Sometimes While Dreaming

Marcie Lynn Tentchoff's Sometimes While Dreaming is a poetry collection that explores dreamworlds through fantasy, science fiction, and some horror.  The volume is a delightful one, with some thought-provoking pieces, and numerous amusing ones as well.  I especially enjoyed the recurring images of sea and the use of selkies.  

In Tentchoff's collection, dreamscapes rub up against our world, and much of what is of most interest to me is the space in between the two — which she explores masterfully in Sometimes While Dreaming.


 Subscribe in a reader

Sucker Punch

I watched Sucker Punch on the plane on the way back from Australia earlier this month.  That's not the ideal format for the film, I think, as it looks like something more suited to a bigger screen.  That didn't really matter much, as it's not normally the sort of movie I'd like, being a lot like watching a video game being played out for parts of the action.  I'm not much of a gamer myself, and get especially bored watching others play.  If I have to be involved with a video game, I'd rather be the player.  So, movies that look like video games don't generally appeal to me much.

That said, Sucker Punch had something to its story that I kind of liked.  I really enjoyed the ending, with the realization that came over Baby about what she needed to do to make the story work out.  It made the film more worth watching for me.  And, I did like the story embedded in a story, with yet one more layer embedded in that.  This sort of structure is usually a fun one for me.

I did think the little blurb, however, was a bit overflown, referring to the film as "epic fantasy."  It's more gaming and fantasy, I'd say.  If it had been labeled such, I probably wouldn't have watched it.  But overall, it was a good enough film to pass the time on the long flight.  (Not something I'd want to pay to watch, though.)



 Subscribe in a reader

Magazines and Journals

Since I've been back from Shanghai, I've gotten to catch up on some magazines and journals that were delivered to my house in Singapore while I was away.  It's been great — a lot of good reading comes in the mail when I am gone for three months!

I've gotten to catch up on Scifaikuest (Aug 2011 — Nov should be coming soon), Illumen (Autumn 2011), Sounds of the Night, Star*Line, Psychic Meatloaf, Aofie's Kiss, and Beyond Centauri.  I'm starting on some back issues now.

I really miss these 'zines while I am away.  I think I might have to stock up on some back issues to take with me on my next 3-month stint.



 Subscribe in a reader