Felix Play / Joue
There’s something fishy here…
Video
Cat-urday’s video [002.020.361]
Wrapped Gift
Last Friday I notice in the afternoon that someone had left a wrapped dead mouse on the top of the backyard stairs. I thought it was a subtle message from one of my beloved neighbours and I lamented against those crazy people who cannot even afford a dead horse’s head. I decided to check the Nest camera in order to identify the culprit. To my great surprise, I discovered that the deed was done at 2PM sharp by none other than Felix — the alley cat that I took in the garage for the winter and that I let out a couple of hours every day when he gets too antsy. It seems that he had found one of those glue traps with a dead mouse on it (apparently some paper towel flew in the wind and got stuck on it too) and decided it would make a perfect gift for us !
It is not the first time that a cat brings us a dead mouse. I guess that this behaviour goes back to the time when humans first started to interact with cats in the Neolithic. They were never really domesticated, but probably slowly became tame by contact with humans through a commensal relationship (a form of symbiosis). With the agricultural revolution, mass producing food meant that human had to create food storage (primarily granary) that inevitably attracted vermine (mostly rats and mice). The presence of vermine in turn attracted small predators like cats who started hanging around human settlements. Humans probably started to “reward” the cats (with food and confort) for getting rid of the vermine and with time this synanthropic relation became mutualistic and the behaviour became instinctive. The cat, in order to prove that he is earning his keep, brings the dead prey as proof, hence the “gift” — which is rarely wrapped.
[ Traduire ]Ma monture (suite)
Après vous avoir longuement entretenu de ma nouvelle monture (un scooter électrique “Écolo” de GreenPower avec batterie au lithium), je vais vous parler de quelques nouveaux accessoires…
En plus de l’obligatoire casque et câble de verrouillage que j’ai déjà mentionné, je me suis procuré un pantalon de pluie imperméable (sur-vêtement) ainsi qu’un couvre sacs à dos imperméables en nylon pour pouvoir conduire le scooter dans tous le genre d’intempéries que l’automne pourra nous apporter.
Malheureusement, mon projet d’installer un porte-bagage arrière de chez Dyad ($40) a échoué. Il semble qu’il y ait après tout de légères différences entre les châssis des DS1 et de l’Écolo; les fixations de côtés sont trop serrées et je n’ai pas pu l’installer. Je suis donc retourné chez Dyad mais ils n’ont pas les outils nécessaires pour l’ajuster en place et ils m’ont donc remboursé. Aucunes des boutiques locales n’offre de porte-bagage pour l’Écolo mais je trouverai bien une solution éventuellement (soit obtenir de bon outils pour écarter légèrement les fixations pour pouvoir mettre le porte-bagage de Dyad en place adéquatement ou contacter le fabricant chinois pour voir s’il offre des accessoires pour ce modèle).
J’ai également acheté chez Dyad un sac en vinyl noir ($90) qui s’installe entre les jambes (dommage que Dyad ne présente pas sur leur site les accessoires disponibles; il faut se rendre à l’un des magasins pour savoir. Je n’ai rien vu de similaire ailleurs). Il remplit parfaitement l’espace mais les courroies pour l’attacher à l’arbre de direction (à l’avant) et au soutien du siège (à l’arrière) étaient un peu lousse alors je les ai “twisté” pour les resserrer. J’ai également fait de légères perforations dans le bas du sac pour y passer des attaches (“tie-wrap”) afin de maintenir le sac en place et aussi le sécuriser contre d’éventuelle tentatives de vol. J’en suis très satisfait.
J’ai trouvé un manuel en ligne pour le DS1 de Dyad mais malheureusement toujours aucun pour l’Écolo…
Finalement, j’ai aussi acheté une fixation pour iPhone Quad Lock ($120) qui s’installe sur le guidon du scooter. Le téléphone s’insère dans l’étui Quad Lock dont le système d’attache se verrouille solidement sur la fixation. Il y a même une couverture anti-intempérie qui s’ajuste sur le iPhone. C’est un accessoire très pratique. Cela permet de voir l’affichage de la navigation GPS pendant que l’on roule mais aussi de faire des vidéos de nos trajets ! En voici d’ailleurs un exemple (j’ai fait un tour rapide du parc mais comme je ne voulais pas vous embêter avec un vidéo de quinze minute j’en ai accéléré la vitesse (x8) pour le réduire à seulement deux minutes — warp speed !) :
Vendredi nature [002.020.234]
Falco columbarius
[iPhone 11 Pro, Parc Frédéric-Back, 2020/08/20 ]
Hier après-midi (un peu après 16h40), alors que nous prenions notre marche de santé dans le Parc Frédéric-Back, nous avons pu observer un spécimen de Faucon émerillon (Merlin en anglais) qui mangeait une proie fraîche. Il a d’abord fait un vol en rase motte, puis s’est installé sur le dessus d’un lampadaire pour une ou deux minutes avant de voler vers une grosse branche où il s’est finalement installé pour manger sa proie (probablement un petit rongeur ou un oiseau).
Au début, je n’étais pas sûr de quel genre d’oiseau de proie il s’agissait. Il était définitivement plus petit que celui que j’ai observé il y a quelques semaines (probablement un faucon pèlerin [Peregrine falcon en anglais ou Falco peregrinus en latin]). En cherchant dans mon application iBird Canada pour un falconiformes d’une dizaine de pouces de haut qui fréquente notre région je n’ai obtenu que trois résultats (Falco sparverius [trop petit], Accipiter striatus [trop grand et à la poitrine plus foncé] et Falco columbarius qui correspondait le mieux au spécimen observé).
Ce n’est pas la première fois que j’observe un Faucon émerillon près de chez moi. Il s’agit d’une espèce d’oiseau de l’ordre des Falconiformes, de la famille des Falconidae et du genre Falco (qui regroupe les petits rapaces diurnes). C’est toujours une joie d’observer une telle créature en milieu urbain.
[ Translate ]
Écolo Lithium (Green Power HQ)
Une nouvelle monture
Après le début du déconfinement, lorsque j’ai été rappelé au travail, je n’étais pas très à l’aise avec l’idée de devoir prendre l’autobus et le métro. Heureusement mon travail se trouvait à distance de marche ou de vélo. Toutefois je me suis vite rendu compte qu’à mon âge, en pleine canicule, le vélo (et parfois même la marche) c’est plutôt épuisant. C’est alors que je me suis rappelé avoir déjà voulu acquérir un vélo ou une mobylette électrique juste pour le plaisir. Mais c’est tout de même dispendieux et le plaisir seul n’en justifiait pas la dépense. Par contre, dans les circonstances, c’était devenu presqu’une nécessité.
Le DS1 de Dyad
J’ai donc loué une mobylette électrique pour une semaine (chez Dyad) pour voir si cela en valait la peine, si c’était difficile à conduire et, surtout, si j’aimais ça. J’ai adoré! Après avoir soigneusement étudié les modèles disponibles j’avais choisi de louer un DS1 de Dyad car ils offraient de déduire le coût de location de celui de l’achat si j’étais satisfait et désirais acheter la mobylette chez eux. Le problème c’est qu’après ma semaine de location il ne leur restait plus aucun modèle pour la vente et ils ne prévoyaient pas en recommander cette année! J’ai donc commencé à magasiner ailleurs et à considérer tout les modèles possibles: des modèles similaires au DS1 de Dyad (l’Écolo, le Passeport), des vélos électriques (comme le Banana Boss, le Rad Runner 1, le Maxie Large, ou même le Paris), de plus grosses mobylettes style Vespa (Tao Aquarius, Vienna, Gio Italia, Mignon, UQi Pro, etc.), mais plus personnes n’avait quoique ce soit en stock ! Il faut croire que tout le monde avait eut la même idée que moi en même temps!
J’ai agonisé de longues semaines en soupesant toutes les options possibles mais c’était toujours trop gros, trop cher, pas de siège confortable, pas de place pour un second passager, la boutique est située trop loin, etc., et les fournisseurs me disaient tous qu’ils n’aurait du stock que vers la fin juillet au mieux ou encore à l’automne.
