December 2016

And there it is, the end of the month, and the end of a year. Just a quick write-up of the month. It was mostly uneventful, a couple of weeks at the office (plus the yearly holiday party), and a couple of weeks on vacation. And there was Christmas, which was very nice. I hope yours was too!

As usual, though, there were some stories, some movies, and some music.

The stories

I managed to not finish any of the books — three at last count — that I’m currently reading. I did, however, read thirty-two short stories. Favorites included:

• “A Menagerie of Grief” by Kelly Sandoval (Flash Fiction Online)
• “A Tower for the Coming World” by Maggie Clark (Clarkesworld)
• “The Death of Paul Bunyan” by Charles Payseur (Lightspeed)
• “Special Collections” by Kurt Fawver (F&SF)
• “The Wreck at Goat’s End” by Alexandra Manglis (Strange Horizons)
• “The Empty Empire” by Mary E. Lowd (Daily Science Fiction)
• “People Are Fragile Things You Should Know By Now” by Danielle Mayabb (Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet)
• “Uncontainable” by Helen Stubbs (Apex)
• “The Cyborg, the Tinman, the Merchant of Death” by Rich Larson (Lightspeed)
• “The Thanatos Mode” by Tom Hadrava (Strange Horizons)
• “Every Day Is the Full Moon” by Carlie St. George (Lightspeed)
• “The Rhythm Man” by James Beamon (F&SF)
• “Babel” by Megan Arkenberg (Daily Science Fiction)
• “One-Quarter Dreaming, Three-Quarters Want” by Helen Marshall (Liminal Stories)
• “Creature and Servant” by Saladin Ahmed (his Patreon)
• “The City Born Great” by N.K. Jemisin (Tor.com)

The movies

I watched ten movies in December. (I had some time off.)

• A Streetcar Named Desire:
  

  Well. A Streetcar Named Desire was…interesting.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 4, 2016

• Don’t Breathe:
  

  Don't Breathe is effective and all, but it's maybe a little too well made for its own good.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 11, 2016

• Don’t Think Twice:
  

  Don't Think Twice is a little rough at the edges, but it has a likable, talented cast and some very sweet, funny moments.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 11, 2016

• The Jungle Book:
  

  The Jungle Book is far from perfect (or necessary), but it's surprisingly affecting.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 18, 2016

• For the Love of Spock:
  

  For the Love of Spock coasts by pretty much just on the real, well-earned fondness for Leonard Nimoy.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 18, 2016

• And the Band Played On:
  

  And the Band Played On is in some ways very much of the early '90s, but it's a compelling movie (about an important subject) all the same.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 20, 2016

• The Lobster:
  

  I was deeply confused and unsettled by The Lobster, but I think that was maybe its point.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 21, 2016

• Eyes Without a Face:
  

  Eyes Without a Face is a lot creepier because it's in black and white, I think.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 23, 2016

• The Philadelphia Story:
  

  This movie is quite delightful.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 23, 2016

• Double Wedding:
  

  Myrna Loy and William Powell are wonderful together, even if Double Wedding is maybe not their best work.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 23, 2016

• The Thin Man:
  

  I'm now watching The Thin Man, though I feel remiss for not also having a cocktail.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 24, 2016

• The Big Sleep:
  

  One more Big Sleep until Christmas. pic.twitter.com/pu5Da9tHy7

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 25, 2016

• After the Thin Man:
  

  After the Thin Man has some delightful moments, even if I don't think it's quite as sharp as the first movie.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 26, 2016

• Ben-Hur:
  

  Ben-Hur's chariot race isn't unexciting. It's too long, like the rest of the movie, but it's also easily the most exciting part.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 26, 2016

• The Tomb of Ligeia:
  

  The Tomb of Ligeia isn't perfect, but it's appropriately creepy, and Vincent Price is rather good in it.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 28, 2016

• Postcards from the Edge:
  

  Postcards from the Edge maybe stops just short of great, but it has a terrific cast and a sharp but human edge to its humor.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 28, 2016

• Arsenic and Old Lace:
  

  Arsenic and Old Lace sure is a goofball of a movie.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 29, 2016

• The Revenant:
  

  The Revenant isn't at all bad, but I might be a little more impressed with if I thought it was a little less impressed with itself.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 30, 2016

• Swiss Army Man:
  

  I really do not know what to think about Swiss Army Man. I'm going to go out on a limb, though, and say I did not like it.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 31, 2016

• The Masque of the Red Death:
  

  The Masque of the Red Death is really quite good, thanks largely to Vincent Price. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

  — Fred Coppersmith (@unrealfred) December 31, 2016

The music