Movie Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) directed by Jon Watts

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has been outed as Spider-Man, which is bad enough. He's also being accused by Daily Bugle editor and online commentator J. Jonah Jameson (J. K. Simmons) of killing Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhall), who died in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The public is divided about the blame but the noisiest ones seem to be those who think Peter is a murderer. He can hardly walk down the street or go to school with out some uncomfortable situation--either fawning admiration or vitriolic denunciation. Driven to desperation, Peter goes to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for a magic spell to erase everyone's memory that he is Spider-Man. Strange reluctantly agrees but as the spell is being cast, Peter keeps changing it by adding people whom he doesn't want changed, like MJ (Zendaya) and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). He asks for so many changes that the spell goes wrong, starting to pull people from other universes who know that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. People like Otto Octavius aka Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Norman Osborne aka Green Goblin (Willem Defoe), and three other villains from earlier movies that predate Spider-Man entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Doctor Strange wants Peter to capture the rogues so he can send them back to their proper universes. The only problem is, each villain was on the verge of dying before they crossed over, so sending them back is a death sentence. Young Peter is not okay with that--he wants to save them somehow.

The plot moves along at a good pace as Peter's plans don't work out the way he wants them too. Holland gives a great performance as an earnest and somewhat naive teen who wants to make things right but also make them easy for himself. His moral conflict is easy to relate to. And he wants what's truly good for the villains--not that they are defeated but that they are "fixed." That involves not just taking away their superpowers but putting them back on a better, more humane path. The movie acknowledges that you can't always force someone to be good, but it also applauds the effort to try, a very morally satisfying message. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that plans eventually work out for a good ending, though the journey there is exciting and surprising.

The movie is also chock-full of nods to the previous movies. The filmmakers keep the honesty and integrity of Spider-Man's character and look at different ways he reacts to situations. They maintain the core drama of Spider-Man stories, a teen dealing with responsibilities that life hasn't fully prepared him for, mostly because he hasn't had enough life yet (again, something easy for viewers to relate to). So many emotional and comic moments pay off earlier moments in previous films. That's not to say the film is hard to appreciate if you haven't kept up. Two of my children went with me. They have only seen the other Tom Holland films and were able to keep up with the story and catch the hints to previous events. The movie is very good on its own and even greater with the larger narrative context of the character. Since I am a big Spider-Man fan, I was immensely happy with the film.

Highly recommended.

Christmas Stuff 2021

Here's a bunch of the little things we did over Christmas this year (though Christmas is still going for us, at least till the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6)).

The kids were getting antsy to decorate inside. The rest of our street was already decorated outside. We decided to put up the tree, the outdoor lights, and our outdoor nativity on the third Sunday of Advent, commonly called "Gaudete Sunday." Gaudete is the Latin word for "rejoice" and that Sunday is one of the two days in the liturgical year when Catholic priests wear rose-colored vestments (we'll leave aside the whole debate about whether the color is rose or pink). The timing was earlier than usual for us but it seemed appropriate liturgically. Also, the kids are grown-up enough not to pull down the tree.

Setting up the tree

We made and decorated Christmas cookies with family though I somehow missed on taking pictures with people!

A simple plate

An even simpler one

More complicated

Our dance studio hosted a Christmas party where they showed White Christmas. They served hot cocoa and desserts. People came dressed in pajamas. We even danced a bit. We brought the kids along and they were happy (for the most part) to participate.

Siblings on the floor!

We saw a lot of yard decorations on walks and at church.

Stable at church!

Snoopy celebrates 20 year of LOTR with a "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" routine

A fun yard

A patriotic yard

An even more fun yard

We didn't get many pictures of present-opening because we were busy opening presents.

Grandchild and Granny work together

Opening gifts

The presents were wonderful and we are enjoying them a lot. Having family visit was great, as was hanging out with out-of-town family and friends over the internet. We've had a great holiday so far and are looking forward to more!

Book Review: Sister Wendy's Nativity and Life of Christ by Sister Wendy Beckett

Sister Wendy's Nativity and Life of Christ by Sister Wendy Beckett

Art lover and BBC present Sister Wendy Beckett was given access to many medieval manuscripts from the Vatican and Italian State Libraries. They are psalters and prayer books that have hardly been seen by the public. She curated dozens of images and arranged them as a chronology of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. Each image has a page of commentary, reflecting both on the artistic style and merits as well as on the theological message she sees the artist displaying. As with any collection of art works by various creators, some are better than others (and she does call them out sometimes, in her gentle way). The book is an interesting and quick read, though it is fun to linger on some of the images.

