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Evan Shively (Perseus271)

Tonight I just finished reading Charlie and the Chocolate factory with my son. This is the first chapter book I've read all the way through with him. And it was a ton of fun. First off, I'll admit that I love the movie. I grew up with it. (I'm talking about the Gene Wilder version, of course.)I'll even admit to liking the movie better than the book. Which is something that doesn't happen very often with me. That said, the book is really, really good. It held my four-year old's attention. It's silly, and it's fun. And it's DARK. For those of you who haven't read the book, let me underline this fact for you. Dahl takes pains to really detail the fact that Charlie and his family aren't just hungry and poor. They're destitute. Charlie sleeps on a mattress on the floor. In the winter they are cold, and they're starving to death. And if you think I'm exaggerating on that last point, I'm not. One of the chapters is titled: The Family Begins to Starve. But you know what? I like this book better because of that. It's not sanitized pablum written by committee to be inoffensive. It's the story of a little boy who is in a fucking awful situation, but he is still good and kind and polite and then something really nice happens to him. That's a trope I can get behind. Its it a good book to read with your kids? Absolutely. That said, allow me to tangent off and share my thoughts as a total bastard:If Willie Wonka actually hired workers and paid them a living wage, maybe Charlie Bucket wouldn't be starving to death in the first place. Follow me here. Wonka is effectively running a company where everyone is paid in scrip. The Oompa Loompas are paid, quite literally, in beans. Beans that I'm guessing he has the Oompa Loompas themselves growing in some huge underground cavern. Let's not even get into the ethical tarpit of the fact that Wonka uproots an entire indigenous culture and enslaves them. Let's just look at this from a raw numbers point of view. Pure economics. The Oompa Loompas work in the factory. They are not paid. They never leave the factory. That means they don't pay rent. They don't buy groceries. They don't go to the movies, or take taxis ,or buy clothes. But *everyone* buys Wonka's chocolate. That means that money goes into the factory, but it doesn't come back out into the town. As a result, the local economy is crap. And it's because of this that Charlie's dad can't get a decent job. What's more, it's because of this that his dad *loses* his shitty job, and his family is starving to death. Willie Wonka isn't a childlike magic maker. He's a billionaire corporate fuckwit. He's the candy equivalent of Monsanto. There's no government oversight there. Osha would never have approved that bullshit boiled sweet boat and chocolate river. No. Dude is untouchable. And don't tell me he isn't. That shit that goes on with the other kids? Nobody even *thinks* of suing him. None of the parents even *hint* at it. He probably owns half the judges in the state, and a handful of senators, too. He's a fucking supervillian. And I would paid serious money to see a story where Batman kicks his ass. *End Rant* In closing, let me share something that Oot said while I was reading him this book: "Dad, Willie Wonka is just a regular human, but he *is* a little bit of a wizard like you." 

Ghost World has become a cultural and generational touchstone, and continues to enthrall and inspire readers over a decade after its original release as a graphic novel. Originally serialized in the pages of the seminal comic book Eightball throughout the mid-1990s, this quasi-autobiographical story (the name of one of the protagonists is famously an anagram of the author's name) follows the adventures of two teenage girls, Enid and Becky, two best friends facing the prospect of growing up, and more importantly, apart. Daniel Clowes is one of the most respected cartoonists of his generation, and Ghost World is his magnum opus. Adapted into a major motion picture directed by Terry Zwigoff (director of the acclaimed documentary Crumb), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. This graphic novel is a must for any self-respecting comics fan's library.

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the sequel to The Archer's Tale—the spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family's honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail.In 1347, a year of conflict and unrest, Thomas of Hookton returns to England to pursue the Holy Grail. Among the flames of the Hundred Years War, a sinister enemy awaits the fabled archer and mercenary soldier: a bloodthirsty Dominican Inquisitor who also seeks Christendom's most holy relic. But neither the horrors of the battlefield nor sadistic torture at the Inquisitor's hands can turn Thomas from his sworn mission. And his thirst for vengeance will never be quenched while the villainous black rider who destroyed everything he loved still lives."Cornwell writes the best battle scenes of any writer I've read past or present."—George R.R. Martin 

Welcome to the Monkey House is a collection of Kurt Vonnegut’s shorter works. Originally printed in publications as diverse as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and The Atlantic Monthly, these superb stories share Vonnegut’s audacious sense of humor and extraordinary range of creative vision.Alternative cover edition here 

1968 collection of short stories by Kurt Vonnegut

I liked this a lot because it very clearly illustrated how people lie to themselves (and therefore the other person) at the start of relationships; they want to be a better person, so they tell the person that they're better than they are. They say, "I don't do drugs anymore," or "I have no interest in that anymore," or "when I'm with you I feel like I'm someone else, someone I've wanted to be for a long time." That's awesome! I'm glad that person brings those qualities out of you and that you're improving your life because of it. But there's a difference between recognizing that someone brings those qualities out of you, and BEING THAT PERSON. Unlikely pretty accurately showed how a relationship starts with statements like those and ends because a person hasn't changed; she just returns to who she really is, without all the flights of fancy of who she could be some day if she dated this guy. Change has to come from within, and be an individual process.

