Eimer's Top 10 Reads of 2012

Well, this was an interesting year of reading for me.

Very cool stuff that seeped through the woodwork and into my brain forever. Truth be told, this was probably one of the best years of reading for me in terms of content. 

From vampires and zombies to Charles Dickens and Jeffrey Dahmer – this was a great year. All of these books are highly recommended and you can easily pick them up at your local library (minus Wool) or at Amazon.com for a rather cheap price.

That said, please enjoy my Top Ten Books of 2012:

WOOL: OMNIBUS by Hugh Howey

A very creative science fiction 'collection' of post-apocalyptic stories by Hugh Howey. Take the word 'collection' with a grain of salt, because - put together - the six stories complete a dream novel come true for this up-and-coming writer who gained a cult following on Amazon.com. Kudos to Howey for taking the science-fiction genre in a new, interesting direction. Without giving too much away, he's created a thriller, a murder mystery, a horror story all merged with fantastic dialogue and character development. Highly recommended. This collection, yet again, gives all budding novelists hope that there are other avenues to achieve success then simply receiving a pile of 'rejected' letters from well-known publishers. And, quite frankly, if your work is good enough, self-publishing just may be the way to go. Looking forward to reading more of Hugh Howey's work.

DROOD by Dan Simmons

Stephen King rated Simmons' The Terror one of his favorite books of the year back in 2008. I picked it up and, after a couple months, finished it and was flattened by the extensive story line, great characters and fantastic dialogue. Fast-forward to 2012. I heard about this funny book called Drood. Well, again, after a couple months, I've finished what I believe has been the best book that I've read in a handful of years. Fantastic book. Fantastic writing. Great eerie storyline. And Simmons, the bastard. This guy had to have sold his soul to the devil. To be able to write this well, keep the storyline arcs intact, add to that such inter-weaving storylines as well keeping the exact dates and times of the original Charles Dicken's life while spinning an original boogie-man story. And to have the narration of from the narcissistic Wilkie Collins instead of Dickens is pure creative genius (a word I do not toss around very easily when referencing any medium be it film, illustration, literature and painting). The fact that this book kept me enthralled through its 750+ pages is inconceivable. But it did. And it's a damn fine book. It makes me want to revisit and read for the first time some of Dicken's works including THE BLEAK HOUSE and OUR MUTUAL FRIEND. And let's not forget about the title character the book is all about...DROOD. An interesting creation. A great idea for a book. And an overall genius novel that isn't getting nearly enough press. Bravo, Simmons. Bravo. I thought no writer could top THE TERROR. And, lo and behold, you've topped yourself.

LAST DAYS by Brian Evenson

What a cool book that harks back to the days of film-noir and 'interesting' detective stories. With dabs of SIN CITY mixed in with NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THE DA VINCI CODE and a little EYES WIDE SHUT, Brian Evenson creates a stunning, shocking, bloody read that's packed with twists and turns a plenty not to mention a little ambiguousness to keep you on your toes. The plot follows the lead character, Kline, an undercover cop who lost his hand to a crazed maniac, as he slowly gets entangled into a cult of people who cut off their arms to get closer to God. It's weird in all the good ways. And the dialogue, the dialogue is fantastic. Worth picking the book up alone. Very reminiscent of the old detective movies and, as a friend reminded me, Quentin Tarantino. I can't seeing this being made into a movie due to the violence and bloodshed. So, check it out in print form because it's a very fantastic read. Come to think of it, this is more of a horror novel than a detective book. Not for the squeamish. Check er out!

MY FRIEND DAHMER by Derf

Fantastic book about a group of guys in Bath, Ohio, who happened to be buddies with Jeffrey Dahmer. Illustrated and written by Derf, this is a very cool, interesting fly on the wall story about Dahmer's teenage life as well as his first murder, which occurred in Bath. Being a (former) Bath, Ohio, resident and living about 1/4 mile away from the former Dahmer residence, it's interesting to see Derf mention and draw and refer to some of the popular landmarks including the school, the restaurants, the mall and the roads and highways of Bath. Like I said, it's a well-written, very well drawn book. Read the footnotes section at the back for even more jaw-dropping information.

THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME by Donald Ray Pollock

Very good book. Right from the first chapter, you're wondering 'Where in the Hell is this going?'. Pollock takes you on a fun, entertaining, dare I say disgusting ride into the filth and underworld of Southeastern Ohio. If you've read KNOCKEMSTIFF, you know exactly what you're in for. The characters, the locales and the interesting situations they're put in come together to create a fantastic story 'Natural Born Killers meets Gummo'. Pollock has a knack for dialogue. He can write for dimwits like no other, but he also has a knack to get inside the mind of each character and converse in a way that makes them 100% believable. Great book. Be warned though, it's a bit squeamish in places. This ain't Highlights For Children. But, it's worth the ride. Check ‘er out. Also, if you don't know about Pollock, check out his inspiring back-story. He gives me hope for my personal publishing future every time I think about him.

CHILD OF GOD by Cormac McCarthy

Good book. Great read. Again, McCarthy is a delicate master of the English language. He really gets inside the main character's sick and twisted mind. But, is Lester Ballard really a serial killer or is he just a screwed up, perverted, sadistic individual? And, I guess, is there a difference? In any event, a nice quick read. The chapters move along at a fast pace. Like THE ROAD, ALL THE PRETTY HORSES, BLOOD MERIDIAN and, of course, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, McCarthy can write great dialogue and he pulls it off fantastically with this little story - especially Lester's remarks and thought process as he relates to the townsfolk.

BORN STANDING UP by Steve Martin

Great book. Martin is very honest in his representation of his rise to fame. It didn't happen overnight. It took time. In fact, it took lots of time. Maybe half of his life. It also took a lot of failures. In fact, lots and lots of failures. If there's anything to be learned from Martin is that when you get knocked down, you stand back up and continue to strive for your dreams no matter what they may be. Martin offers up an intimate portrait of his childhood, his dreams and his constant internal strife with his father, which - as it appears - fueled his fire for success even more. In addition, this book can be a great self-help book for people who fear presenting in public. Everyone fails in life at some point. The most important thing is what you do after that happens. Martin's story can serve as a motivating lesson to everyone out there about tenacity, creativity, dedication to your craft and never giving up on your dreams. What a great, quick, entertaining and - most importantly - motivating read

ROBOPOCALYPSE by Daniel Wilson

Robo-fantastic. Prior to reading this novel, I read a couple reviews from literary snobs who thumbed their nose at this book. My question was 'Why?' This is pure Robot Pulp. And it's freaking awesome. Daniel H. Wilson has done his homework and has intricately played out a potential robot apocalypse on mankind. After reading WORLD WAR Z and then this book (both sort of 'found footage/interview type' books, I can honestly say that Roboapocalypse stands on a higher pedestal. Why? Well, the character development is there, the dialogue is there and the action and thought processes of all characters isn't one-dimensional. A definite page turner a' la works of Koontz, Grisham and James Patterson - Wilson writes action sequences extremely well - and there are plenty. I really don't want to give too much away. However, I would say snag this book up and read it before Steven Spielberg begins production of the film version later this year - for a 2013 release. Highly enjoyable, action packed, thought-provoking and - simply put - ROBOTASTIC! Check er out.

WORLD WAR Z by Max Brooks

Kudos to Max Brooks for his very, very deep thinking on the eternal question, "What would happen if the entire world were overrun with zombies?" Seriously though, my hat goes off to Brooks for ruminating on the subject for days and days. Very thorough thought process indeed. What would the army do? Where would people go? How would they survive? What happens when it freezes? Does the army get involved? What about zombies that end up in the water? Brooks creative minds answers these thought-provoking questions, and much more, through faux one-on-one sit-down interviews with a number of heros and witnesses to the zombie war. Which brings me to the one fault I have for this book. I thought the narrative, or rather the storytelling process (first-hand accounts) that Brooks thought up to tell his story was a bit weak. I'm not sure if having a regular, straight-forward fiction novel would have done it justice, either. However, having read Justin Cronin's vampire apocalypse fantasy THE PASSAGE as well as Brook's WORLD WAR Z side by side, I can honestly say Cronin's work - a straight-forward fiction novel - rises to the top. That said, I'm looking forward to the film. If they toss half the imagery and ideas that Brooks thinks up in this book, it's sure to be a cool flick.

THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin

Wow, what a monster of a book, but well worth the one month of reading in the end. A new, unique take on the Vampire mystique, Cronin's book covers a present day America followed by an apocalyptic America 100 years later. The cast of characters he creates talk, speak and feel lifelike, the decisions they make speaks to the characters themselves and the journey all of these characters travel is also enjoyable and creepy. Keep in mind, this is a graphic book with plenty of bloodshed and murder. Cronin also attacks the action sequences in the book with fervor and passion. He paints a very comprehensive picture of landscapes and scenery. Some beautiful writing thoughout the more than 700 pages made me a bit jealous, which is always a compliment to the author. Comparisons to WATERSHIP DOWN came to mind often as I was reading this book. I'm not sure how much more there is to say besides the creatures and the overall storyline do, in fact, bring some comparisons to films such I AM LEGEND (and the book), THE DESCENT as well as Guillermo Del Toro's BLADE 2. That said, the book stands on its own as a great piece of fiction. I understand there are two more yet-be-released books in the Passage series, which makes sense considering the open-ended finale. Looking forward to the second book of the trilogy, THE TWELVE.

Interested in more great reads from Eimer's past? Check out these posts:

• Eimer's Top Reads of 2011
• Eimer's Top Reads of 2010
• Eimer's Top Reads of 2009
• Rendezvous with Rama Review
• Read My FREE Novella of Short Stories
• American Gods Review
• Cash by Cash Review
• Walk in the Woods Review
• The Road Review
• The Mist Review

My Thoughts on The Road Movie Trailer

If you read this blog, you know my fond admiration for The Road – Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel centered around a man, and his son, traveling an ashen, post-apocalyptic world.

Well, a couple months ago, my buddy Mac sent me the link to the new movie trailer for The Road. Before I give my opinion, I’ll let you watch it yourself:



The trailer in my opinion, sucks. It misrepresents McCarthy’s work and what the book, and movie, is all about. Quick action-packed edits. Images of world destruction via tornadoes, fires and floods. Followed by tense world-is-ending music with lots of symbols and percussion? What the fuck was that?

I read somewhere that Mr. Miramax Weinstein was cutting two different versions of the trailer. Well, I personally think he totally missed the boat on this one.

If you had the pleasure of reading the book, you know the pace of the story is purposefully slow, reflecting the long journey, the horrifying encounters and the cumbersome day-to-day inanity in this not-so-futuristic, desolate world.

Through this trailer, one conjures images of Armageddon, The Core, The Day After Tomorrow and Deep Impact. Not a film about a father and son trying to make ends meet in a world that's gone to shit. Not even remotely portraying the story of – as my buddy Mac said - “what it really means to be a father.”

I definitely would have taken a different approach than the bastardized trailer above:

• Limited dialogue.
• Slow, off-key guitar strumming an ominous folksy tune.
• Not-so-quick edits of the wasteland.
• Close-ups of horrified, saddened faces.
• The trailer would end with a profound voiceover quote from Viggo Mortensan, with father and son walking away from the camera into the desolate landscape that God ate up and puked on a plate.

Personally, I would have taken a more hands-off approach and the let the trailer breathe, almost like the following trailers below…



Or this one:



Or even this one:

AICN Sneak Peak at The Road.

If you read this blog, you'll know my deep admiration and affinity for Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

I was perusing Aint-It-Cool-News today and came across a review from a guy who has seen the final cut of the film version - directed by John Hillcoat.

Check it out here.

Sounds intriguing. And, going back to another entry I wrote pre-Oscar announcements, I think this film has big chances for 2010 awards season. At least it sounds like it's a faithful adaptation that pulls no punches a' la Fight Club and No Country for Old Men.

Only time will tell. The film is to be released sometime this year. If it's as good as this guy is squawking, I'm thinking late summer, early fall.

Will the United States Cease to Exist?

Like a lot of people, I read the Drudgereport almost every day. Sometimes two or three times a day. In my opinion, it has all the relevant news that's fit to read from pretty substantial and verifiable news sources.

In any event, I came across this Drudge post about a leading Russian political analyst who believes our country is heading for collapse - and will divide into separate parts.

The article is brief, but interesting nonetheless. It looks like Cormac McCarthy's vision may be coming to fruition in the United States.

All I can say is that I'm glad that I took those hunter-safety courses when I was little. Because I know how to load, clean and shoot any type of gun not to mention field dress an animal for proper cooking.

Hell, if things turn out, I'll be more useful in this new world than a CEO of a major corporation.

