Optimistic Monday

Does anyone else religiously follow box office returns for Hollywood films? I've been doing it since I was a kid (when we looked at the news on something called "paper"). As many of you know, I've been particularly interested in the performance of the new Star Trek movie, being a fan of the franchise and of JJ Abrams.

Star Trek has been faring well, posting the lowest declines from week to week of any film this year. While I would imagine the quality of the story, production values, and marketing probably influence a film's box office performance the most, some reviews have attributed Star Trek's success to another factor: optimism.

Star Trek as a franchise has always reflected a rosy view of the future, honoring the wishes of its creator, Gene Roddenberry. This did not change for the latest installment. However, the most successful "reboots" of franchises in the last few years were Casino Royale and Batman Begins, both dark and brooding films. So when I saw Terminator Salvation last week, I wondered why it was performing much worse than anticipated.

Both Terminator and Star Trek have questionable stories, well-known characters, lots of explosions, slick special effects, and young, talented casts. There are many differences, for sure. But the most obvious difference is the setting. Why do more people in 2009 prefer the utopian sheen of Star Trek over the post-apocalyptic gloom of Terminator? Where would you want to spend your two hours?

And hey, The Sobriquets are doing things again! We're playing shows, finalizing EP artwork, and practicing in our new space. We're all very happy about that.

- Nick

Happy Un-Monday

If you've ever listened to the podcast I make with my friend Brian O'Rourke, you know that I don't read much. Well actually, I do read, but it's mostly for information. I usually prefer my entertainment to be watchable or listenable. But when Brian recently published his first novel, I had to check it out. I'd like to write a long, intelligent review praising it, but I'm no authority (no pun intended) on literature. I will say that I really enjoyed it, and couldn't wait to finish it, no matter how much I was distracted by TV shows, Phillies radio broadcasts, or news involving the producers and cast of the new Star Trek movie.

In The Unearthed, Brian is able to draw up characters who are easy to care about. The suspense is handled skillfully, and some intriguing plot twists keep you guessing right up to last sentence. His description of the action is vividly detailed, but it doesn't sacrifice the swift pace of the storytelling. Given the subject matter, reading it at 2AM with all the lights off was probably a bad idea. I scare easy.

Whoa, hold on, I think I almost tried to write a review there, even though I said I wouldn't. I'll quit while I'm ahead. Buy Brian's book here and you can tell me what you thought instead.

I think books may be trying to convert me to their teachings. Today I visited Barnes & Noble and a book called to me from the shelf. It literally called to me, yes. Then it made me read the first two chapters of itself before it'd let me leave. The Unthinkable is a non-fiction psychology book that analyzes human behavior during disasters, natural and man-made. It's an in-depth exploration of how and why people make certain decisions under extreme stress, and it's a topic that I've always wondered about. That's probably because I freeze at the grocery store when I'm trying to decide between 7-grain or 12-grain bread. How many grains do I need? I don't know!

What I do know is that I need to read.

If you'd also like to read, I say find some books whose titles start with "The Un". They seem to be a good bet.

Happy Monday (it's over!),

- Nick