Book Review: The Shroud of Jesus by Dr. Gilbert Lavoie

The Shroud of Jesus and the Sign John Ingeniously Concealed by Dr. Gilbert Lavoie

With some very up-to-date scholarship (the book was published in 2023), Doctor Gilbert Lavoie explains his investigation of the Shroud of Turin, an object thought to be the burial garment of Jesus Christ. Lavoie brings his experience as a medical doctor to the study of the image. His investigation spans forty years and is a mixture of forensics and biblical theology.  

The main focus is on the forensics. As he examined the image, he came to realize that the blood marks on the Shroud were transferred to the cloth when the body was in a supine position. Lavoie goes into great detail and made many experiments to show how the blood marks would lay on a human, three-dimensional face and body. He used volunteers to help with the mapping, discovering that the blood originally flowed while the body was upright on the cross and then came to be on the cloth after the body was taken down and wrapped in the cloth.

But the image on the cloth happened separately and after the blood stains. Underneath the blood clots no discoloration like the image's is found. The coloring is on the surface of the linen fibers and what caused the coloring is unidentifiable. The image has details that show the body was upright when it was imprinted. The long hair hangs down straight and the feet are pointed down. The back is not flattened by laying on a hard surface. Lavoie accounts for the differences by studying the Gospel of John and the theology of the time of Christ.

The Jewish culture did not have graven images, so something like the Shroud would have been a great scandal. Evangelist John reports going into the tomb and seeing the cloth and believing, though he does not describe what he sees on the cloth. Several times earlier in the gospel, Jesus describe how He will be lifted up. Readers naturally assume that means being lifted up on the cross, but Jesus was also lifted up at the Ascension into Heaven, and Lavoie argues that He was lifted up in the tomb as well. The argument is fascinating and detailed and holds together very well. 

The book presents a compelling narrative. Lots of pictures of the Shroud and of Lavoie's experiments reinforce what the text tells readers. The book ends with pictures of a full-size sculpture of the body seen on the Shroud. The sculpture was commissioned by Lavoie in the early 2020s.

Recommended--highly for those interested in the Shroud of Turin.

TV Review: The Wrong Mans Series 2 (2014)

The Wrong Mans Series 2 (2014) created by Matthew Baynton and James Corden

After being inadvertently drawn into a massive conspiracy in the previous series, innocent Brits Phil (James Corden) and Sam (Matthew Baynton) wound up in a witness protection program. Their car exploded but they managed to escape; the government faked their deaths to protect their families. The guys have different names and live in a small Texas town. Sam wants to go back home even though it would be risky for his girlfriend, who suspects a conspiracy and has spent the time since his funeral advocating for a government release of information. Phil is more settled in, though that changes once he fakes a call home (which he isn't supposed to do) and the neighbor answers, saying his mom is in hospital for serious problems. Phil decides he does want to go back since his mum has no one else. They work together through all sorts of schemes and complications involving Mexican smugglers and Eastern European terrorists.

The show gives an enjoyable comedic take on over-the-top conspiracy/spy shows like 24 and Alias. The story is totally bonkers but in a fun way. The two leads keep things moving along and are charming enough to keep viewers rooting for them. Things turn out well even as more and greater implausibilities are piled up. The Christmas theme running throughout is a nice touch. I enjoyed the whole thing as diverting fun.

Recommended.

I watched it for some credits on Kanopy. Weirdly, Series 1 is not available though I had seen it a long time ago.

 

Book Review: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Vol. 2 by B. Gale et al.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Volume 2 written by Bob Gale and Zeb Wells; art by Phil Jimenez, Chris Bachalo, and Barry Kitson

Spider-man's problems continue unabated. Even though J. Jonah Jameson is out of the Daily Bugle (his wife sold it while he was incapacitated by a heart attack), the new owner is even worse--he hates Spider-man, he makes up stories all the time, and he can't remember anybodies' names. The police are mixed about Spider-man's helpfulness, some like him, some don't. He barely has enough money to make ends meet. New villains keep showing up. The latest is a drug addict who accidentally winds up in the lab of Curt Conners (i.e. the Lizard). He assumes the needles there are full of drugs when they actually have animal stem cells. So the drug addict becomes Freak, an evolving and seemingly undying baddie. The Green Goblin-knockoff called Menace is after politicians. Finally, Wolverine shows up to "help out" with one of Spider-man's adventures. 

