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Very compelling in its argument that the nuclear holocaust is gonna suck

I guess this is my fourth time through Harry P and, to be honest, while I loved this book as a kid it’s just not as dynamic as I remember. You might have forgotten that Dudley is fucking fat and ugly but you’ll be quickly reminded in chapter 2 when your assaulted with that info. The plot devices that Rowling conjures to keep the story afloat are good but the characters are static and tropey.

bleak af but cool to see its influence in other texts! After Yang is pretty much lifted from the first chapter of this book. The way that Dick thought about humans’ desire to “technology”their way out of things like loneliness and a sustainable ecosystem/planet is, uh, prophetic.

Sean Penn in the book makes a really powerful point about how Terrence Malick doesn’t try to rage against contradictions like a typical American, but attempts to balance them in his films. Badlands is such a good example of that— Malick doesn’t cast judgements on his characters or attempt to police their morality— he instead takes the role of observer and presenter.

Definitely enjoy the pacing of the second story more than the first. I’ve noticed a connection between the two books I’m reading now— that violence that befalls animals tends to illicit a stronger response from audiences than violence towards humans. The abuse towards the dog is almost unreadable but when the guy gets his hand chopped off I have a different response— horror but also vulgar curiosity. Weird

LOVED the point made by Billy Weber in the book where he talks about Terry’s refusal to shoot movies according to a conventional structure. “Life goes on on every level.”

While the writing style of the first story didn’t exactly click for me (the tedium)— what I have enjoyed is Foster-Wallace’s ability to switch between vastly different voices in these stories. The genius is definitely starting to click for me.

An insightful read and as close of a look into the craft of Terrence malice as you’re going to get. I’ve really enjoyed the structure and anecdotes from those surrounding Malick— each snippet seems to have a little pearl of info or insight that I hadn’t thought of before— well edited! Really illuminating for a young filmmaker to read im a way that isn’t too verbose or too basic.

As kind-of boring as the first story is to me— I’ve grown to appreciate Wallace’s love and use of details to build atmosphere. He does this as well as any writer and the way he creates feelings with these details reminds me of the function of the ‘insert shot’ in film.

The most striking part of this book for me has been the simplicity and freshness that Orange writes his characters in. They are real and he loves the little things about them—how they see the world and the very minute details that make them unique. This care and love of small details makes sense in the context of the narratives: Orange is introducing the world to these people with beautiful and unique minds/souls.