Even more movies and stuff

Book Review: Headhunter by Timothy Findley
This is quite a long, sprawling novel by Canadian writer Findley. Set in Toronto in a world that is only slightly different than our own. An ex-librarian believes she has released Kurtz from the novel 'Heart of Darkness.' A psychiatrist named Marlowe suddenly appears. The authorities are killing birds en masse believing that they are the cause of a deadly plague called sturnusemia that is sweeping the country.
This book is very well written and the main plot is very interesting. I'm never sure if the librarian is delusional or not. Unfortunately, the huge cast of side characters that keep popping in and out of the story make things somewhat confusing. If this book had been shorter than its 600 pages it probably would have been better.

TV Review: Battlestar Galactica Season 2
This show has improved greatly since the first season. A re-thinking of the classic 70's series of the same name, this show follows the last remaining humans of the 12 colonies after their planets are invaded by the cylons. I'm guessing that the budget of the show has increased a lot because the CG cyclons are much more present in this season than they are in the first one. Of course, having cylons take on human form opens up several new story possiblities as well as saving money for the production. The season finale was great. The reappearance of another battlestar, the Pegasus, causes serious problems as well as giving a nice nod to a similar occurence in the original series. Ironically, the captain of the Pegasus in the original series plays the part of the doctor onboard the Galactica in the new series.

Movie Review: Jaws (1975)
Caught this one on TV here. What is this 30 years old now? However it still provides great suspense. Luckily we don't really get to see the shark much so it never looks like a 30 year old animatronic. Definitely one of Spielberg's all time greats. Oh how old Richard Dreyfus has gotten. 9/10

Movie Review: There's Something about Mary (1998)
Rewatched this after a few years and it is still hilarious. Great cast, funny gags, the Farrelly Bros at their best. 8/10

Movie Review: Shallow Hal (2001)
Perhaps the Farrelly Bros sweetest movies. A man who can only see woman for their looks is hypnotized by motivational speaker Tony Robbins so that he will see every woman based on their character, not their physical appearance. Of course the most beautiful women he find next turns out to be extremely fat, but he can only see her as true beauty. Despite the fat jokes this movie is not cruel. The best role I've seen Jack Black in. 7/10