As the first title in an all-new sci-fi action franchise, Borderlands combines the best elements of Gearbox Software's first-person action titles with player cu...

It has been a year since the events of "Kingdom Hearts." Sora and friends are joined by a vibrant new cast of characters, including the king himself. Together,...

Developed by Rockstar San Diego, as a follow up to the 2004 hit game Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption is a Western epic, set at the turn of the 20th centu...

Katamari Damacy is a third-person puzzle-action video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2. It was released in Japan in March 2004 and in North America in September 2004. Designer Keita Takahashi struggled to pitch the game to Namco's superiors, eventually seeking student aid from the Namco Digital Hollywood Game Laboratory to develop the project for less than US$ 1 million. As director, Takahashi emphasized concepts of novelty, ease of understanding, and enjoyment.

RAGE comes to your mobile device with the hit of the wastelands, Mutant Bash TV! This intense first-person rail shooter casts you in the starring role of a post...

Vincent is a normal salaryman with a somewhat normal life, With a girlfriend of 5 years or so named Katherine, Katherine is pushing to get married, and Vincent...

Raccoon City has been completely overrun by mutant beasts and bloodthirsty zombies. You are a member of S.T.A.R.S.--a rescue squad sent into the community to in...

[Metacritic's 2008 PS3 Game of the Year; Also known as "GTA IV"] What does the American Dream mean today? For Niko Belic, fresh off the boat from Europe. It's...

Mario Kart Wii comes with the intuitive Wii Wheel, which makes it easy for novices to compete against veterans, so no one is left in the dust. And with a broadb...

Play together in your living room or across the world! Rock Band offers deep online functionality, allowing players to rock together whether they’re in Rhode...

&ldquo;Lemme tell ya, these ain&rsquo;t no ordinary finches we&rsquo;re talkin&rsquo; about. These here are the Angry Birds, the ones that&rsquo;s gonna kick yo...

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (Japanese: キングダム ハーツ バース バイ スリープ, Hepburn: Kingudamu Hātsu Bāsu bai Surīpu) is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010 and in the PAL regions on September 10, 2010. An international version of the game titled Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix was released in Japan in January 2011 featuring the changes made in the non-Japanese versions.
The game utilizes an overhauled battle system different from previous games in the series with new elements. It is a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts, taking place ten years before. The game centers on the journeys of Terra, Aqua and Ventus, characters briefly featured in Kingdom Hearts II in their quest to locate the missing Master Xehanort, and protect the worlds from creatures known as the Unversed. The player has access to the three characters' different scenarios when playing.

How Far Will You Go To Save Someone You Love? Experience a gripping psychological thriller filled with innumerable twists and turns, where choices and actions c...

After a valiant struggle to stop the Chimera invasion in Europe, mankind must make its last stand on the shores of the United States. Resistance 2 places player...

A couple flying to the vacation of their dreams is torn apart by a violent plane crash. Take on a harrowing quest to find your lost wife. Enter into the dark wo...

[Metacritic's 2008 PC Game of the Year] Vault-Tec engineers have worked around the clock on an interactive reproduction of Wasteland life for you to enjoy from...

Noby Noby Boy (のびのびBOY, Nobi Nobi Boy) is a video game for the PlayStation 3 and iOS, developed by Keita Takahashi and published by Namco Bandai. The PlayStation 3 game was released worldwide on February 19, 2009 while the iOS version was released the following year on February 18, 2010.In the game, the player controls the character Boy, who can stretch his body. One of the meanings of "nobi" is "stretch" in Japanese. "Nobinobi" also means "carefree" in Japanese, so the game's title is a play on words with both of these meanings.The player takes control of a worm-like quadrupedal character referred to as Boy. Using the controller, the left analog stick moves the front of Boy while the right stick controls the back. By moving both ends in opposite directions, the player can stretch the Boy's abdomen to colossal lengths. The player can maneuver the Boy around its environment, interacting with stationary objects like houses, or AI-controlled characters such as barnyard animals.

Yakuza 4 returns for another round of open world adventure, this time with four main characters....