Then, when order is restored, I can resume my copywriting career in my late 80's.

Cool. I've been thinking about changing careers anyhow.

Hunter and Gatherer will look awesome on my resume.

Will The Road Win Best Picture?

About a week ago, my good buddy and fellow movie geek Mac sent me an e-mail.

There was no subject line.

After I clicked on the e-mail, the copy inside simply read…

August 26, 2008. I'm going on the record and saying "The Road" will sweep the Oscars this year.

That’s it. No other copy.

Simple. Tactful. And to the point.

No “Hey, how’s it going good buddy!” or “How’s the kids?” or “Hey what do you think about Obama?”

Just your friendly neighborhood Spider-man bellowing a Mayan 2012-like prediction that The Road will sweep the Oscars this year.

I soaked the e-mail in, took a couple blinks and hit delete.

After logging off the computer for four-straight days, enjoying the Labor Day weekend, mowing the lawn, drinking a couple beers and giving my dog a bath, I’ve thought about his prediction a bit and I have this to say…

Not Gonna Happen.

Now, I’m not trying to be negative or mean or anything like that. I’ve thought long and hard about this and I’m prepared to give my reasons:

Judging by the screenplay review that he sent, I think this movie is going to be too much of a bitch slap to the members of the Academy. The plot is way too dark. The characters are bleak. There doesn’t seem to be any humor whatsoever.

It's going to be a different type of movie.

In short, it’s gonna be like Fight Club, Se7en, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Reservoir Dogs, Blade Runner or even Empire Strikes Back. Fantastic stories. Great direction. Great acting. Simply great films. And cult classics to boot.

But simply overlooked by the Academy for reasons out of our understanding. I mean, I’m still trying to figure out how Forrest Gump beat out Pulp Fiction for Best Picture during the 1995 Academy Awards.

In a nutshell, I think that’s what's going to happen with The Road.

Do I think it will be nominated? Without seeing one piece of film, I’m going to say Hell Yeah.

With Director John Hillcoat (The Proposition) at the helm, cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe (The Others, Talk to Her) working behind the lens, a kick-ass screenplay adaptation of McCarthy's novel by semi-newcomer Joe Penhall not mention reading a New York Times article about the final days of s of shooting, I’m thinking it's going to be a fantastic movie.

Also, had No Country For Old Men not swept the Oscars last year, I might be onboard for my good buddy’s prediction. But, I’m thinking some other type of cream might rise to the top this year.

Something a little less depressing.

Something a bit more uplifting.

Something not as dark.

Something that doesn’t have people eating infants

With that, I'm going to one-up my good buddy Mac and give my predictions for the five Academy-award best picture nominees for the 81st Academy Awards…

The Road
Read all about what I thought about the book right here. I’m predicting nominations for screenplay, cinematography and acting.

The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan’s darkly Frank Miller-esque take on the bat is simply too good to not get the Academy’s notice. Expect a post-humus acting nod for Ledger as well.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
I’ve written about it here and am convinced that Director David Fincher will chisel his almost 4-hour over-blown opus into an easily watchable 2 ½ hour masterpiece.

Miracle at St. Anna
Spike Lee’s World War II epic - based on author James McBride's fiction book - about black U.S. infantrymen trapped behind enemy lines in an Italian village with the Nazis closing in.

Revolutionary Road
Sam Mendes directs Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as a 1950’s couple trying to escape the everyday conventions of their small-town life.

So there you have it. Let’s see where the dust settles in 7 months during the 81st Academy Awards ceremony.

So, what do you think?

Filming The Road.

Speaking of great literature being adapted into film, another movie that may give Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button a run for its money this year is The Road directed by John Hillcoat, who made the gritty Australian western The Proposition.

I came across this New York Times story about the final days of shooting the film version of The Road starring Viggo Mortensan (of naked knife-fight fame in Eastern Promises and naked stair-humping fame in The History of Violence) and 11-year old Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee.

In the article Hillcoat states:

“What’s moving and shocking about McCarthy’s book is that it’s so believable. So what we wanted is a kind of heightened realism, as opposed to the ‘Mad Max’ thing, which is all about high concept and spectacle. We’re trying to avoid the clichés of apocalypse and make this more like a natural disaster.”

The article also states that screenwriter Joe Penhal (who also adapted the psychological thriller Enduring Love starring Daniel Craig in 2004) stayed close to the elements in Cormac McCarthy's novel.