L’Écolo
J’ai finalement trouvé une boutique (Kolo Scooter) localisée à proximité (dans Hochelaga) qui semblait donner un service de qualité (4.9/5 sur Google), offrait un modèle de mobylette qui correspondait à toutes mes attentes et qui devait en recevoir à la fin juillet. Il ne me restait plus qu’à m’armer de patience… J’ai pu enfin prendre possession de mon scooter de marque Green Power HQ, modèle Écolo version lithium, vendredi le trente-et-un juillet. J’en suis bien satisfait. Voici donc ce que j’en pense en détails… (après le saut de page)
Video du chat-medi [002.020.214]
Fish Play
[ iPhone 11 Pro, Caramel, [Saya] & Cendrine, 2020/07/25 ]
J’emmerde Facebook
Le 20 juin j’ai republié un message d’Animeland qui annonçait la bande-annonce d’un film d’animation adaptant un excellent manga d’un de mes auteurs préférés, Jiro Taniguchi. Le 26 juin j’ai reçu un message de Facebook qui disait “Your post goes against our Community Standards [on SPAM] so only you can see it.” J’ai donc contesté la décision et FB a fermé le dossier mais j’ignore toujours si mon billet original est toujours visible… alors je l’ai re-publié (mais il ne semble toujours pas visible!)…
La bande-annonce en question (sur Vimeo)
Je suis outragé! Facebook trouve correct que Trump mente sur leur page, que Trump fasse de la désinformation et de la propagande haineuse, que Trump incite à la violence [WaPo • NYT] mais je republie simplement un post qui parle d’une animation basé sur un beau manga de mon auteur préféré et c’est du SPAM ???? F**k you FB, je commence sérieusement à penser à te laisser tomber !
Ne vous gênez pas pour commenter et laisser FB savoir quelle petite merde ils sont!
* * *
F**k Facebook !
On June 20 I republished a message from Animeland announcing the trailer for an animated film adapting an excellent manga from one of my favorite authors, Jiro Taniguchi [same news on Anime News Network]. On June 26 I received a message from Facebook saying “Your post goes against our Community Standards [on SPAM] so only you can see it.” So I contested the decision and FB closed the file but I still don’t know if my original post is still visible … So I re-posted it (but I’m still not sure it is visible…) !
I am outraged ! Facebook finds it okay that Trump lies on their page, that Trump does disinformation and propaganda, that Trump uses hate-speech and incites to violence [WaPo • NYT] but when I simply republish a post that talks about an animation based on a beautiful manga by my favorite author it is SPAM ???? F ** k you FB, I’m seriously starting to think about dumping you !
Please feel free to comment and tell FB how shitty they are !
Entrevue capsule: Yves Meynard
Voici la dernière des trois entrevues-capsules que j’ai réalisé avec des auteurs de SFFQ au Salon du Livre de Montréal en novembre 2019. (J’espérais en faire plus à Boréal mais la convention a été reporté due à la COVID-19; je me reprendrai peut-être au prochain Salon du Livre de Montréal, si il a lieu…). Je suis désolé que cela m’est pris si longtemps avant de mettre cette entrevue en ligne…
Les entrevues-capsules sont de mini-entrevues avec des auteurs (surtout de science-fiction) de chez nous. Le principe de ces entrevue est de s’en tenir à deux ou trois questions de base (qui êtes-vous, que faites-vous, etc.) et que l’entrevue ne dure pas plus que deux à cinq minutes. Cela doit être compacte et bien se digérer!
Yves Meynard est maintenant un vétéran de la SFFQ. Il est un auteur versatile car il écrit tant en français qu’en anglais, et est à l’aise dans plusieurs genres littéraires dont la science-fiction et la fantasy. Il a été membre de la rédaction de Samizdat et Solaris, dont il a été directeur littéraire de 1994 à 2002. Il a été co-anthologiste pour Sous des soleils étrangers, Orbite d’approche, Tesseracts 5 et Escales sur Solaris. Il commence à écrire en 1986 et, depuis lors, a publié plus de cinquante nouvelles, dix-neuf livres en français (dont neuf romans pour la jeunesse) et deux romans en anglais (The Book of Knights et Chrysanthe). Il est également lauréat de nombreux prix littéraires. (Sources: Alire, Biblio, DALIAF, Goodreads, Page officielle, Wikipedia).
( voir la version 4K de la vidéo disponible sur Vimeo )
Autres entrevues-capsules disponibles: Catherine Sylvestre / Francine Pelletier, Sébastien Chartrand et Jonathan Reynolds.
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30 seconds relaxation
Snail in the rain
Escargot sous la pluie
[ iPhone 11 Pro, Parc Frédéric-Back, 2020/05/03 ]
4K video available on / disponible sur Vimeo
Vendredi nature [002.020.122]
Thamnophis sauritus
J’adore me promener dans le Parc Frédéric-Back car tous les jours on y découvre différents aspects de la nature, surtout au printemps. Samedi dernier, j’y ai vu plus d’une dizaines d’espèces d’oiseaux différentes en moins d’une heure. Mardi, j’y ai vu trois marmottes (il semble qu’il y ait un terrier de marmottes à peu près tout les soixante-quinze pieds dans la butte qui longe le sentier polyvalent). Aujourd’hui, j’y ai vu un couple de cardinals. Toutefois, une grande rareté, mercredi j’y ai vu une… couleuvre !
[ iPhone 11 Pro, Parc Frédéric-Back, 2020/04/29 ]
Il s’agit probablement d’une jeune couleuvre mince (Thamnophis sauritus / ribbon snake en anglais) ou possiblement d’une jeune couleuvre rayée (Thamnophis sirtalis / simplement “common garter snake” en anglais). Elle était encore assez petite (une trentaine de centimètres). Je me souviens que dans ma jeunesse on en trouvait beaucoup dans notre cour ou dans les champs mais l’utilisation de pesticides et la disparition de leur habitat les a rendu beaucoup plus rare. La couleuvre (Garter snake en anglais) est une espèce de serpents, un sous-ordre de l’ordre des Squamata, de la classe des reptilia. Elle appartient à la famille des Natricidae et au genre des Thamnophis (qui regroupe une trentaine d’espèces de serpents de plus petites tailles et généralement non-venimeuses). (Source: Wikipedia)
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Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran
“A Paris, dans les années soixante, Momo, un garçon de treize ans, se retrouve livré à lui-même. Il a un seul ami, Monsieur Ibrahim, l’épicier arabe et philosophe de la rue Bleue. Celui-ci va lui faire découvrir la vie, les femmes, l’amour et quelques grands principes.”
[Texte de la jaquette du DVD]
(Attention, lire l’avertissement de possible divulgacheurs)
Monsieur Ibrahim est un vieux film de 2003 réalisé par François Dupeyron, avec Omar Sharif et basé sur un roman de Éric-Émmanuel Schmitt. C’est une histoire simple et méditative où un jeune adolescent juif (joué par Pierre Boulanger), un peu laissé à lui-même par un père dépressif, découvre la vie et prend un peu de maturité grâce au soutien de l’épicier d’en face d’origine turque. Étrangement cela me rappel un peu la BD Le chat du rabbin de Joann Sfar.
L’histoire, d’abord écrite pour le théâtre, est inspirée de l’enfance à Paris de Bruno Abraham Kremer (et sa relation avec son grand-père), un ami de Éric-Émmanuel Schmitt. On y retrouve aussi plusieurs similitudes avec le roman “La Vie devant soi“ de Romain Gary. Schmitt en a réécrit l’histoire en 2001 sous forme d’un court roman qui constitue la deuxième partie de son “Cycle de l’Invisible” où il consacre chacun des huit romans à une croyance différente. Ainsi Schmitt nous fait un peu découvrir le soufisme au travers du personnage d’Ibrahim. L’existence transcende les religions et il faut vivre en se foutant un peu des règles mais tout en restant fidèle à soi-même.
C’est un film lent et un peu morne — mais plutôt beau — et qui montre malheureusement son âge par la qualité de l’image très moyenne (la version que j’ai vu sur TFO n’était pas restaurée). C’est toutefois un film qui a été apprécié du public (coté 7.3 sur IMDb et 85% / 86% sur Rotten Tomatoes) et qui vaut la peine d’être vu surtout pour la prestation d’Omar Sharif. 