Recommended.

Sample image:

Click to enlarge

Sample text about the image:

All around the margin of the picture are hosts and chalices, interspersed with grieving angels who bear lilies and lighted candles. The symbolism is dense, and this may be apt in its heaviness. These Holy Thursday events are too weighty to be analyzed easily. The only genuine response is to pray, to unite with the suffering Jesus and to affirm our faith in his life and death. [p. 60]

Book Review: Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land by M. Mignola et al.

Young Hellboy: The Hidden Land story by Mike Mignola and Thomas Sniegoski, art by Craig Rousseau, and colors by Dave Stewart

Adolescent Hellboy travels with his father figure Professor Trevor Bruttenholm to South America where they will investigate a recently discovered Incan underground city. On the way, their plane crashes in the ocean when a fellow passenger, a religious zealot, tries to kill Hellboy since he is the spawn of the Devil. Hellboy and the Professor escape on a raft to a mysterious island where they are befriended by a jungle woman who turns out to be the real-life pulp hero Scarlett Santiago. She's also marooned on the island, fighting dinosaurs and hanging out with an intelligent simian tribe (though they don't speak English). The zealot also washes up on the island where the local baddies taken him to a temple and use his blood to revive their vampire queen. She quite naturally wants more blood to become more powerful. Hellboy's blood is extra special and she really wants it. Action ensues.

The story is a fun homage to the old movie serials. An action scene is always just a page or two away. The environment is lovingly rendered in much brighter colors than is typical for a Hellboy comic. This is more action adventure than brooding horror. Hellboy is young and idealistic, hoping to see mummies at the Incan city and reciting Scarlett's backstory as the pulp hero Sky Devil. She's a fun character too, I wouldn't mind seeing a spin-off series of her adventures, like the Witchfinder series or Lobster Johnson.

Highly recommended--a fun time in a lost world setting.

War of the Christmas Novelty Ales 2021--Regular Edition

See previous wars here!

Here's some more seasonal swillables!

It's Christmas Dammit! Belgian-Style Holiday Ale by Jailbreak Brewing Company (7.5% alcohol by volume)--The label is straightforward, "Belgian-style ale brewed with allspice, clove, and star anise." The rich coppery color looks the part of a wintertime ale. The spices are there but not THERE there. They blend nicely and give it the flavor of a walk through a winter woods. It's not so Belgian as other ales I've tried but it is still good. I'm not sure why the guy on the label has a martial-arts outfit and nunchucks. 

Maybe he deals with the naughty list?

Spencer Trappist Holiday Ale by The Spencer Brewery (9.0% alcohol by volume)--Made by the monks in Saint Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, this officially Trappist ale says it is "Mahogany in color, wholesome in body, lightly spiced, a heart-warming feast day ale from our table to yours." This ale does have that rich Belgian flavor of monastic brewing, a little tart and a little sour but oh so satisfying. The addition of some holiday spices give it just enough distinctness that you know you are not drinking the regular stuff. It goes down so well. Definitely a winner, in season or out of season.

Tidings Ale by Port City Brewing Company (8.5% alcohol by volume)--The label has no write-up other than "Belgian-style blonde ale brewed with honey and spices." I think Leffe is a great beer and is a Belgian blonde ale, so Tidings Ale has great promise but also a high standard to live up to. It looks more like a wheat blonde than a brown blonde. It's a little sharper in flavor thanks to the spices. The honey is not much there. To me, it tastes more like a summer-style beer than a Christmas beer. I imagine drinking it at a ball game with popcorn or pretzels. It's good but it's out of its season.

Bright White by Bell's Brewing (5.0% alcohol by volume)--The label is quite informative: "A bright alternative to darker beer styles during the cooler months, this stylish and refreshing wheat ale is fermented with Belgian yeast, yielding a mix of clove and fruity aromas without the use of any spices." This beer is a classic cloudy wheat ale with the special something that the Belgian style has. It has a crisp and clean taste and feel, like new-fallen snow that hasn't been shoveled or walked through. The holiday theme is only in its name and the intent to provide a little variety in the bleak mid-winter. I like this beer a lot and hopefully they offer it (maybe under another name) at other times of the year? It could replace Hoegaarden in my book.

Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear Double IPA by Atlas Brew Works (9.4% alcohol by volume)--Other than "Science of GFZPB," the can has no description or explanation of the beer. The name caught my imagination. The web page is more informative: "Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear utilizes luscious citrus aromas created from a blend of Bravo, Mandarina Bavaria, Chinook, Centennial, and Cascade hops. A sturdy malt backbone balances the assertive hop bitterness and heavy citrus hop character, providing an overall flavor reminiscent of orange marmalade. The subtle heat on the finish reminds you that this animal sits at 9.4% ABV. Be careful when you poke the bear." I can't taste the orange marmalade because of the powerful grapefruit overtones. "Overtones" is probably too weak a word to use. If you've read my other beer reviews, you know I don't like IPAs. The "double" doesn't make this IPA any better, and there's nothing really wintery or seasonal other than the name. And the eponymous bear on the label:

Where are the flames?

The Mad Elf by Troegs Independent Brewing (11% alcohol by volume)--The label proclaims, "It's time! The Mad Elf is here with its nuanced blend of sweet and tart cherries, Pennsylvania wildflower honey, chocolate malt and a hint of mischief. Thanks to a spicy Belgian yeast, this ruby red holiday ale finishes with subtle notes of cinnamon, clove, and allspice. It's not the holidays until you've had your first Mad Elf." Another dislike of mine is some of the fruit-flavored beers, especially cherry-flavored Kriek. This is a pleasant change. The cherry flavor is not too strong or sickly-sweet and goes well with the spice blend. It is great as a stand-alone drink or would go well with some dessert. The Mad Elf might even make fruitcake tolerable!

The Trappists have won this year's war with their Spencer Trappist Holiday Ale, though Mad Elf and Bright White are strong contenders.

Movie Review: White Christmas (1954)

White Christmas (1954) directed by Michael Curtiz

After putting on a farewell show for their World War II commander General Thomas Waverly (Dean Jagger), Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) return to America and become a show biz sensation. While in Florida, Phil tries to set up Bob for a date on their last night before returning to New York. Phil wants Bob to settle down because Bob is a workaholic which means that Phil has no free time in his own life. Bob has another plan for their last night. He's received a letter from one of their old army buddies asking Wallace and Davis to go see his sisters perform their act. Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) have a nice act at a club, though their brother has been in Alaska for months, so the letter really came from Judy. Betty confesses to Bob because she feels guilty. Bob tries to brush it off as typical "playing any angle" behavior that is common in show business. She doesn't share his cynicism and they get into an argument. Meanwhile, Phil and Judy hit it off and start scheming to set up Bob and Betty. The local sheriff is after the sisters because their landlord has the old "the-girls-owe-$200-for-a-burned-rug" scheme. Phil is adamant that the sisters shouldn't pay and that the guys should help them out. The sisters are headed to Vermont for their next gig. The guys wind up heading to Vermont for some R&R. The Vermont venue is a ski lodge that is suffering under the lack of snow. The lodge is owned by General Waverly, which inspires Wallace and Davis to help the general out while they try to romance the girls.

The show has about an hour of plot for the hundred and twenty minutes of showtime. The extra is filled in with musical numbers, which are more or less evenly split between song numbers, dance numbers, and song and dance numbers. The music (by Irving Berlin) is great. The dancing is also wonderful, especially by Vera-Ellen who got her start as one of The Rockettes from Radio City Music Hall. The plot works well too, with the romantic entanglements being handled with a light yet still understanding touch. The relationship between the former soldiers also works very well. Kaye and Crosby have good chemistry. Curtiz does a great job putting everything together, another fine accomplishment for the fellow who directed such classics as Casablanca and the Errol Flynn Adventures of Robin Hood. 

The movie has so many fine, joyful qualities. It's not just a Christmas classic, it's also one of the best musicals of all time.

Highly recommended.

Ravens vs. Packers December 2021

As a part of things getting back to normal, I've started volunteering again with my church group that hands out programs at Baltimore Ravens home games. I went this last Sunday when they played against the Green Bay Packers, whose record was 10-3, putting them at the top of the AFC North Division. 