Being a tremendous fan of the book, that's a relief to hear. Let's hope Hillcoat also stayed away from product placements with Spam or Del-Monte canned peaches. I'm hoping Penhal and Hillcoat also chose to keep the gruesome cannibalistic basement scene in the film as well.

It was also interesting to read that most of the filming took place in Pennsylvania - most notably Pittsburgh and Erie - because 'it offered such a pleasing array of post-apocalyptic scenery.'

Nice.

It's also nice to read that Omar (Michael Kenneth Williams) from the hit HBO series The Wire is getting some much-deserved acting work too.

That said, I'm curious to see what the end product will look like in a dark theater, or my basement.

Cormac McCarthy's Oprah Interview.

I was perusing YouTube and came across Oprah Winfrey's interview with famed author Cormac McCarthy concerning his novel The Road, which Oprah picked for her book club.

It's a great interview. And the person who uploaded it, blocked the interview off into seven different sections. I've set them up for you just in case you don't have the time to view them all.

From what I understand, he doesn't give too many interviews or speeches. So having an hour-long interview into his insights was looked upon as a 'gift' to many people in the writing community. Some people say that Oprah did a terrible job. Personally, I think she did fine. Just like her interview with Wacko Jacko, she asked some tough questions interspersed with some easy, light-hearted ones.

However, she does seem to hang onto the money thing a bit. In Part Two, McCarthy talks about not needing money. Never wanting money. And not wanting to work, ever. I think if you were at a cocktail party or something in the United States and you told someone this, people would spit their martini in your face. You'd be looked upon as a lazy-ass hippy. And considering Oprah is a billionaire who clawed and scratched her way to the top, I'm sure she would be fascinated by this type of mindset.

One thing, I was surprised they didn't talk about the No Country For Old Men film too much. However, this segment is about Cormac and The Road. So I guess it's understandable.

In any event, this is the type of guy I'd like to hang out and have a beer with. He seems down to Earth and a bit shy. But, I'm sure he'd have a lot of great stories to tell about his craft and his life.

CLICK HERE FOR PART ONE, which introduces McCarthy and talks briefly about how he came up with the idea for THE ROAD.

CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO, which gives insight into McCarthy's views on being poor, living life and not working for the man.

PART THREE MUST HAVE BEEN DELETED.

CLICK HERE FOR PART FOUR, which gives insight into the writing craft, being successful and money.

CLICK HERE FOR PART FIVE, which talks about his writing style (no punctuation, lack of commas, etc.).

CLICK HERE FOR PART SIX. McCarthy talks about the Santa Fe Institute and all of the brainiacs he gets to talk to on a daily basis.

CLICK HERE FOR PART SEVEN. Subconscious writing and further discussion of The Road.

What's HAPPENING M. Night Shyamalan?

Hey there, just came across the movie trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's new flick The Happening due in theaters this June. Check it out right here:



Doesn't look too shabby. Reminds me of two Stephen King books Cell and The Stand mixed with some sort of Jesus-themed Armageddon type shit. It even seems like this movie could probably serve as a prequel to Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

Harry Knowles of Aint-It-Cool-News raved about The Happening screenplay in an older post. However, keep in mind that Knowles' geek-love of directors, movies and screenplays has sometimes gotten in the way of obvious bad work.

But, knowing that crazy Shamalamadingdong, I'm sure there will be some sort of crazy twist ending.

Speaking of twist endings, it seems like all of his movies have sort of hit a downhill slant on the 'coolness' factor after his first two major films; The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Signs and The Village. I thought they were both great ideas. However, I think he was trying too hard to put his patented crazy, twist ending into those films. I mean, The Village had almost three different possible twist endings to choose from even before the movie ended.

To add to that, there's been rumors that he stole the idea for The Village from the novel Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

That said, I'm happy to see him back in the drama game after the horrific The Lady in the Water. That movie sucked so bad, my penis hurt after watching it.

So, I'm curious, what do you guys think about M. Night and the new trailer?

On THE ROAD with Cormac McCarthy

The first time I heard about Author Cormac McCarthy was when Billy Bob Thornton directed Matt Damon in the movie version of All The Pretty Horses.

On a side note, I hear Billy Bob was more than a little pissed off that his 3-hour opus was edited by the Weinsteins and released at a mere 2 hours. I would’ve loved to see Thornton's version, because I hear it stays true to the overall feel of McCarthy's novel.