Vous trouverez plus d’information sur les sites suivants:
Vous pouvez aussi regarder la bande-annonce sur Youtube:
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Vendredi nature [002.020.101]
Ménage du printemps ?
[ iPhone 11 Pro, Parc Frédéric-Back, 2020/04/03 ]
Ce clip de cinq secondes nous montre une marmotte (Marmota monax / groundhog) ramassant des feuilles mortes pour les amener dans son terrier, sans doute pour rafraîchir son nid. Un ménage du printemps en quelque sorte ! À moins, bien sûr, que ce soit pour se faire une réserve de nourriture (ou de papier de toilette?!). Dans tous les cas, cela me semble un terrier bien confortable pour ce confinement printanier — ce qui n’est pas un problème pour cette espèce (du genre Marmota, de la famille des Sciuridae et de l’ordre Rodentia) puisqu’elle est plutôt solitaire… [Translate]
Alpha
“Alpha is an epic adventure set in the last Ice Age. While on his first hunt with his tribe’s most elite group, a young man is injured and left for dead. Awakening to find himself broken and alone, he must learn to survive and navigate the harsh and unforgiving wilderness. Reluctantly taming a lone wolf abandoned by its pack, the pair learns to rely on each other and become unlikely allies, enduring countless dangers and overwhelming odds in order to find their way home before the deadly winter arrives.” [Promotional text]
>> Please, read the warning for possible spoilers <<
This is an interesting action movie which is not only entertaining but can also be educational. Through its storytelling it tries to teach us two concepts: first, how our distant ancestors were living and also how the domestication of the wolf might have happened. It is a nice movie with a beautiful photography (and lots of CGI!) and a very simple story: boy gets hurt and left for dead, boy make friend with a companion of misfortune, and boy tries to survive and come back home. Unfortunately some scenes lack realism and are rather unbelievable.
The movie did well at the box-office (doubling the production cost) and was relatively well received by the critics (with ratings of 6.7 on IMDb and of 80% / 71% on Rotten Tomatoes). It was slightly less appreciated by the audience and what might have hurt it was probably that the viewers had to suffer not only through the “fake” language spoken by the protagonist and his family (we have no idea what kind of language those people were really using) but also the necessary subtitles (the American audience tends to dislike having to “read” a movie).
The people portrayed in this movie are “the solutreans” (which was originally supposed to be the title of the movie). They were early modern humans (Homo sapiens also called “Cro-Magnon”) living in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic (c. 20,000 years ago) and using a sophisticated flint tool-making “industry”. The movie certainly took some artistic license but it looks rather accurate to me.
The movie is quite loveable and entertaining but, personally, it is above all this effort to depict a prehistoric culture that made it interesting. It is worth seeing, mostly for dog lovers and if you are curious about the solutreans.
To learn more about this title you can consult the following web sites:
Also, you can check the official trailer on Youtube:
[ Traduire ]
Anime & manga news
Self-isolating has given me more time to pay attention to what’s happening in the anime and manga world. Therefore, here are a few news that I have noticed recently and that might interest you (if you are a fan):
Kodansha and Production I.G. have announced a new Stand Alone Complex anime series titled Ghost in the shell: Stand Alone Complex_2045. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki, the series will have two 12-episode seasons (each director overseeing one season) starting on Netflix worldwide on April 23. The anime will be a 3D CG animation and the character designs are by Russian illustrator Ilya Kushinov. (Source: ANN’s “Ghost in the Shell- SAC_2045 Anime Reveals Trailer, New Cast, April 23 Debut“).
There will be another Gundam movie titled Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway (Kidō Senshi Gundam: Senkō no Hathaway). Due to open in Japanese theatres on July 23rd, the movie is based on a novel series by Yoshiyuki Tomino. It deals with the aftermath of Char’s Counterattack‘s climatic finale and is centred around Hathaway Noa, the son of captain Bright Noa. The project is directed by Shukou Murase, with a script by Yasuyuki Mutou, character designs by Pablo Uchida, Naoyuki Onda, and Shigeki Kuhara, and mechanical designs by Hajime Katoki, Kimitoshi Yamane, Seiichi Nakatani, and Nobuhiko Genba. (Source: ANN’s “Gundam- Hathaway Anime Film Teased With New Visual”).
Surprisingly, I discovered that 70 year-old mangaka Moto Hagio is still quite active. The fourth arc of her series Poe no Ichizoku (The Poe Clan), Himitsu no Hanazono (The Secret Garden), was put on hiatus last May but will resume in the August issue of Shogakukan‘s Monthly Flowers magazine on June 27. The original story, Poe no Ichizoku was first published in Japan in 1972–1976, with a sequel, Poe no Ichizoku: Haru no Yume, published in 2016–2017 and a third arc, Poe no Ichizoku: Unicorn, was published in 2018–2019. Fantagraphics Books (which has already released several of her titles: The Heart of Thomas (1973–1975), Otherworld Barbara (2002–2005), A Drunken Dream and Other Stories (2010)) is releasing the manga in English as a two-volume omnibus. (Source: ANN’s “Moto Hagio’s Latest The Poe Clan Manga Resumes in June”).
NHK announced that it is producing a live-action series adaptation of Jiro Taniguchi‘s The Walking Man (Aruku Hito) manga to premiere on NHK BS4K channel on April 5, with new episodes coming on the first Sunday of every month. The unnamed protagonist will be played by actor Arata Iura. (Source: ANN’s “Jiro Taniguchi’s The Walking Man Manga Gets Live-Action Series”).
My friend Frederik L. Schodt has been interviewed by the Cartoonist Kayfabe (Ed Piskor & Jim Rugg). It is available on their Youtube channel: “Frederik L. Schodt, The Man Who Introduced Manga To America, Shoot Interview!”. Have a look:
If you are bored because of self-isolation you can now watch lots of classic anime on this new streaming service called RetroCrush ! A parent to AsianCrush, this video-on-demand service is free (but ad-supported) and is available only through apps (on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and smart TVs).(Source: ANN’s “Digital Media Rights’ RetroCrush Anime Streaming Service Launches With Classic Anime Titles”).
Here is the list of titles available so far (either Sub and/or Dub): 8 Man After, A Wind Named Amnesia, A.D. Police, Adieu Galaxy Express, Angel Cop, Area 88, Black Jack, Blue Seed, Blue Submarine No 6, Bubblegum Crash!, Bubblegum Crisis, Card Captor Sakura, Ceres Celestial Legend, Chargeman Ken!, Cosmos Warrior Zero, Creamy Mami, Cromartie High School, CyBuster, DNA2, Dagger of Kamui, Dallos, DearS, Demon City Shinjuku, Demon Lord Dante, Devil Lady, DieBuster, Eat-Man, Eat-Man ’98, Fighting Foodons, Flame of Recca, Fuse: Memoirs of the Hunter Girl, Fushigi Yuugi, Gakuen Heaven, Galaxy Express, Giant Gorg, GoShogun, GodMars, Goku Midnight Eye, Gokudo, Golko 13: The Professional, GTO, Hells, Iria: Zeiram The Bounty Hunter, Jin-Roh, Jungle Emperor Leo, Kaiba, Key: The Metal Idol, Kyousougiga, Library War, Like the Clouds Like the Wind, Lily CAT, Mononoke, Nagasarete Airanto, Night on the Galactic Railroad, Otaku no Video, Pilot Candidate, Pop Team Epic, The Princess and the Pilot, Project A-ko, Riding Bean, Robot Carnival, Samurai Pizza Cats, Samurai Troopers, Sea Prince and Fire Child, Shining Tears x Wind, Space Adventure Cobra, Space Warrior Baldios, Street Fighter II, Tenjho Tenge, Thermae Romae, Toriko: Special Recipe of Gourmet God, Twelve Kingdoms, Twilight of the Cockroaches, Ultra Maniac, Urusei Yatsura Beautiful Dreamer, Vampire Princess Miyu, Virtua Fighter, Wicked City, Zombie Loan.
