During this year's Blogging From A to Z April Challenge, I'm highlighting things more people should know about. For the most part, I'll be ignoring the most popular and widely known items (and sometimes my personal favorites) in order to promote the unfamiliar and underappreciated.Open your mind to the possibilities...
FILM
Oldboy (Oldeuboi)
A man is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years without explanation. He's then given money, clothes, and a cell phone, and released without explanation. As he seeks out the people responsible to find answers and exact his revenge, it begins to become clear his tormentor's plan is very much still in motion. The second in Chan-wook Park's excellent vengeance trilogy.
TELEVISIONA man is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years without explanation. He's then given money, clothes, and a cell phone, and released without explanation. As he seeks out the people responsible to find answers and exact his revenge, it begins to become clear his tormentor's plan is very much still in motion. The second in Chan-wook Park's excellent vengeance trilogy.
The Odd Couple
I tried to find a good obscure show to highlight today, but all the worthwhile ones were too well-known. Thus, I decided on a show everyone's heard of but which I suspect few have seen.1 Two roommates: one neat and neurotic, the other a slob. Hilarity ensues.
I tried to find a good obscure show to highlight today, but all the worthwhile ones were too well-known. Thus, I decided on a show everyone's heard of but which I suspect few have seen.1 Two roommates: one neat and neurotic, the other a slob. Hilarity ensues.
GAME
Oh Hell!
Also known by dozens of other names, this is a game where the goal is to get the exact number of tricks you bid. It's played with a standard deck of cards, and for the first hand, you only get one card. You get two for the second, three for the third, and so on (and then the reverse). If you match your bid each hand, you get points; if not, you don't. Simple yet difficult. Crazy but fun.
Also known by dozens of other names, this is a game where the goal is to get the exact number of tricks you bid. It's played with a standard deck of cards, and for the first hand, you only get one card. You get two for the second, three for the third, and so on (and then the reverse). If you match your bid each hand, you get points; if not, you don't. Simple yet difficult. Crazy but fun.
MUSIC
Obadiah Parker
Musically, lyrically beautiful stuff. Especially his self-titled live album, which includes his phenomenal acoustic cover of OutKast's "Hey Ya!" His music isn't overly produced, so I'll take a page from hisbook liner notes and shut up so you can go listen to his talent and passion shine through.2
LITERATUREMusically, lyrically beautiful stuff. Especially his self-titled live album, which includes his phenomenal acoustic cover of OutKast's "Hey Ya!" His music isn't overly produced, so I'll take a page from his
One Shot by Lee Child
I'm cheating. Again. I haven't read this book. I have, however, read a half-dozen others by Lee Child and enjoyed every one, so I know what to expect here. Ex-military investigator Jack Reacher is thrust into some situation with murder and intrigue, and must use violence and crime-solving skills to see it through to the end. If it's beautifully written lyrical prose you seek, you won't find it here. But if you're looking for a taut action thriller with a kick-ass protagonist, reach for Reacher. Reach for Lee Child.
I'm cheating. Again. I haven't read this book. I have, however, read a half-dozen others by Lee Child and enjoyed every one, so I know what to expect here. Ex-military investigator Jack Reacher is thrust into some situation with murder and intrigue, and must use violence and crime-solving skills to see it through to the end. If it's beautifully written lyrical prose you seek, you won't find it here. But if you're looking for a taut action thriller with a kick-ass protagonist, reach for Reacher. Reach for Lee Child.
That's my opinion, anyway. But I bet there are other obscure ones I omitted. What have you got for me?
1 Including me. Yeah, I know it's odd I haven't even seen a couple episodes, but that's just the way it is. My recommendation is based solely on popular sentiment, and on the wonderful Lemmon-Matthau film upon which the show was based.
2 My one complaint is his albums are really only available through iTunes, with their proprietary audio format. Oh well, it's a small price to pay. (Plus the larger price for the albums themselves.)
Oldeuboi sounds interesting.
ReplyDeletelol, yeah, I remember the Odd Couple. My parents used to watch it.
It is interesting. Not necessarily for everyone's tastes, but certainly interesting.
DeleteI remember a couple odd snippets of the show from my youth, so I figure my parents watched reruns of it on occasion, but yeah, that's as close as I got, too.
Thanks, that Hey Ya cover was pretty good.
ReplyDeletemood
Moody Writing
@mooderino
The Funnily Enough
You're welcome, Moody. I live to serve. (Okay, that's a blatant lie. But I do serve on occasion. Usually right into the net.)
DeleteI have old boy but I haven't watched it yet. My kids are getting older and staying up later, so I just don't have as much me tv time.
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling. My son's only 9 months old, but I've already greatly curtailed my viewing habits. And no sex or violence until after 9pm.
DeleteI want to try the Oh Hell game. Never heard of it before. I wonder though if I shouldn't play it with my 12yr old since it has a cuss word in the title. Oh, wait. She's learned all those words anyway at school. *giggle*
ReplyDeleteI'm stopping by from the A to Z Challenge!
Giggle, Laugh, Cry
Ah, but there's the other great thing about this game: You can call it whatever you want. Dampen the profanity (Oh Drat!, Oh Fiddlesticks!), choose one of its many existing cuss-free names (e.g. Up and Down the River, Vanishing Whist, Peanuts) or make one up all your own (e.g. I've Got Nothing).
DeleteOnce again, I only know one of these.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteIt's all in the timing, though. Had you stopped by a day or two ago, I'm sure you'd have known two or three.
loved the odd couple tv show
ReplyDeleteSee everyone? I knew it was good. Thanks, Laurie, for the vote of confidence. Of course, now that I've recommended it, I should probably sit down and at least watch a few episodes...
Delete