The stories are interesting enough though the new villains lack something. They do not come off as iconic or especially menacing. They are a big problem. Spidey has the usual comic quips and bad luck which is fun. They've gotten the essence of his character down. I'll keep reading.

Mildly recommended.

Movie Review: Escape from New York (1981)

Escape from New York (1981) co-written and directed by John Carpenter

In the far flung future of 1997, Manhattan has become the maximum security prison for the United States, walled off with 50-foot barrier and existing as a no-man's land where criminals have to take care of themselves. The system works well until terrorists hijack Air Force One with the President (Donald Pleasance) on board. They crash into Manhattan. The security guards stationed on Liberty Island get a call from Washington that the president needs to be recovered because he was going to a critical conference and was carrying an audio tape with key information to pass along. Luckily, ex-army-commando-now-criminal Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) is about to be shipped over to Manhattan to serve his sentence. Security recruits him to save the president, offering him a full pardon. They also give him two subdermal capsules that will explode in 24 hours if he does not bring the president back in time for the conference. They drop Plissken on the top of the World Trade Center, where he makes his way down to the street and searches for the president.

Of course this classic 1980s action film is dated. The special effects are a bit clunky but not too bad. The predicted future is not anywhere near happening even now, three decades after the supposed events. Russell starts his performance with a Clint-Eastwood vibe that seems like he is not even trying to make the character his own, though his character has a cool name and an eye-patch. He settles into the role as the movie goes on and becomes a charming anti-hero by the end. The grimy world is typically strewn with garbage and darkness; the characters are all in tatty clothing of post-apocalyptic landscapes. Actually, there have not been much advances in that in the past forty years.

The film is full of colorful characters played by minor stars. Lee Van Cleef is the head of security negotiating with Plissken and tracking his progress from outside. Plissken keeps running into a taxi driver (Ernest Borgnine) who helps out a lot. The Brain (Harry Dean Stanton) is the science guru of Manhattan, creating gas and other necessities for the isolated island. His girlfriend (Adrienne Barbeau) is the chesty woman, almost the only woman in the prison, though she is a tough woman, not a sex object. The guy holding the president is The Duke (Isaac Hayes), a maniacal crime lord in a land full of crime. He has all sorts of ways to hold his power and to get out of the prison, if they can rely on The Brain's map of a booby-trapped bridge. They all give entertaining performances and give the film some grounding. 

The ending is the typical anti-hero outcome of the 1980s, a bit of nostalgia for me. Carpenter is a solid director and delivers another fun synth score for this film like he did for Halloween. 

Mildly recommended--this is a fun action film though Russell and Carpenter have done better. 

TV Review: Eighty-Six (2020)

Eighty-Six (2020) created by Asato Asato from the light novel series

The Republic of San Magnolia, a somewhat-ahead of our time country, is at war. They tout their defense forces as unmanned drones heroically knocking back the enemy. But the drones are not unmanned, they are vehicles piloted by people (mostly teens) from the Eighty-Sixth district. Eight-sixers are considered socially inferior to the grey-haired, blue-eyed denizens of the other eighty-five districts. So naturally they are disposable and maybe not trustworthy. The military uses handlers (safe tucked away that the capital's military headquarters) to direct the drones' attacks. One handler, Major Lena Milize, is outspoken in her contempt of the situation. Her military equals at HQ spend most of their time drinking and enjoying themselves and making fun of her for how seriously she takes the responsibility. Her record stands for itself, with many successes. She's assigned to a new group, one that has caused previous handlers to go crazy or commit suicide. 

As the story goes on, it spins away from the capital and Major Milize. The focus narrows to the elite unit which survives several battles and gets involved in harder and harder missions. They eventually get the opportunity to leave the battlefield behind, but they have more loyalty to each other and to victory than they have contempt for the oppressive elitists hiding at the capital. And they slowly gain some respect for Lena

The story deals with a lot of different issues. There's class division that makes both sides contemptuous of the other, though some characters are able to look beyond that and recognize their shared humanity. The Eighty-sixers also deal with a lot of death in their ranks, since they are constantly on the front line and don't always have the resources they need. The interesting social dynamic is supported by exciting action sequences and an extra sub-plot where two siblings wind up on opposite sides of the conflict. The whole package is handled well.