Gunstar Heroes is a run and gun video game developed by Treasure and published by Sega. It was Treasure's debut game, originally released on the Sega Genesis in 1993. The game's premise is centered around a pair of characters, the Gunstars, in their efforts to stop an evil empire from recovering four powerful gems. The characters can fire guns and perform a series of acrobatic maneuvers to fight enemies across each stage. There are four weapons in the game which can be combined with one another to create different shot types.
Development on Gunstar Heroes began among a team of staff working at Konami in 1991. Following an unwillingness of Konami to embrace their original game ideas, the team quit in 1992 and formed Treasure to see their project through. The team wanted to develop their game for the Genesis because of the system's powerful Motorola 68000 microprocessor. Sega initially rejected their proposal, but later granted approval after they had been working for Sega for several months on McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure (1993). Treasure worked on both games in parallel, and released Gunstar Heroes worldwide as their first game in 1993.

Dead Nation features online and offline two-player cooperative play, a lengthy campaign littered with hidden treasures, hugely upgradeable weapons and armor, an...

In the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.

A reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home, and the gold within it from the dragon Smaug.

In 1954, a U.S. Marshal investigates the disappearance of a murderer who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane.

2010 American film directed by Martin Scorsese

The story of how George Jung, along with the Medellín Cartel headed by Pablo Escobar, established the American cocaine market in the 1970s in the United States.

2001 biopic about George Jung from the United States directed by Ted Demme

In order to ruin a western town, a corrupt politician appoints a black Sheriff, who promptly becomes his most formidable adversary.

The spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.

A behind-the-scenes look into the highly competitive and cut-throat world of dog shows through the eyes of a group of ruthless dog owners.

The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep.

In the near future, Major Mira Killian is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world's most dangerous criminals.

The film revolves around Akira, who is reminiscing his life, his trysts with love and how he turned out to be the responsible man that his businessman father he eventually wanted to be.

The eccentric members of a dysfunctional family reluctantly gather under the same roof for various reasons.

With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, Oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son.

A rag doll that awakens in a postapocalyptic future holds the key to humanity's salvation.

A teenage boy and his family including his dying leukemic father and the effects of the high cost treatment of his disease on other family members.

A stubborn teenager enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal to track down her father's murderer.

2010 film directed by Ethan and Joel Coen

A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.

A kindhearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.

1992 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation

Two victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and psychopathic serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.

An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation.

2009 stop-motion animated film directed by Wes Anderson

American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist

English singer, songwriter, actress, and television presenter

The cartoon misadventures of four babies and their snotty older cousin as they face the things in life they don't understand.

A zany sketch comedy featuring many wacky characters hosted for kids and by kids.

Tales of horror based on the gruesome E.C. comic books of the 1950s presented by the legendary Crypt Keeper, a sinister ghoul obsessed with gallows humor and horrific puns.

American horror anthology television series

An irreverent look at what goes on behind-the-scenes in Reno, Nevada's Sheriff's Department.

Celebrities duel it out in a wrestling ring, the first one who dies loses.

Chris and Martin Kratt bring their enthusiasm for animals to the pre-school set.

Kenan and Kel: two best friends who live in Chicago are always dragged down by Kenan's get rich quick schemes while orange soda-loving buddy Kel is dragged along but tends to mess things up.

Power Rangers is an American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live-action superhero television series, based on the Japanese tokusatsu franchise Super Sentai. Produced first by Saban Entertainment, second by BVS Entertainment, later by Saban Brands, and today by SCG Power Rangers and Hasbro, the Power Rangers television series takes much of its footage from the Super Sentai television series, produced by Toei Company. The first Power Rangers entry, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, debuted on August 28, 1993, and helped launch the Fox Kids programming block of the 1990s, during which it catapulted into popular culture along with a line of action figures and other toys by Bandai. By 2001, the media franchise had generated over $6 billion in toy sales.

The story of Ben Tennyson, a typical kid who becomes very atypical after he discovers the Omnitrix, a mysterious alien device with the power to transform the wearer into ten different alien species.

Documentary following sharks and shark attacks.

A animated anthology show hosted by two kids who live in a comic book.

American animated sketch comedy television series

A wealthy entrepreneur must face his corrupt business partner and a sinister organization in order to get his life back.

A famous guest host stars in parodies and sketches created by the cast of this witty show.

A team of humanoid cats fight evil in their adopted home world.

Collectors discover that they can turn trash into treasure, thanks to the appraisal skills of the show's specialists in antiques and fine art; Mark L. Walberg hosts.

Common people discover that they have super powers. Their lives intertwine as a devastating event must be prevented.

American science fiction television drama series

Three different but related families face trials and tribulations in their own uniquely comedic ways.

Widower Sheriff Andy Taylor, and his son Opie, live with Andy's Aunt Bee in Mayberry, North Carolina. With virtually no crimes to solve, most of Andy's time is spent philosophizing and calming down his cousin Deputy Barney Fife.

A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family's future.

The absurd antics of an Indiana town's public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.

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