And here are a few more news:
- New Gundam Video Debuts by Life-Size Unicorn Gundam Statue (ANN)
- Kodansha USA Announces Codename: Sailor V Eternal Edition, Ghost in the Shell: The Human Algorithm, Orient, More Manga for Print (ANN)
- Mari Yamazaki: Olympia Kyklos Clay Anime Premieres on April 20 (ANN)
- Live-Action Yowamushi Pedal Film Unveils Teaser, New Visual (ANN)
- Weathering With You Wins Japan Academy Prizes’ Animation Award (ANN)
- Mamoru Oshii’s Vladlove Anime Unveils Key Visual, Character Visuals (ANN)
- Netflix Partners With CLAMP & Kindaichi, Gundam Thunderbolt, Goth, Mardock Scramble, Thermae Romae Creators for New Anime (ANN / Animeland)
- Alita: Battle Angel Fans Fly Airplane Banner Over Oscars Requesting Sequel (ANN / Animeland)
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GITS SAC: Solid State Society
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C.—Solid State Society is the third movie since 1995’s Ghost in the Shell anime adaptation. This feature-length TV movie was broadcast on Skyperfect! in September 2006 and released on DVD by Bandai Visual in November of the same year. Fantasia 2007 treated the fans by screening this excellent cyberpunk anime on the big screen! Directed by Production I.G.’s Kenji Kamiyama, fans can enjoy yet another high-tech sci-fi story, which is set in 2034, Tokyo. The timeline is two years after the last TV series (2nd GIG), as Japan is still dealing with the Asian refugee problems.
Major Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9 — Japan’s elite anti-terrorist unit — and was missing for over two years. She left because she felt that by acting alone she could investigate more discreetly (using multiple cyber bodies), more freely (without the irritating political oversight) and therefore more efficiently. For Batou, the absence of Motoko leaves his work meaningless and he picks & chooses the case he’s working on, taking assignments only when he thinks it might bring him closer to her. With the Major’s departure and Batou refusing assignments, Togusa was forced to become the leader of the team as her successor. Togusa is, as usual, a man of justice. Married and having two children, he’s different from the other team members who are all single — including the aging Chief Aramaki who has been struggling to deal with the fact that Section 9 has to move on without the Major. Other members such as Saito and Ishikawa keep their positions as network expert or sniper. All Section 9’s characters are extremely honest and act with a sense of justice and responsibility. They’re all faithful to their convictions as they were in the TV series.
Section 9 hired 20 rookies, and their latest mission is to solve a case involving politically charged hostages. Somehow, one of the terrorist suspects committed suicide on the spot, leaving a strange message: “The Puppeteer is coming”. At the same time, many other mysterious cases keep taking place, including one where a huge amount of abused children seem to have been kidnapped by an organization of ultranationalist retirees. What links all those cases together? It seems to be the work of a super-intelligent hacker who has been manipulating all this, but to do what exactly, no one knows…
This movie is first class entertainment. Like the previous movies, it offers great music and superb animation. It has all the complex socio-political background of the previous TV series and maintains the series’ trademark cyberpunk feeling, but Director Kamiyama injected the storyline with so many themes — such as mass suicide, terrorism, biochemical weapons, kidnapping, old folks’ problems and child abuse — and subplots that the story gets confusing. It’s not easy to follow what’s happening in this extremely intricate movie. After the screening I was not quite sure of what I had just watched and who the Puppeteer really was! It’s one of those cases where you really need to purchase the DVD and watch the key scenes several time in order to be able to really enjoy the complexity of the movie.
In my humble opinion, I think that Director Kamiyama should have simplified and streamlined the storyline, maybe sticking with Togusa’s plot-line. I bet the viewers could have felt more empathy towards the movie if it was a little less complex. The animation itself has an overwhelming beauty, but, using all the great animation technology and talent of Production I.G., I think Director Kamiyama could have created a masterpiece, if he had just come up with a more coherent story. In the end, the true identity of the Puppeteer is still not very clear — but maybe Director Kamiyama kept it mysterious on purpose?
—miyako
Kôkaku Kidôtai: Stand Alone Complex — Solid State Society. Japan, 2006, 109 min.; Dir.: Kenji Kamiyama; Scr.: Kenji Kamiyama, Shôtaro Suga, Yoshiki Sakurai; Phot.: Kôji Tanaka; Ed.: Junichi Uematsu; Art Dir.: Yusuke Takeda; Char. Des.: Hajime Shimomura, Takayuki Goto, Tetsuya Nishio; Mechan. Des.: Kenji Teraoka, Shinobu Tsuneki; Mus.: Yoko Kanno; Prod.: Production I.G.; Distr.: Bandai, Manga Entertainment; Cast: Atsuko Tanaka (Motoko Kusanagi), Akio Ohtsuka (Batou), Kouichi Yamadera (Togusa), Kazuya Tatekabe (Col. Tonoda), Masuo Amada (Col. Ka Gae-Ru), Osamu Saka (Daisuke Aramaki), Takashi Onozuka (Pazu), Tarô Yamaguchi (Boma), Toru Ohkawa (Saito), Yutaka Nakano (Ishikawa), Yuya Uchida (Takaaki Koshiki), Dai Sugiyama (Proto), Nana Yamauchi (Togusa’s daughter), Yoshiko Sakakibara (Prime Minister Kayabuki). Available on R2 Dvd in Japan (BCBA-2606, 109 min., ¥9800) and on R1 Dvd in North America (Bandai/Manga Entertainment, #25176, Bilingual Dvd, 109 min., $19.98 US [Limited edition: $39.98 US], rated 13+).
• • •
In 2034, two years after the departure of Major Motoko Kusanagi (after the events of the TV series, Stand Alone Complex, which starts in 2030 and before the second movie, Innocence, set in 2032), Togusa is now in charge of Section 9, which has been expanded with the addition of several new recruits. Batou, frustrated to have been left behind by the Major, is still looking for her and therefore picks & chooses only the cases that seem related to his quest. A string of strange incidents — starting with a series of suicides, followed by the kidnapping of many children, and an economical conspiracy plotted by a group of old ultra-nationalists — seem to lead to a mysterious super-hacker nicknamed the “puppeteer.” The Major is carrying her own parallel investigation — which leads Batou to suspect her of being the puppeteer. In the end, the real identity of the perpetrator is the most surprising revelation of all.
This movie is directed by Kenji Kamiyama, the same person who directed the Stand Alone Complex TV series. It is therefore not surprising to find here the same excellent quality of production, as much in the design as in the animation. However, if the director succeeded to masterfully tie up all the elements of the story in the TV series, he seems to have difficulty to do the same in a movie format. Solid State Society feels like a long TV episode where he tries to compress the storyline of an entire series. There are too many sub-plots and the different elements of the story are mixed together in such a complex way that it sometimes lacks coherence and the viewers get confused (it took me at least two viewings to understand the complexity of the plot and even then I am not sure I understood everything correctly).
The timeline of the various series and movies seems confusing as well. The first movie is supposed to be set in 2029, while Solid State Society is set in 2034. It is not clear exactly when Major Kusanagi left Section 9. Also, they should have encountered the Puppet Master / Puppeteer before (in the first movie), but no mention is made of a prior encounter as if the first movie never happened. In fact, it feels like Solid State Society is a retelling of the encounter between the Major and the Puppeteer.
Despite the complex socio-political themes and the beautiful animation, Solid State Society does not have the same depth than the previous movies (directed by Mamoru Oshii) and it certainly doesn’t have the same contemplative beauty. It is a very nice movie, but it is much more demanding to the viewers than the TV series and even the previous movies — which you all need to have seen to really appreciate and understand this movie — so I would recommend it mainly to the die-hard Ghost In The Shell fans. Nevertheless, Solid State Society (and GITS in general) is the epitome of intelligent 
cyberpunk anime (a genre that, unfortunately, we don’t see often). Finally, I must add that the Limited Steelbook case edition (which contains three discs: one disc with the main feature, one disc full of extras, and the Solid State Society soundtrack CD) is totally awesome.
—clodjee
Bandai / Manga Entertainment, #25176 (ISBN 978-1-59409-831-4), Bilingual Dvd, 109 min., $19.98 US (Limited Edition: $39.98 US), rated 13+ (Violence). See back cover.
You can also check the trailer from Youtube:
For more information you can consult the following web sites:
[ Amazon • ANN • Biblio • Google • IMDb • Production I.G. • Wikipedia ]
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex—Solid State Society ©2006-2007 Shirow Masamune • Production I.G. / Kodansha.