Then, a couple years ago, the Coen Brothers announced they were shooting a movie called No Country for Old Men based on another McCarthy novel.

"Hmm," I thought to myself. "I’m going to have to pick up one of his books."

Finally, Oprah Winfrey picked McCarthy’s latest novel The Road for her precious Book Club. She even visited the reclusive author for a one-hour interview to talk about the book. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of Winfrey. But I will say that she is getting people to read. And, even if it is mostly Baby Boomer white women, I’m happy to see novels getting their due attention on the national platform. Plus she had a couple good picks in the past including The Corrections, The Color Purple and The Grapes of Wrath.

That was that. My interest was piqued. I picked up The Road on Amazon.com and devoured it in less than a month. (Hey, I'm a slow reader with very little time on my hands!)

So, how was it? Well, it’s very dark, very depressing, very bleak and very good.

From page one, you realize something ain't right in Denmark. The human population has exponentially been wiped from the Earth. How or Why? The reader is never told. There are whispers of ashes flying through the steel-gray sky to hint that there could have been a possible nuclear war. Plus, the absence of animals, including birds, deer and other wildlife, hint that possibly there was some sort of viral flu epidemic that swept the world and destroyed the land. Another possible theory is that a meteor struck the Earth, hurling ash into the atmosphere and instantly killing 99% of the Earth’s population including animals. Who really knows. To be honest, does it even matter? I don't really think so.

In any event, we’re thrown into the life of a father (no name throughout the book) and his son, who are pushing a cart down the road and headed South to warmer climate and some sort of happiness. From my point of view, I would say the book takes place on the East coast. Possibly Virginia. Maybe North Carolina or even West Virginia.

Throughout the book, they have some interesting run-ins with characters including survivors described by the son as "the bad guys". In a sense you feel that some of these "bad guys" are harvesting humans to eat. Although most of the cannibalism is insinuated, there are a few well-written scenes that set the tension meter high. In fact, there is a terrifying scene in a basement of a house midway through the book that still resonates in my brain.

There aren’t too many horrific scenes. However, there are just enough to make the reader comprehend that the world has changed. The rules have changed. And it’s a violent world where every man and woman are, pretty much, on their own. It’s almost like humans are deer running around in the wild scavenging for food. To put it bluntly, this is the father and son's life. And, in a nutshell, this is the book. Traveling around. Looking for food. Finding shelter. Hiding from strangers on the road. Defending themselves at all costs.

The young son is thrown into this seemingly uncaring, terrifying world with no sunshine, no fun, no school, no friends and, most importantly, no motherly love. While the father, who coughs up bloody clots every morning, is dealing with his own demons and slowly coming to grips with his own mortality. It’s a truly shocking reality that, I suppose, all of us must face when Death comes a knockin'.

Personally, as a reader and a father of two kids, I began to ask myself some rather blunt questions as I delved deeper and deeper into the novel. What would I do if I were thrust into this situation? Where would I go? Would I kill? What is the point of life? Why are we here? Why are we even trying to survive? What kind of advice could I instill into my kids that times would get better?

The ending, however, gives the reader a glimmer of hope that humanity, perhaps, will continue. But, by that time, you’ll be asking yourself the question "Is it all worth it anyway."

The writing is extremely simplistic, but effective. And highlighted by the fact that there are no quotation marks throughout the book. At times this can be a bit frustrating, especially if you're a copywriter. The conversations between the father and the son are brutally honest and very realistic. Nothing in McCarthy's writing seems to be forced. There are no flashy words and the prose is very straight-forward. In fact, it almost reads as a blow-by-blow journal of thoughts and actions of the father, told in a third-person point of view.

On a personal note, after reading the book I attempted to write a short story that mimicked McCarthy’s prose in The Road. (Enter Price is Right failure song here) Not a chance. It's truly difficult to write this way. Like I said, it may seem simplistic, but the author chooses his words as carefully as a master chef chooses ingredients for an award-winning dish.

I heard the McCarthy thought up the idea for the book when he was traveling with his young son. He was in a motel, looking out the window. He glanced to his son, who was sleeping on the bed, then glanced back to the window and imagined the hills on fire. That's when the whole novel hit him like a ton of bricks.

