vic fortezza

I add films to my Netflix list months in advance. By the time they arrive, some are a complete mystery as to why I rented them. Such was the case with French thriller Point Blank (2010), which has slam bang action from start to finish and comes in at a tidy 84 minutes. Of course, there are instances that strain credulity, but that is the case with most action pictures. There are a few especially memorable scenes: a motorcycle accident, a chase through a Paris subway station, and the chaos in a station house following multiple robberies and vandalism. It's a fun ride, strictly a popcorn movie. Kudos to director Fred Cavaye. On a scale of five, three-and-a-half. The folks at IMDb rate it 6.9 out of ten. It is not to be confused with the 1967 quirky noir classic of the same title starring Lee Marvin and Angie Dickinson, directed by John Boorman, rated 7.4; or a Mickey Rourke vehicle (1998), rated 3.9. In the 50's and 60's French cinema was influenced by Hollywood noir like Detour (1945), Double Indemnity (1944) and Out of the Past (1947), and some real beauties were the result, among them: Diabolique {'55}, Le Trou {'60}, Le Samourai {'67}. Now it seems to have picked up the pace ala modern American thrillers. Tell No One (2006), based on the novel by Harlen Coben, was also tres bien. As Marv Albert might say: Oui! The floating book shop had a great day. I didn't even have...

My thanks to Lev, who overpaid for two Russian translations of Stephen King novels, and to the young lady who purchased a novel based on the TV series Alias. Here's an excerpt from a short story, His Destiny, that has received more than 15,000 hits at buzzle.com. It is part of the A Hitch in Twilight collection. Reluctant, short of breath, he opened the trunk, slowly, and shined the flashlight inside. The dark-haired woman's crumpled body was there amid broken glass, as he'd feared. He stifled a sob, quickly closed the trunk, and gazed about, fearful someone had seen his dark secret. He awoke abruptly, cold, nauseated, shivering despite the number of blankets atop him. He closed his eyelids tightly, trying to chase the frightening image, which remained vivid. The hair at the back of his neck was wet, as were his armpits and the back of his knees. It was four AM. It was the fifth consecutive night he'd been awakened at this precise hour. Tears came to his eyes. He was frustrated and baffled. His study of Freud, who claimed dreams were wish-fulfillment, had been useless. He could not imagine what wish would be fulfilled by the murder of a woman who was a stranger to him. He dressed quickly, everything at his fingertips in the tiny studio apartment. He set the three locks at his door and tiptoed down three flights to the lobby. He had difficulty opening the building's large outer door, the wind blowing furiously against...

This morning on his radio show on WOR-AM, John Gambling spoke of a rumor that the Steinbrenners are quietly putting out feelers gauging interest in buyers for the Yankees. Word is Hal hates a lot of the players, which is understandable, as all are overpaid and many are juvenile ingrates or jerks. Apparently, the Boss’s heirs do not need the same goose to ego that their patriarch did. Gambling suggested Mayor Bloomberg is the most obvious choice as possible owner. My pick – JAYZ. There was a witty blurb attached to yet another story in the NY Post about the Secret service scandal: “The Obama administration has fired the only people in Washington who were cutting spending – the … agents who stiffed the Colombian hooker.” When it’s not so frustrating it makes one feel like tearing his/her hair out, politics can be quite amusing. Speaking of which – it seems Slick Willie still has it. At an event in Monaco he was photographed flanked by porn stars Sasha Reign (left) and Brooklyn Lee. I wonder how Hillary reacted to the news. Here’s the pic: I lucked out today. Given the rain, I would not have been able to sell books. Fortunately, it was time to accompany a handicapped friend to the doctor. Not only did she pay me, she treated me to a belated birthday lunch. Thank you, ma’am. And there was a little progress on the literary front. Amazon has come up with a cover for the screenplay I...

Since I really enjoyed the film adaption of Chuck Palahniuk's first novel, The Fight Club (1999), I looked forward to reading his second, Survivor. I was disappointed. His work is described as minimalist, transgressive(?), satirical humor. I did not relate to the characters, who are on the fringes of society. Their indifference to life made me largely indifferent to them. Fortunately, it was an easy read, chock full of short and run on sentences. The pages are in reverse order, a countdown. Although it worked in this regard, it also had me thinking: Oh, good, only 100 to go. The book would appeal most to those who enjoy an absurdist viewpoint. I prefer narratives that portray the human condition as most people experience it. I don't know how many sales the author enjoys. I do do know he was regarded highly enough to be profiled in and featured on the cover Poets & Writers magazine. I should be so lucky - or talented. On a scale of five, two. Eugene Polley may be an unfamiliar name, but he has impacted millions of lives. He is the inventor of one of the most useful devices ever made - the remote control. He has passed away at the age of 96. Advertisers may hate him, but viewers like me love his work. Whenever there is a commercial break, I head for other channels. Thank you for bettering our lives, sir. The floating book shop had a two-hour visit from Ol' Smokey today. OS...

"...faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." These words are familiar to all, spoken by Paul in First Letter to the Corinthians. Almost every day I receive mail from one charitable organization or another. When I had a real job, I'd cut a check, usually a small amount, to more than five different organizations. As a single male, it was never a burden. Since I've plunged headlong into the writer's life and cash flow is limited, I've had to become more discriminating and less generous. The March of Dimes, Jerry's Kids, and Toys for Tots still make the cut. Each gets one small sum per year. The Wounded Warriors Project gets the most of my largesse these days. After all, soldiers give life and limb to preserve the freedom Americans hold dear. They are among the lowest paid government workers, and really should be the highest. So much is squandered on hacks. I receive a plea from WWP at least once a month, and I have to pass on it 80% of the time, which makes me feel small. Today I received a certificate of appreciation, which ramps up the guilt even more. I know I haven't done enough. I've fantasized about making a large donation after receiving a huge pay day from Hollywood, but it's easy to allocate money that isn't there. Hopefully, I would do the right thing if I ever became successful financially. I experience the same guilt whenever I receive a plea...