Those articles were first published respectively in PA #94: 76 (November-December 2007) and PA #93: 83 (September-October 2007).
Please also check the following Ghost in the shell articles:
- Ghost In The Shell (manga)
- The Ghost in the Shell 1.5: [Human Error Processer]
- Ghost in the Shell (live-action movie)
- Ghost in the shell: Stand Alone Complex (manga)
- Ghost in the shell: Stand Alone Complex (anime)
- GITS: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
- GITS: Stand Alone Complex Official Log, Vol. 1
[ Traduire ]
GITS: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
Anime Story
2004 was a great year for theatrical anime releases in Japan. It brought us Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle, Katsuhiro Otomo’s Steamboy and, of course, Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence. However, most of the Japanese anime industry’s production, and what really sustains it, remains the television series, like Gundam Seed, Fullmetal Alchemist, and yes, Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was a big hit in 2003 and Japanese DVD sales did great, so the creative team at Production I.G. decided to bring out a second season (titled “2nd Gig”). Now fans can look forward to another 26 episodes of cyber-political intrigue and action.
I can easily imagine that director Kenji Kamiyama was under a great deal of stress, with his work being compared with Mamoru Oshii’s Innocence, and to meet the fans’ expectations after the first season! Despite the high stakes, the young director was up to the task and I think he did a marvellous job. The “2nd Gig” is even better and more intriguing than the first season. He succeeded totally in creating his own world, telling the story in his own personal style, and we don’t even feel the need to compare his series with Oshii’s movie. Each has its own merit.
Kamiyama not only respected Masamune Shirow’s original manga, but he gave it life by detailing, even more so than Oshii’s movies did, its near-futuristic setting defined by the interaction of humanity and technology in a complex Asian geo-political environment. His strong, captivating storytelling is very well supported by the superb animation, the beautiful and elaborate artwork and an enchanting soundtrack. It is so great to see that there is such a great new talent in Japan, able to create a serious and intelligent story that can both entertain our senses and stimulate our mind. It is not surprising that both seasons of the TV series have received a great deal of acclaim, not only from anime fans, but also from those who seek serious science fiction shows.
As the “2nd Gig” starts, Section 9, which had been dissolved at the end of the 1st season, is resuming its job as an anti-cyberterrorist mobile unit. Although the team has returned, their work isn’t easy, and many difficulties lie ahead of them. The Japanese political landscape is changing and the government is keeping a close eye on their special police. The “Laughing Man” case might be solved, but it doesn’t take long for another terrorist organization, “The Individual Eleven,” to show up. Who are they? Are they the result of another “Stand Alone Complex”? They seem to be stirring up an uprising against the Asian immigrants and refugees. Could it be that simple? But some other politically-motivated forces seem to be at work. Can Major Motoko Kusanagi and her team unravel the complex overlapping political plots before they affect the nature of the government?
Technology might be omnipresent in Stand Alone Complex, but it is not overwhelming. In the “2nd Gig,” Director Kamiyama and Production I.G. keep an even greater focus on the human side of the story by exploring the characters’ hearts and emotions — even in the case of some of the terrorists. Each key member of Section 9 has a dedicated episode where we learn more about their past and personality. It is not done simply to paint a richer background; every single bit of information has its meaning. They also give a more humane face to the government (more likeable than the usual fat, corrupt, old minister) with the new Japanese prime minister, a young, good-looking lady who embodies the beauties (and sometime ineptitudes) of democracy. In contrast, there is the ugly face of Gohda, a shady character who embodies the threat of militarism. Also, the intelligent Tachikoma robots (their name means “standing, spinning top”) are back with a new, expanded sidekick role (definitely inspired by Motoko’s cute “helper” programs in the Man-Machine Interface manga). With their cute voices and comical comments, they give a human feel to the technology.
The terrorism and the Asian refugees’ problems seem to be an allusion to the Palestinian question and to some conspiracy theories that surfaced after 9/11 in Europe and in Japan (such as, American right wing groups being behind 9/11 in order to justify military action abroad and domestically limit civil liberties). But it is only used to emphasize the fact that, even in the future, terrorism — the favorite style of warfare of the 21st Century — is still omnipresent and we still haven’t found a way to deal with it. Despite all the advanced technology, humanity is still facing tremendous problems (war, pollution, corruption, poverty, overpopulation, crime). Nothing changes, and even the future’s future is still uncertain. Is there a solution to the crisis? Is there a possibility for us humans to be saved? The answer in “2nd Gig” might be in the origami cranes that appear in some episodes and that symbolize the prayers for peace and salvation. All we can do is, like Section 9, act with courage and determination (even if it means going against the rules sometimes), pray and hope for the best!
In conclusion, “2nd GIG” is even better than the first season. While still very political, dealing with terrorism and immigration problems, it also elaborates on more of the personal history of each of the main characters, including Major Kusanagi. The cyberpunk political intrigue is at moments a little complex, but it is the most intelligent anime series I have ever seen and it is superbly animated. It’s not all action, there’s also drama — and I did cry a few times. A real masterpiece! Of course, such an exceptionally excellent anime series cannot be seen only on TV. 
You have to purchase the DVD to watch it over and over again, to enjoy all the minute details of this superb animation and share the experience with your friends! And if after that you want more, the series was followed by a movie: Solid State Society.
> Please, read the warning for possible spoilers <<
Ghost in the shell: Stand Alone Complex (anime)
Overview
With the TV version of Ghost in the Shell (Kokaku Kidotai) director Kenji Kamiyama (and his production team — including the full support of original creator Shirow Masamune) is bringing a new dimension to the standard police detective drama adding a techno-cyberpunk flavour. Not only is this a very high quality show visually (HD full-digital screen to satisfy even the most hard-core fan!), but it is also full of exciting, intelligent storytelling. You can see that the writers really put forward their best efforts to attract viewers.
The story is set in a future Tokyo populated with high-tech doohickeys, and lots of cyborgs and androids. Fans of Ghost in the Shell find out immediately that this story is quite different from the manga or games. It’s a kind of alternate world created for the TV series, closer to what was already developed for the movie. The manga is funny and set in a fictitious future (lots of made-up names) where Section 9 is an international anti-terrorist unit. The TV series’ setting feels less like a militaristic anti-terrorist outfit and more like a special police force dealing with cyber crimes. It is more serious and more realistic. Nevertheless, like the movie, which was based mostly on the manga, the TV series is using bits and pieces of the manga’s story. We could consider the TV series as a prequel to the movie, whereas the new manga, Man-Machine Interface, is the direct sequel of the original manga.
So what do they mean by “Stand Alone Complex”? It could mean that the series is mostly made of stand alone episodes (self contained stories), with a few more complex episodes (the “Laughing Man” story arc). However, episode 6 also provides another explanation: it refers to the fact that Laughing Man’s imitators are independent copycats, created without an original. To me it seems that Production I.G.’s writers want to make the point that “It’s extremely difficult and almost impossible today to stand alone in this complex society of computers and networks.” Each episode throws enormous amounts of technical information and detail about computers, science and politics for the viewer to digest. At first, for an average nincompoop like myself, the contents of this show can be too much, but with a bit of patience it’s certainly educational. I think, in a way, it’s charming to see so much information on technology. Compared to ordinary anime shows, the amount of dialogue and information is quite huge.
You really have to sit down and watch this TV show over and over again to catch the small details and to understand better. In this respect it shares much in common with its source, the manga. On the other hand, despite all this, the show can also be watched as an intelligent police/detective drama. The viewers can try to solve crimes with Section 9 members and get great satisfaction to see the conclusion of each cyber-crimes case. But don’t think that the show is as slow paced as the film — there is still a lot of action!
The characters seem to be like normal humans, but in fact most of them are cyborgs (or with some sort of cybernetic enhancement). I wonder if, in the near future, when humans begin to replace body-parts to improve their lives and live more comfortably, we’ll have different kinds of crimes? It’s the same type of premise as in Patlabor : if technology takes us there, the nature of crime will change. Of course we’re all human, but how in the world can we live and “stand” with our own personalities in this extremely complex society of the future? In this show, all criminals are making statements of a kind (politically, individually or otherwise).