As "stadium staff" I parked at a free lot that's a five-minute bus ride to all the action. Our volunteer group did the usual check in and was assigned to hand out programs at various gates. I was assigned to Gate A, which is the main entrance. Before we started, I had a chance to look in at the field and see players and others warming up.

The stadium before the fans got there

The best volunteer opportunity is working the hospitality tents, which are just outside the stadium. People can pay to have a catered pre-game party. Volunteers check the IDs of people coming in to make sure no one is mooching off someone else's party. The day was pretty cold (low 40s), so maybe that would be a tougher gig. 

Hospitality tents

Gate A

I was happy with my location. Some of the other gates get a lot fewer fans coming in, which can result in a lot of down time. Standing around and waiting for people to come in can get boring. Gate A had a steady flow into the first quarter of the game. The gates are usually shut down by the end of the first quarter. Once the shift was up, the volunteer coordinator gave us complimentary tickets to watch the rest of the game.

My product and my ticket

Before going to my seat, I saw the line at Shake Shack was short. I bought some dinner there--a burger, fries, and a shake (the water was also compliments of the stadium).

Shake Shack meal

The only problem was the shake still being frozen. Nothing came up the straw! I used the straw as a spoon and was able to enjoy it that way. I would have been better off getting a hot chocolate from another vender.

I started my way up to the 500 section and saw a ridiculous line for the men's bathroom!

A line up the stairs!

As I went up, I took a picture of the Baltimore skyline.

Baltimore (and the parking lot)

It took me a while to get to my seat. I realized that I could have done better choosing my ticket from the pile of complimentary ones. My seat was one row below the very top row of the stadium. My view took in the whole field and the rest of the stadium.

View from Section 504, Row 31, Seat 11

The game was almost at half time, with the two teams tied at 14.

The halftime show had two main performances. First was the Drill Team from the United States Air Force. They marched around the field doing formations and tossing their rifles around in amazing synchronization. I didn't bother trying to take a video from my bird's-eye view.

US Air Force Drill Team

The other entertainment was an acapella group called The Trills. The six-person group sang a variety of Christmas tunes to the delight of the audience.  

The Trills

The rest of the game went poorly for the Ravens. Green Bay was able to advance their lead by fourteen points. When the Ravens failed to convert on a fourth down with less than ten minutes to go, I decided (along with a lot of other patrons) to make my way out of the stadium. As I walked to the employee bus, I saw the fireworks go off from the roof. The Ravens had scored! As we rode the bus, we heard the end of the game. The Ravens got the ball back and with less than a minute to go, they scored a touchdown. The coach decided to go for the win with a two-point conversion. They were unable to get the ball in the end zone again, so they lost the game 30-31. People on the bus were upset because the Ravens, though very aggressive, have not done well in the past with the two-point conversion.

It was a fun time anyway.

Book Review: A Joyful Noise by Mike Aquilina

A Joyful Noise: Praying the Psalms with the Early Church by Mike Aquilina

Aquilina changes up his usual devotional format in this book that explores the Psalms through the eyes of the Church Fathers. Each Psalm has a brief introductory comment, the Psalms itself, followed by a callout of a few lines from the Psalm that show a key insight. Then he has a commentary from one or two of the Church Fathers. The end has another callout with questions to reflect on, looking at ways to apply the messages in your own life. The book only covers thirty-five Psalms, to keep it a manageable length (just over 200 pages). The book ends with a bunch of biographies of the cited Church Fathers which have their own charm, life stories ever ancient and ever new.

I like the format Aquilina uses which is more robust than other devotionals. The presentation is a nice way to get more insight into some of the PsalmsIt also inspires the reader to explore the rest of the Psalter and of the Church Fathers too.

Highly recommended.

TV Review: Lost in Space Season 3 (2021)

Lost in Space Season 3 (2021) adapted by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless from the TV series created by Irwin Allen

See my review of Season 2 here.

The Robinson family was separated at the end of the last season when the evil robot SAR and his cohort attacked the colony ship. The colonists sent their children on ahead to Alpha Centauri. The parents managed to fight off the robot invaders but are stuck trying to make repairs before they can follow their children. The robots are still lurking around, so the adults can only use minimal technology lest they be detected by the baddies. They have one good robot, Scarecrow, on their side.

