe Guglielmelli tweeted asking my opinion on today's news that Mark Wahlberg is set to play Spenser in a Netflix movie adaptation of Ace Atkins' second continuation novel, Robert B. Parker's Wonderland, scripted by Sean O'Keefe and directed by Peter Berg.

I'm happy for Ace, happy to see that anyone wants to make Spenser movies, and will watch this one. Wahlberg isn't my mental image of Spenser, but then Spenser is so suited to print, it's hard to imagine any one actor pleasing everyone. Wonderland was my early favorite Spenser continuation, but evidently the movie departs from the book. Glaringly, it will find Spenser fresh out of prison.

Prison? Spenser? Surely not. Then again, in 1985's A Catskill Eagle, Hawk lands in jail trying to save Susan from her wealthy, villainous lover Russell Costigan. Hawk isn't in Wonderland the book, but since we're already departing, might the movie see Spenser railroaded into prison by a Costigan type?

Too much to hope for? Even if it turns out to be a Man of Steel-like ill-advised attempt to darken our hero, it's just a movie.

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Luke Cage Season 2

© by Gerald So | 7:00 AM

Season 2 of Marvel's Luke Cage premiered on Netflix two days ago, with Cage facing continued opposition from Mariah Dillard and Shades as well as new, herbally-enhanced Jamaican villain John McIver (Mustafa Shakir).

After The Defenders, I hoped to see more interaction among the characters on all four Marvel shows, and Luke Cage does a better job of that than Jessica Jones, featuring Colleen Wing, Foggy Nelson, and Danny Rand. Cage also may do the best job of showing villains' perspective as the events of Season 2 shake both Luke and Shades.

That said, for all their soul-searching, the characters don't change in the directions I thought they would. I understand the idea of showing Luke as flawed, but heroes are heroes because innate parts of their personalities are geared toward doing good. In The Defenders Luke seemed the most mature and practical, indeed a defender, not an attacker. Where did that go?

Looking back, I had the same issue with Luke Cage Season 1.

Sunday, June 17, 2018

Father's Day

© by Gerald So | 11:00 AM

Unlike me, my father was not a very expressive person and much of what he did say was sarcastic. At the same time, he had a quiet strength I try to emulate.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1995, and an operation gave him almost six years before the cancer recurred. That time helped me understand our differences and meet him halfway. For that I am ever grateful.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Netflix Saves Lucifer

© by Gerald So | 5:30 PM

Earlier this week I saw Amazon was in talks to save Lucifer, which was canceled by FOX after three seasons. Today I see Netflix is picking up the show for a fourth season.

It's great to have been a small part of the campaign that saved the show. Apparently it came down to the wire. The original contracts holding the actors to the show would have expired today.

New Poem in Retreats from Oblivion

© by Gerald So | 2:30 PM

Last month I received an email announcing NoirCon's new online journal, Retreats from Oblivion. I submitted a poem from the perspective of a World War II aviator, "Why?", which is live today. I hope it transports you as it did me.