This is certainly a strong series evolved from speculative fiction, with excellent (and exotic Russian sounding) music by Yoko Kannno (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne and Macross Plus) and viewers will enjoy this full-action crime fighting anime! In our opinion, this series clearly shows one thing: good writing and storytelling make a great difference! There are many shows with high quality visuals, but with weak stories. Ghost in the Shell is one of the best shows to come down the road in the last few years and hearkens back to a period where stories and strong characters were the main focus. I’d like to send out enthusiastic applause to the creators of this show!
Despite its high quality animation and intelligent story, the show has a few annoying details: the original opening is much better than the 3D one which starts with episode 3 and there are some technical impossibilities (like the cloaking devices which are not consistent with those in the movie).
This anime won’t disappoint you — in fact, you’ll be totally hooked! A must see show that I’d recommend to anyone. In order to understand the TV series a bit better it is recommended to have seen the movie or read the manga (you would already know the characters and technological background), but you will probably manage anyway if you just dive straight in (you’ll find some helpful information, right after the jump). The series was very well received with critics’ rating of 8.5 on IMDb and of 67% / 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Enjoy !
>> Please, read the warning for possible spoilers <<
L’Histoire en Manga (1)
T. 1, Les débuts de l’humanité
“L’éditeur scolaire japonais GAKKEN propose une collection de 12 tomes racontant l’histoire du monde. Dessins typiques du manga, couleurs saturées, scénario avec personnages servent à illustrer les grands épisodes de l’histoire.
Dans ce premier tome on découvre les débuts de l’humanité; le big bang, puis la Préhistoire et l’Antiquité égyptienne. Des pages chronologiques encadrent l’ouvrage. Un cahier de 32 pages documentaires richement illustrées vient étoffer les informations distillées dans les épisodes, ainsi que de nombreux compléments regroupés en fin de chapitre.”
[Texte du site de l’éditeur; voir aussi la couverture arrière]
J’ai déjà mentionné dans un billet (”Educational Manga“) que les mangas, en plus d’être très divertissants, pouvaient avoir une grande valeur éducative. Au-delà des adaptations de grands classiques littéraires et des nombreux mangas historiques, il existe au Japon plusieurs séries de manga qui ont pour but d’introduire auprès d’un public jeune l’histoire du Japon ou du monde d’une manière pédagogique, voir même encyclopédique. Il s’agit des Gakushū manga ou manga d’apprentissage.
Je n’aurait jamais cru pouvoir lire ce genre de manga en traduction. Et pourtant, en novembre dernier, en périphérie du Salon du Livre de Montréal, j’ai découvert chez Bayard Jeunesse une collection qui nous raconte L’Histoire en manga (mes deux sujets favoris!). La collection comporte (pour l’instant) huit volumes: v.1 Les débuts de l’humanité, v.2 L’antiquité grecque et romaine, v.3 L’Inde et la Chine antiques, v.4 D’Attila à Guillaume le Conquérant, v.5 De l’empire mongol à la Guerre de Cent ans, v.6 La Renaissance et les grandes découvertes, v.7 L’Histoire en Europe de la Reine Elisabeth à Napoléon (incluant la révolution industrielle), v.8 De la conquête de l’Amérique à la Commune de Paris. L’édition originale japonaise comporte douze volumes (il en resterait donc quatre à paraître).
Le premier volume, originalement intitulé Gakken Manga — Nouvelle Histoire du Monde, Volume 1: Les Temps préhistoriques et l’Orient ancien [ 学研まんが NEW世界の歴史 第1卷 先史時代と古代オリエント / Gakken Manga nyū Sekai no Rekishi 1Kan: Senshi Jidai to Kodai Oriento], nous introduit à l’histoire des débuts de l’Humanité, de la préhistoire au moyen-orient ancient. Le récit utilise comme prétexte trois collégiens turbulents qui se font coller en punition un exposé sur les débuts de l’humanité qu’ils réalisent grâce à l’aide de leur professeur de physique.
Évidemment, dans ce genre de manga documentaire, la qualité graphique n’est pas vraiment une priorité alors le dessin est plutôt moyen — mais il est en couleurs. Aussi, compte tenu de l’ampleur du sujet, on nous raconte tout cela en accéléré (moins de deux cents pages pour couvrir quelques millions d’années d’histoire!). Et bien sûr on retrouve plusieurs fautes d’orthographes et quelques erreurs factuelles (ou de frappe? Possiblement due à la traduction ou au lettreur?). Par exemple, on place la révolution agricole à “59 000 ans avant notre ère” alors que l’on voulait probablement dire 9500 ans… Mais dans l’ensemble c’est assez juste et c’est complété par un dossier qui reprend l’information couverte par le manga sous forme de texte.
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Même si ce genre de manga s’adresse surtout à un public jeune (onze ans et plus), cela reste intéressant pour tout âge. Au Japon, ces mangas sont souvent utilisé comme des manuels scolaires alors pourquoi n’en ferions-nous pas autant ici? Cela reste une bonne lecture relativement divertissante et assez éducative. C’est sans aucun doute l’ouvrage idéal pour intéresser un jeune lecteur à l’histoire du monde.
L’Histoire en Manga: T. 1, Les débuts de l’humanité, par Hirofumi Katô (dessin) et Hidehisa Nanbô (texte) (Traduction par Aurélien Estager). Montrouge: Bayard Jeunesse, septembre 2017. 192 pages, 16 x 23.5 cm, 12,90 € / $C 24.95. ISBN 978-2-7470-8390-4. Pour lectorat adolescent (11+ ans).
Vous trouverez plus d’information sur les sites suivants:
© Gakken Plus 2016. © Bayard Édition, 2017 pour la traduction française.
Vous pouvez aussi voir sur Youtube la bande annonce de la série (en japonais):
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Vendredi nature [002.020.073]
Cardinalis cardinalis
[ iPhone 11 Pro, Parc Frédéric-Back, 2020/03/06 ]
La semaine dernière j’ai observé cet oiseau dans le parc. Ce serait un Cardinal rouge [Northern Cardinal en anglais] — malgré le contre-jour il me semble rouge (c’est donc un mâle), il a la huppe caractéristique et son chant est fort comparable aux exemples que j’ai trouvé dans les documents de référence. Le cardinal est un grand pinson à crête de l’ordre des Passeriformes, de la famille des Cardinalidae et de du genre Cardinalis. Vivement le printemps !
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Hidden by Catherine McKenzie
“While walking home from work one evening, Jeff Manning is struck by a car and killed. Not one but two women fall to pieces at the news: his wife, Claire, and his co-worker Tish. Reeling from her loss, Claire must comfort her grieving son and contend with funeral arrangements, well-meaning family members and the arrival of Jeff’s estranged brother — her ex-boyfriend — Tim.
With Tish’s co-workers in the dark about her connection to Jeff outside the workplace, she volunteers to attend the funeral on the company’s behalf, but only she knows the true risk of inserting herself into the wreckage of Jeff’s life. Told through the three voices of Jeff, Tish and Claire, Hidden explores the complexity of relationships, our personal choices and the responsibilities we have to the ones we love.”
[Text from the publisher’s website; see also the back cover]
>> Please, read the warning for possible spoilers <<
My wife is a member of the Montreal’s Sherlock Holmes fan club, called The Bimetallic Question. Every year in January they are holding a formal dinner to celebrate his birthday. They always have a special guest speaker to talk about his/her work and share thoughts about a Sherlockian topic. It is usually a local writer or a Gazette columnist. Last year it was Montreal mystery writer Christopher Huang (I read and commented his book A Gentleman’s murder on this blog). This year on January 18th, being available, I decided to come with my wife to this “Master’s Birthday” dinner to meet this colourful crowd I was hearing so much about but mostly to listen to the guest speaker, writer Catherine McKenzie [ Biblio • FB • Goodreads • Google • Web ].