Meanwhile, the children were sidetracked by a distress signal and crashed on a broken planet. The planet has an ever-growing asteroid field around it. The asteroids are chunks of the planet--as they collide with each other, they create more space debris. Eventually, the kids won't be able to escape. This particular planet also happens to be where Judy Robinson's dad (she's adopted) crashed twenty years ago. Judy goes in search of him while the rest of the kids work on fixing their Jupiter 2 spacecraft so they can continue on to Alpha Centauri.

Things get dicey when Scarecrow manages to contact the robot that's with the kids. Scarecrow relays a distress message. The kids have to decide if they want to go and save their parents, even if it might be trap crafted by SAR. For some mysterious reason, SAR wants to kill Will Robinson.

The show rockets on to its conclusion in fine form. This reboot manages to capture the optimism and joy of space travel from the original show while also having some serious drama and some classic commentary about the values of family and self-sacrifice. It's a well-written show with good special effects and fine performances. Some of the problems are a bit contrived but the better parts far outshine the lesser parts.

Recommended.

Currently (December 2021), the show is only available streaming on Netflix.

Historic Annapolis Hike

Inspired by AMC's Best Day Hikes Near Washington, D.C., we went for a historic hike in downtown Annapolis. The city was founded in 1649 and a lot of the buildings from the 1700s are still around. The city is Maryland's capital but it is not a skyscraper-stuffed metropolis. It has a small-town feel, with narrow and occasionally twisting roads and a lot of local businesses.

Our first sight was John Callahan's House. He was registrar for land records on the Chesapeake's western shore during the American Revolution. It seemed like it is still a residence (hopefully not for ghosts!).

Callahan House

Across the street is the location of Mann's Tavern, famous for being where delegates met in 1786 to call for a constitutional convention. With the failings of the Articles of Confederation, a new solution would soon be crafted.

Sadly, no longer a tavern

The town has lots of cool and interesting houses that are not necessarily historic. I took photos of places I thought were picture-worthy, like this narrow house with a lot of windows.

Bay-window house?

Some places are being rebuilt. 

Adding a new interior

I liked the bridge between these two houses. 

Upstairs connection between two houses!

We walked up Duke of Gloucester Street to one of the two main traffic circles in Annapolis. In the middle of this circle is Saint Anne's Church, an Episcopalian church. The congregation dates back to 1704 but the current building is from 1859. It replaced a previous church that had burned down. The church was not open for touring.

St. Anne's Church

The church graveyard

On the way to the other traffic circle, we saw the governor's mansion, called the Government House of Maryland. 

Governor's mansion

The gate marker

At the next traffic circle is Maryland's State House. It has been in use since the late 1700s and is the only state house to serve (briefly) as the United States Capitol.

One side of the State Capitol

State House steps

On our way to the campus of St. John's College we saw this fun shingled house.

Lots of character

St. John's College started out in 1696 as King William's School. It was a prep school that changed into the college in 1784.

At the entrance

The seal of the college

The clearly punny motto is roughly translated as "I make free men out of children by means of books and balance."

The first thing we saw on campus was the Greenfield Library, so they definitely have the book part down.

Greenfield Library

The campus was very quiet, a consequence of visiting over Thanksgiving weekend. We walked by the other famous campus in Annapolis--the Naval Academy.

Naval Academy Chapel dome sticking up

The Hammond-Harwood House was originally built for Matthias Hammond who never lived there. He was a tobacco farmer and stayed close by the farm. At one point, the house was home to the fine arts program of St. John's. Now it is a museum available for touring, though it wasn't open the day we visited.

Hammond-Harwood House

Across the street is the Chase-Lloyd House, which was owned by Samuel Chase, one of the Maryland signers of the Declaration of Independence. It was built in 1774 and has tours and was also closed on that day. Our kids really lucked out in not being dragged through historic houses like we usually do.

Chase-Lloyd House

By this point in the hike we were getting chilly. We searched for a place to get hot chocolate. We settled on Galway Bay Irish Restaurant and Pub, which was ready for some Christmas celebrating.

Galway Bay Pub

Fun pub sign

After warming up with some hot beverages and some yummy snacks, we headed back to the car. On the way, we saw the Capitol's dome.

State House again!

One street had "over the street" Christmas lights out. Since it was daytime, it's not as impressive as it could be.

Christmas lights!

My eldest son noticed that the street signs have the dates when the streets were first established, sometimes even the original names. 

How old is your street?

It was a fun visit. Maybe we'll go back to see the historic houses from the inside!