My Cultural Diet

I really liked this place when it was called AmuManu Ramen, and it’s still just as good. I had the Stir Fry Ramen tonight, and it was pretty filling with just a slight hint of spice to liven things up a bit.

I watched this with my oldest and we both agreed: Prey is a lean, mean action movie par excellence. The Native American characters and setting didn’t just put a fresh spin on the Predator mythos, story-wise; they also helped to ground the movie and give it a sense of authenticity and immediacy that was immensely satisfying.

In this retelling of Beauty and the Beast, a young girl becomes a popular singer in a virtual universe, only to encounter a strange beast-like creature. Story-wise, I think the film tries to do a bit too much, especially in its final act, though its heart is always in the right place. Visually, however, Belle is astounding, thanks to its nigh-seamless blend of cel animation and CGI.

The final book in Alexander’s Prydain series. Elegant storytelling steeped in Welsh mythology. What strikes me the most is how elegiac and melancholy it is, from the various sacrifices that each main character has to make, to the bittersweet ending. And it’s all the better because of it. It affected me as an adult; I can only imagine how it would’ve affected me had I read it as a kid.

Allegedly based on a classic Japanese folk tale, Neil Gaiman’s story is a joy to read. Even better, though, is Yoshitaka Amano’s incredibly lush and vivid artwork. Amano might be best known for his work with the Final Fantasy video game franchise, but his dreamlike and highly stylized imagery here is an absolutely perfect match for Gaiman’s prose.

I’m not the biggest fan of California rolls, but the ones I like — such as Blue Sushi’s Hawaiian roll — I really like. (It’s all about the tempura crust.) I also highly recommend their mango crab rangoon. We get it every time, and every time I have to resist the urge to lick the plate clean, the mango sauce is that good.

I like my cinnamon rolls soaked in loads of caramel-ly goodness. Which is precisely how Stacy Lynn makes hers. Her bakery’s located in Henderson, which is about an hour from Lincoln. Fortunately, we can find her cinnamon rolls in our local grocery store’s freezer aisle. They’re a bit pricey for a half-dozen, but totally worth it.

A true action/sci-fi classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his ’80s prime. It works on nearly every level, and every time I watch it, I’m impressed by how efficiently it tells the story, sets up the characters, etc. And of course, Stan Winston’s creature effects for the Predator itself are some of the greatest of all time.

My second viewing. Predictably, it didn’t blow me away like it did during my first viewing, and some of its flaws are more apparent. But it still remains as weird and earnest and ambitious as ever, and the family drama hits just as hard. The last 20 minutes or so get pretty heavy-handed but not going to lie: I definitely got choked up. I want to be Waymond Wang when I grow up.

It seemed only fitting to watch this in light of James Caan’s recent death. Stylish and technically precise to a fault, as expected from a film directed by Michael Mann, with a trippy score by Tangerine Dream. I’d love to visit the rain-soaked, neon-lit version of Chicago as captured through Mann’s lens.

My favorite MCU title in a long time, with style, energy, and humor reminiscent of Into the Spider-Verse (a very good thing). The season falters a bit in the middle — the Karachi episodes feel like they’re from a different series/season altogether — but it begins strong and ends well. I almost wish Ms. Marvel was disconnected from the larger MCU for a little while longer so that it could remain its own special thing unbeholden to a larger mythos. Also, Abbu Hulk forever!

I’ve been slowly making my way through Alexander’s Prydain series over the last year or so. I never read them as a kid, but given how much I like them as an adult, I think 11-year-old Jason would’ve loved them. This book, in particular, contained some poignant ruminations on honor, duty, and freedom.

Well, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck pulled it off. After nine books, they wrapped up The Expanse in a way that’s both very fitting and rewarding, but also leaves behind some interesting ethical/philosophical questions about the character’s actions. And I appreciate how the book jumps back and forth between cynicism and optimism concerning humanity right up until the final pages.

Set in the distant future à la Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun, The Pastel City jumps back and forth between sci-fi and fantasy with a pulp-y style. As a fan of both Wolfe’s stories and Michael Moorcock’s Elric saga, The Pastel City hit a sort of weird sweet spot for me.

Still holds up after all these years. A classic. Naturally, our kids became obsessed with the crane kick, and I suspect we’ll be hearing “wax on, wax off” for awhile now.

This clip of audience members on their feet cheering amidst confetti and streamers is a good indication of RRR’s vibe. It’s over-the-top in every way possible, from the protagonists’ bromance to the anti-colonialism to the final 30-minute-long battle that makes Avengers: Endgame seem like an indie film production. Also, I can only hope someday to grow a mustache as manly as Ram Charan’s.

Pretty much everything I could’ve wanted from a Top Gun sequel. A bit too nostalgic at times, maybe, with all of the throwbacks to the original, but how could it not be? I was surprised at how elegiac Top Gun: Maverick felt, in-between all of the thrilling aerial sequences and hotshot pilot bravado, with its constant acknowledgement of time’s passing and ravaging.

This is when Christopher McQuarrie took over directing duties. That, combined with Tom Cruise’s increasing desire to perform big stunts himself (like hanging on to the side of an airplane in flight), took the franchise to another level. Also, Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust is such a great foil for Cruise’s Ethan Hunt.

I really liked the first volume of Department of Truth (read my review), and Volume Two keeps with the trippy conspiracy theories, pseudo-histories, and crypto-zoology, as well as some surprisingly emotional moments. Martin Simmonds’ artwork continues to astound.

Always interesting to compare these books to the TV series, especially re. character changes. Perhaps the best example is Michio Pa, who’s the basis for TV’s Camina Drummer. Also, Marco Inaros is just one of those characters that you love to hate. I’m consistently impressed with Corey’s ability to balance the horrors of war with an underlying optimism.