Born and raised in Montreal, she studied law at McGill University and now practices litigation in a boutique law firm. She has published nearly a dozen books: Spin (2009), Arranged (May 2012), Forgotten (October 2012), Hidden (2013), Spun (2014), Smoke (2015), Fractured (2016), The murder game (written in 2007 but only published in 2016 under the pen name Julie Apple — and used as plot device in Fractured), The good liar (2018), and — her latest — I’ll never tell (2019). Her next book (coming in June 2020) will be You Can’t Catch Me. She has also co-written First Street, a serialized audiobook, and published short stories in a couple of anthologies (J.T. Ellison’s A Thousand doors; J. McFetridge & J. Filippi’s Montreal Noir).
A brief sample of McKenzie presentation
I chose to read Hidden by chance, selecting it among the titles available at the library (as I couldn’t get her latest title on time to start reading it before her guest appearance at the dinner). Because McKenzie was invited to speak at the club dinner, I assumed that she was a mystery or crime writer, but Hidden is neither. McKenzie started her career writing Women’s fiction (sometimes called Chick-lit). With Hidden (and later with Fractured and The good liar) she moved into Psychological fiction with a slight touch of a thriller. Although her characters often move in the legal world (law firms and courts), she starts putting elements of crime fiction into her writing only with I’ll never tell and You can’t catch me.
Hidden is very well written. It offers a compelling story about grief and adultery that knows how to keep the interest of the reader. Her characters sound quite true, so when the storytelling builds up with tension you really feel for them. She even manage a little twist at the end. I enjoyed reading this novel but couldn’t avoid being annoyed by the narration at the first person, done by three different characters — including the guy who died at the beginning of the novel! That’s rather unusual. I would have preferred that she put the name of the narrating character in the title of each chapter (I’ve seen this in other books). That way it would not have taken me a few pages into each new chapter before figuring out who the narrator was this time…
I also noticed that she “lied” in her presentation at the club. When asked if she based her characters on herself she said categorically “no”, arguing that when editors say “write about what you know“ it is a misconception that authors write about themselves. In the contrary, my experience in the literary world tells me that writers (consciously or not) always put a part of themselves into some of their characters. McKenzie characters are often working in the legal world so she clearly uses part of “what she knows” (her own experience as a woman, as a mother, as a lawyer) to create the setting of her fictions. In Hidden (p. 303), Jeff accused Tish of having lied about her golf handicap but she answers that she told him about her bad putting when they first met, adding “I have perfect recall of conversations.” McKenzie used this exact sentence, verbatim, during her presentation as she was explaining that she was sometimes using in her books real conversations she had had or had heard. I rest my case.
Hidden was a very good reading. I enjoyed it greatly. It’s nice sometimes to read a simple book about the complex life of everyday people. I’ll certainly try to read more of Catherine McKenzie’s work.
Hidden, by Catherine McKenzie. Toronto: HarperCollins, June 2013. 360 pages, 14 x 21.5 in, $C 19.99. ISBN 978-1-44341-190-5. For young adult (16+). 
For more information you can consult the following web sites:
© 2013 by Catherine McKenzie
[ Traduire ]
Vendredi nature [002.020.052]
Ursus maritimus
[ iPhone 8+, Musée de la Civilisation, 2019/06/26 ]
Squelette d’ours polaire, archipel arctique canadien, Musée canadien de la nature
J’ai pris cette photo en visitant l’exposition “Curiosités du monde naturel” qui se tenait au Musée de la Civilisation de Québec du 16 mai 2019 au 19 janvier 2020. J’en ai déjà parlé dans mes billets “Vendredi nature” des 002.020.017, 002.020.024, 002.020.031, 002.020.038 et 002.020.045. Voir aussi le vidéo memento de ma visite.
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Shaft
“JJ, aka John Shaft Jr (Usher), may be a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, but to uncover the truth behind his best friend’s untimely death, he needs an education only his dad can provide. Absent throughout JJ’s youth, the legendary lock-and-loaded John Shaft (Jackson) agrees to help his progeny navigate Harlem’s heroin-infested underbelly. And while JJ’s own FBI analyst’s badge may clash with his dad’s trademark leather coat, there’s no denying family. Besides, Shaft’s got an agenda of his own, and a score to settle that’s professional and personal.”
[Promotional text from the Dvd sleeve]
>> Please, read the warning for possible spoilers <<
JJ Shaft (Jessie T. Usher) is an FBI analyst. When his childhood friend Karim dies in strange circumstances, he decides to investigate despite his boss opposition. He has no choice but to ask the help of his estranged father, former NYPD detective and private investigator John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) — which greatly displeased his mother (Regina Hall). With the extra help of his girlfriend (Alexandra Shipp) and his grand-pa, John Shaft, Sr. (Richard Roundtree), they will attempt to solve the murder and avenge Karim’s death…
This is a funny movie with a high (very high) count of bullets and profanities. It offers a thin and rather unoriginal story wrapped in a series of very entertaining and quite violent action sequences. It is a sort of hommage to a classic blaxploitation legend (four previous movies — three in the 70s with Richard Roundtree [1971, 1972 and 1973] and a 2000 remake with Samuel L. Jackson — and a TV series). That’s it. The movie was not profitable and was scorched by the critics (32% on Rotten Tomatoes) but the viewers seem to have liked it (rated 6.4 on IMDb and audience score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes). Brainless comedy or outdated reboot, I found it entertaining. Check it out and be the judge — but watch it at your own risk, motherf**ker.
To learn more about this title you can consult the following web sites:
Also, you can check the official trailer on Youtube:
[ Traduire ]
Ad Astra (DVD)
“Brad Pitt gives a powerful performance in the “absolutely enthralling” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) sci-fi thriller set in space. When a mysterious life-threatening event strikes Earth, astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) goes on a dangerous mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father (Tommy Lee Jones) and his doomed expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the universe.”
[Promotional text from the Dvd sleeve]
>> Please, read the warning for possible spoilers <<
In a “near future”, astronaut Roy McBride is told that his father — Clifford McBride, lost in a failed intelligent life-seeking mission around Neptune and presumed death — could still be alive. Powerful particules’ flares are hitting Earth and causing dangerous power surges and the authorities think that his father could be creating the flares with the “Lima Project” ship propulsion system which is using dark matter (!). He is sent to Mars, via the Moon, to record a secret message for his father but discovers that the authorities intentions are far more nefarious than he was told. Despite the lack of trust on both side, he manages to board the Cepheus on its way to Neptune in order to find his father and resolve the situation…
The movie is very slow and has little action (mostly when he falls from the “tower” (space elevator?), when he is attacked by pirates on the Moon, when he boards the distressed Norwegian biomedical research space station and when he tries to escape the “Lima Project” ship). It is also filmed in a very theatrical way, with little dialogues as most of the movie is narrated in voice-over by the main character. Therefore it feels a lot like 2001: A Space Odyssey with some influences from Philip K. Dick (the use of mood altering drugs and the constant psych eval — like seen in Blade Runner 2049).
The director, James Gray, said that he wanted a movie with a “realistic depiction of space travel” but I think he was not very successful. The movements of the characters seemed sometime a little odd and often the laws of physics were broken: a twenty-day trip to Mars? Eighty days to Neptune? You can sure have ships with bigger acceleration but I doubt that human would be able to survive them (and they didn’t look like accelerating a lot in the movie). Also, no matter what kind of radio communication you are using (even with a laser beam) you are limited to the speed of light and transmitting a message to Neptune would take some time (certainly over three hours in each direction), therefore you cannot get an immediate response !
It is said that the movie is set in the “near future” and that also is doubtful. Space elevator, significant bases on the Moon, a base on Mars, all this cannot happen in a few decades. Maybe in a couple of centuries, considering how slow humanity has been doing space exploration lately. Also, the world in which the movie is set seems quite interesting — even if it is barely glimpsed at. Everything looks computer controlled, people are kept on a tight leash with constant psych eval and mood altering drugs to keep them “happy” and well behaved. It is maybe a 1984-style dictature? Everyone seems to have strong religious belief, so maybe a very conservative and fundamentalist world? The movie doesn’t offer enough clues to say so with certainty. Or maybe the Millenials / strawberry generation needed this level of protection and control to survived and feel safe in a “difficult” future?