There you have it. The Road is a fantastic read. McCarthy is a great master of his craft. And I strongly urge you to pick up a copy and see for yourself.

FILM NOTE: Numerous movie web sites have reported that a film based on The Road is in the works with John Hillcoat set to direct. For all of those unaware, Hillcoat directed The Proposition, a gritty psuedo-western set in Australia. It’s also rumored that Viggo Mortensan or Guy Pearce will play the father. From a movie point of view, the book reminds me of a mixture of Se7en, The Unforgiven, Saving Private Ryan and Mad Max if they were all directed by Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line, The New World, Badlands). All I can say, is I hope they stay very, very close to the feel of the book.

No Country for Old Coens

I haven't had the chance to see the Coen Brother's No Country For Old Men yet. To be honest, I've probably seen two movies this whole year in a theater. However, my good buddy Mac Cargould had the opportunity to view it this past weekend.

So, I thought I'd strike while the iron was hot and post his review:

I've been convinced for a long time that the Brothers Coen are amongst the best of the best American filmakers working today. They have an original style that cares about the different aspects of a movie (i.e. cinematography, music, editing...etc.)

And their sense of humor is fuckin' wicked.

I've been itchin' to see this movie since I heard about the raves it got at Cannes. So No Country for Old Men was my Thanksgiving Day movie.

It's been a while since I've seen a good Coen's brother movie in the theater. I walked in feeling like I was going to see an old friend. Right from the start, Joel and Ethan let you know that silence plays a big part in this movie. Something else they let know right from the start - that Javier Bardem is going to fuck some people up! He's the scariest thing I've seen on celluloid in the past ten years. Maybe it's his haircut, I don't know, but one thing I do know is that I'm not going to fuck with anyone I see who looks like that anymore.

The movie's based on a Cormac McCarthy novel. I've talked to some people who read more books than I do and they told me he's pretty well known for writing violent stories.

No shit.

The basic plot is really nothing new to movies. An ordinary person stumbles upon a lot of money. In this case Josh Brolin's 'Llouellen Moss' stumbles upon a major drug deal gone really bad somewhere in south Texas in 1980. When he finds two million dollars in cash in a satchel, his life hits the fan. Because that's when Javier is on his ass and you know it's not going to go well for Josh Brolin.

I always love the way the Coen's use music in there movies. They don't use shit in this one. I don't think there was one piece of music in the whole movie unless it was a radio in the background or something. But the silence really sets the tone for this movie and it makes Javier-Brolin chase that much scarier. You fear for Josh Brolin's life after you see what Javier is doing to everyone else in his path.

This could possibly be the most violent Coen Brothers movie ever. This could possibly be the best acting Josh Brolin has ever done. He's having a hell of a year. His character is no dummy and you really root for him. But Javier's character's might as well be death. And when death is after and wants to kill you with a cattle-prog you better kiss your ass good-bye.

And then there's Tommy Lee Jones. Tommy Lee's old crusty sheriff is not really on the screen half as much as Brolin and Javier, but his character is the backbone of the story. He's on the trail of Javier. Javier is pretty easy to track because he leaves dead bodies wherever he goes. But Tommy Lee is also the narrator and that's where this movie gets interesting. You realize this story is about violence. Tommy Lee understands violence. He knows that there has always been violence and there always will be. And you can just see in his eyes that he really doesn't want to find Javier he would just rather retire and get the fuck out. Violence is no place for old men.

There are plenty story details that I'm not going to get into and all the actors are in top form (Woody Harrelson is always good), which is what you come to expect from Joel and Ethan.

But, the ending will probably be the thing that makes some people hate this movie.

I admit, when I walked out of the theater, I felt like the movie left me hanging and I was pissed. Those damn Coens. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. And after days of thinking and discussing it with other people who have seen it, it makes sense why the Coens would leave the story with that kind of anti-climatic ending. I feel better about it now than when I walked out. However, I feel the need to go back and visit this movie again.

The best thing about Coen brothers movies is they're always good enough to visit again and again. Check it out.

- Review by Milan (Mac) A. Cargould

Thanks Mac. Gets me pretty excited to see it on DVD. I'll have a review of Cormac McCarthy's novel "The Road" either this week or next week. It seems like he has some quiet mixed in with a little ultraviolence in all of his books. That said, I'll also be posting more of Mac's reviews as long as he wants to keep on writing them.