Recommended.

Book Review: Uniformity with God's Will by St. Alphonsus Ligouri

Uniformity with God's Will by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri

In this short work, Saint Alphonsus Ligouri recommends that the greatest and surest way to holiness is to desire what God wills in all situations of our lives. Sure, it is easy to consent when we have good things or are experiencing good times. Even in those times, we experience a temptation to forget about God, to give the credit for those good things to ourselves (or luck or chance or fate). Conversely, we blame God for the bad things that happen to us, the suffering we undergo. Ligouri's key insight is that God desires our good at all times and in all situations. When suffering comes, do not complain about it, especially to God. He knows what we need and what is for our perfection. Perhaps we need humiliation or discomfort to move us away from sin and selfishness, to move us toward Him by conforming our will to His. If we can do this, i.e. unite our will to God's will, a sense of peace and joy is ours, even in tribulations. It's how martyrs sang and prayed as they were led to horrible deaths. They offered their lives to God and knew that their actions, even though probably not chosen by them, were in conformity to God's will and brought them to the Kingdom.

Ligouri includes some very practical advice in various situations, internal and external. Accepting concrete situations as a gift for our betterment is the truth path to holiness. Everything is from God who loves us and wants us to be His. We just need to offer ourselves.

Highly recommended--this is a quick read and the center of living a holy life.

SAMPLE QUOTE:

Sickness is the acid test of spirituality, because it discloses whether our virtue is real or sham. If the soul is not agitated, does not break out in lamentations, is not feverishly restless in seeking a cure, but instead is submissive to the doctors and to superiors, is serene and tranquil, completely resigned to God's will, it is a sign that that soul is well-grounded in virtue.

Game Review: Unlock! Legendary Adventures by Space Cowboys

Unlock! Legendary Adventures (2021) published by Space Cowboys, designed by Matthieu Casnin, Marion du Faouet, and Dave Neale

This set of "escape rooms at home" use a set of cards and a downloaded phone or tablet app to guide you through the adventure (and keep track of how much time you have used). Some of the games also require components in the box, including a surprise set of components.

Action Story--Stella's stolen a jewel of immense value and you are in hot pursuit! Luckily, you have a James Bond-like car with a grappling hook and all sorts of tunes to listen to. The high speed chase quickly morphs into something quite different in an enjoyable way as the puzzles keep coming.

This is supposed to be the easiest challenge in the box but I found a bunch of the puzzles were not at all obvious how they should be solved, including the final puzzle which was unfortunate. I used some hints and the walk-through to get through tight spots. I really enjoyed the theme but the implementation could have been a lot better.

Robin Hood: Dead or Alive--Players are part of the Merry Men, working with Robin Hood to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Things quickly turn against Robin, who winds up in the Sheriff of Nottingham's jail. It's up to the players to get Robing out of the jam he is in. Solving puzzles lets players explore a bit of Robin's world and do some of the iconic deeds like fighting with quarterstaffs and doing trick shots with a bow and arrow.

The game play is a little tricky, relying on a lot of in-app bits to unlock the next puzzle or challenge. Some were a bit hard to follow, like the bard whose song needs to be decrypted to get one of the codes. We had a couple of misfires and needed hints. Most of the mechanics were fun, including some additional components we didn't know about. We enjoyed the game but found it a bit harder than it needed to be.

We almost ran out of time but still got four stars. We need to improve our cyber-archery skills!

Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Burnt Angels--Players help out Sherlock Holmes as he investigates three murders in London. The murderer is a man named Red Henry who seems to be bent on some sort of revenge. The clues take the investigation all over London, requiring a lot of movement and a lot of observation.

This is the hardest-rated adventure on the box. Players get the usual deck of cards and a special "magnifying glass" which is a heavier card with a whole cut in the middle. For certain clues, this "magnifying glass" helps to find the right number for the next card. One of those clues was a bit of a stretch and we only found out what we were supposed to do afterwards. A couple of cards come together to form a map and players use the app to travel to London locations where further clues (i.e. cards) are revealed. The whole investigation worked fairly well with only a few hiccups here and there for us. We enjoyed it, though we did pause in the middle for bedtime and had to restart the adventure in the app the next day. Catching up wasn't hard.

The Holmes adventure was my favorite in this set. I would definitely try more Unlock! games in the future.