However, despite its slow pace, technical flaws and lack of action, Ad Astra remains a beautiful movie, with great photography, excellent special effects, good actors and acting (Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, and Donald Sutherland) and a very interesting subject (solitude, family bonds and commitment). The movie made a slim profit at the box office and was well-received by the critics (with a rating of 6.6 on IMDb and 84% on Rotten Tomatoes) but was not as well appreciated by the public (audience score of 40% on Rotten Tomatoes). People probably found it not as exciting as they were expecting because it feels more like a psychological drama than a sci-fi action movie. It is stimulating to the mind, but only mildly entertaining…
All in all, I found Ad Astra disappointing but still worth watching. Anyway, catch it on TV or on DVD (maybe from the library) and be the judge yourself. 
To learn more about this title you can consult the following web sites:
Also, you can check the official trailer on Youtube:
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Tolkien
This is a very good and touching biopic about the genesis of J.R.R. Tolkien’s universe (what he called his legendarium, set in the Middle-Earth, which includes novels like The Hobbit and Lord of the rings) without really talking about it. It is quite subtle and interesting. Very well done. Although, I am a little disappointed as I was under the impression that the movie was about the Inklings, a literary club that Tolkien (played by Nicholas Hoult) was a member of at Oxford along with C.S. Lewis. The movie is actually about another club, the T.C.B.S. (Tea Club and Barrovian Society), where he pledged with his college friends Rob (Patrick Gibson), Geoffrey (Anthony Boyle) and Christopher (Tom Glynn-Carney) to change the worlds through their art (literature, painting, music and poetry). His writing was greatly influenced by his experiences in World War I, his interest in philology (particularly in creating new languages) and in European mythologies (Norse, Germanic and Finnish), as well as by the love for his wife (Edith Bratt played by Lily Collins).
The movie was not endorsed by the Tolkien Estate (which considered it inaccurate) and received mixed reviews (it was rated 6.8 on IMDb and 50% / 73% on Rotten Tomatoes) but I nevertheless found it quite interesting. The movie is mostly criticized for lacking imagination, but I disagree: it has plenty, but it just requires a little effort from the viewers. While entertaining, it offers great (but subtle) insights on the life of Tolkien and his creation. Whether you’re a fan or not, Tolkien is worth watching.
To learn more about this title you can consult the following web sites:
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Vendredi nature [002.020.031]
Tête de dasplétosaure (moulage)
[ iPhone 8+, Musée de la Civilisation, 2019/06/26 ]
J’ai pris cette photo en visitant l’exposition “Curiosités du monde naturel” qui se tenait au Musée de la Civilisation de Québec du 16 mai 2019 au 19 janvier 2020. J’en ai déjà parlé dans mes billets “Vendredi nature” des 002.020.017 et 002.020.024.
Selon la fiche signalétique, “ce proche parent du célèbre Tyranosaurus rex vivait dans la région de Red Deer River, en Alberta, il y a plusieurs dizaines de millions d’années. Il a été découvert en 1921 par Charles M. Sternberg, fils du réputé paléontologue Charles H. Sternberg. Des analyses réalisées au Musée canadien de la nature dans les années 1960 ont révélé qu’il s’agissait d’une toute nouvelle espèce de dinosaure. Parce que les fossiles originaux sont si uniques et précieux pour la recherche, les musées exposent souvent des reproductions de ceux-ci — des moulages.”
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Vendredi nature [002.020.024]
Squelette de Balaenoptera acutorostrata
[ iPhone 8+, Musée de la Civilisation, 20191/06/26 ]
Selon la fiche signalétique du musée, le petit rorqual de l’Atlantique Nord (northern minke whale) est l’une des plus petite espèces de baleines à fanons qui se nourrit dans les eaux de l’estuaire et du golfe du Saint-Laurent, de mars à décembre. On note que les nageoires pectorales ont conservé une anatomie s’apparentant à celle d’une main, ce qui démontre que les cétacés auraient évolué à partir d’un ancêtre qui était probablement un mammifère terrestre quadrupède. Ce spécimen, échoué en 2003 aux Îles-de-la-Madeleine, provient du Musée du squelette.
En souvenirs de cette exposition, voici un album photo des spécimens qui m’ont semblé les plus intéressants:
…ainsi qu’une autre bande-annonce de l’exposition (disponible sur Youtube):
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Egyptian mummies: Exploring ancient lives
“Egyptian mummies: Exploring ancient lives” is the North American premiere of an exhibition created by the British Museum. Using digital image projections, explanatory videos and over two-hundred objects from ancient Egypt, it “reconstructs the lives of six people who lived along the Nile”. It tells the story of each of those individuals, their beliefs and the diseases they suffered from.
The original British Museum exposition (opened to the public from May to November 2014) was showcasing eight mummies, one-tenth of their Egyptian mummies’ collection. However, for its international tour the exhibition was limited to six mummies. It first opened at the The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia (from December 2016 to Avril 2017) before moving to Hong Kong in 2017, then Taipei, Taiwan (from November 2017 to February 2018) and it is now at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal from September 2019 to March 2020. The next stop will be in Toronto at the Royal Ontario Museum from May to September 2020.
In the early days of Egyptology, the only way to learn about mummies was to unwrap them. 19th century European collectors were even turning this into a social event with lavish “unwrapping parties.” However, the British Museum, with its strong ethics about artifact preservation, always refused to perform any invasive intervention on its mummies and its collection is therefore in excellent condition. Since the 1970s the development of cutting-edge technology, like combining x-ray devices with high-resolution three-dimensional computerized imaging (computerized tomography (CT) scanning) in order to create detailed 3D visualizations of the internal structures, has revealed much more informations that a simple unwrapping would have provided — while still preserving the mummies’ integrity. Combining the resources provided by medical science with those learned from anthropology and archaeology, has allowed the egyptologists to learn a tremendous amount of information about the life and death of ancient Egyptians: not only their culture and way of life, but also their biology, genetics, diet, diseases, burial practices and embalming techniques. This exhibition is illustrating all this through the exemples of six in dividuals (and their mummies) who lived in the Nile valley between 900 BCE and 180 CE.
Apparently the only official catalogue of the exhibition’s international tour was produced by the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney and is now sold out. However, the catalogue from the original British Museum exhibition is still available.
You can visit (and visit again) “Egyptian mummies: Exploring ancient lives” at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1380 Sherbrooke Street West) from September 14, 2019 to March 29, 2020.
It is a superb and fascinating exhibition, rich in informations and artifacts. I enjoyed it greatly and everyone must absolutely see it. When I visited, in early January, the museum was packed (so, PLEASE don’t bring your five or six year-old Kids, as they might not be old enough to understand the complexity of such subject, and don’t bring your crying baby in its giant stroller !!!). 
Here’s a teaser of the exhibition (available on Youtube):
More information and pictures after the jump >>
Vendredi nature [002.020.017]
Squelette de Delphinapterus leucas (béluga)
[ iPhone 8+, Musée de la Civilisation, 2019/06/26 ]
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Entrevue capsule: Jonathan Reynolds
Voici la seconde des trois entrevues-capsules que j’ai réalisé avec des auteurs de SFFQ au Salon du Livre de Montréal en novembre 2019.
Les entrevues-capsules sont de mini-entrevues avec des auteurs (surtout de science-fiction) de chez nous. Le principe de ces entrevue est de s’en tenir à deux ou trois questions de base (qui êtes-vous, que faites-vous, etc.) et que l’entrevue ne dure pas plus que deux à cinq minutes. Cela doit être compacte et bien se digérer!
Jonathan Reynolds est un prolifique jeune auteur qui se spécialise surtout dans la littérature d’horreur québécoise. Il a co-fondé la maison d’édition Les Six Brumes en 2001, a publié de nombreux livres (particulièrement aux Éditions Z’ailées) et est coordonateur de la revue Solaris depuis le numéro 195 en 2015 (j’ai déjà commenté par le passé sur ce magazine fondamental de la SFFQ). Les Éditions Alire publierons son roman fantastique Abîmes au printemps 2020. Vous pouvez en apprendre plus sur lui en consultant son blogue ou son site d’auteur…
( video aussi disponible sur Vimeo )
Entrevues à venir: avec Yves Meynard (Chrysanthe 2. Le Prince rebelle).
Autres entrevues-capsules disponibles: Catherine Sylvestre/Francine Pelletier et Sébastien Chartrand.
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clodjee’s bit of wisdom
about facial recognition
Clodjee's Safe-House 