Pirates!

As Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest rolls around (we'll be seeing it Friday night) a boy's thoughts turn to pirates and horror. Two great things that go great together. I picked up William Hope Hodgson's collection The Ghost Pirates and Other Revenants of The Sea from Night Shade Books at Pandemonium today, which peaseblossom is currently reading.

Anyone have a copy of the old Hammer film The Lost Continent that I can borrow?

What is your favorite work of Pirate fantasy weirdness? We'll just assume that On Stranger Tides is on your list, and if it is not I probably don't want to be hearing about it. Though I did just notice the Babbage Press edition came out when I wasn't looking, so I am ordering it.

Syriana

Tonight we finally watched Syriana, a movie I've been waiting for, and I'l be honest I feel disappointed.

The first problem was the sound, we couldn't hear a thing so we turned it u real loud and then whenever it was music, background noise or foreign language it was blaring and we could barely hear the English parts. Very annoying.

Then there was the death of kids. I find most movies, and this was no exception, needlessly kill children to show how edgy they are. I normally find it to e an element of uncreativity on the part of the writer. Death of kids when appropriate is fine, I just find most of it gratuitous.

And then the movie seemed designed to just push liberal hot buttons often at the expense of real plot. It had moments of cool political thrillerdom, but I felt it often left me flat. Pity. I was hoping for something more like Traffic there. Must be the difference between screenwriting and directing.