DEBORAH PRUM

PODCAST-DARK MATTER TV SERIES I attended seventh grade at Nathan Hale, a junior high school in a small industrial city. Much of the “educational” energy expended in the school involved teachers breaking up fights. Most of my personal energy was expended by running home from school every day to avoid getting beaten up. I wasn’t particularly unpopular, just slow, small, and available. In seventh grade, a middled-aged, frail science teacher named Mr. Jaffee taught me general science. I loved the man and would linger after class to ask him one question after another. At twelve, the concept of possibilities fascinated me. Unfortunately, I conflated possibilities with the idea of probabilities. For my science project, I wrote my own interpretation of Blaise Pascal ideas about probability. Let’s just say I did not come close to nailing the topic, but Mr. Jaffee gave me an A for effort. My slightly whack-a-doodle report led to an after-school discussion during which Mr. Jaffee covered the blackboard with words and diagrams that introduced me to the concepts of the uncertainty principle, superposition and quantum tunneling, although he did not name them as such. I’ve never fully understood, nor have I ever forgotten what he told me. Years later, I realized two things about Mr. Jaffee, that he was brilliant and must have read Schrodinger, Dirac and Heisenberg. Also, it dawned on me that he was dying of cancer the entire year he spent indulging all my questions. He passed away at the end of the term. His influence led me to a lifetime interest in physics, not Newtonian classical physics, but quantum physics. My minimal math skills enable me to comprehend 1% of quantum math and my ability to decipher physics writing enables me to understand about 30% of quantum theory, but the passion is there. Just ask my husband. He’s banned me from keeping Brian Greene’s Fabric of the Universe on our nightstand because of the number of times I’ve awakened him to tell him a mind-blowing physics fact. It’s gotten so bad that he won’t even engage in daytime conversations that include the words multiverse or entanglement. Several people had to recommend the TV series Dark Matter before I relented. I dislike sci-fi movies that mangle the basic tenets of quantum theory. Given my 30% mastery of the topic, my opinion is that this series gets the science right, or close to right. The premise is not completely implausible. All any inventor would have to do is figure out how to make macro entities (people) behave like micro entities (for example photons) in a quantum field. During the two weeks my husband was out of the country, I binge-watched the show. In episode one we meet Jason Desson (played by Joel Edgerton). He’s a physics professor who spends his life trying to get his students to look up from their phones. What makes his life worth living is his wife Daniela (played by Jennifer Connelly), to whom he’s devoted, and his son Charlie (Oakes Fegley), whom he adores. One evening, Jason, who I will call Jason 1, is kidnapped, drugged, and via a box, transported to another “universe” where he replaces Jason 2, an unmarried, highly successful, selfishly driven physicist who lives with his psychiatrist girlfriend, Amanda Lucas (Alice Braga). I can’t tell you more without spoiling the plot. In fact, I’ve probably already told you too much. The story is a carefully constructed and makes sense within the world the writer has created which I appreciate. Actors play multiple nuanced versions of their characters, and they do a good job of it. The pacing is pretty good, although there is a grim and repetitive stretch midway when I almost gave up watching. I became attached to the character, Amanda, the kind psychiatrist who accompanies Jason 1 in his quest to get back to his wife and son. I felt so worried about what might become of her that I could barely keep watching the show. But I stuck with it. Pro tip: if you decide to watch the series, you don’t have to understand quantum physics to follow the plot, but you do have to keep track of multiple versions of the characters. For the iterations of Jason, watch for the wedding ring, dark cap, and varying facial scratches. For Daniela and Charlie, watch for hairstyles and clothing. This movie is about regret, roads not taken, how specific choices lead to specific outcomes, and how the selfish drive of one person can ruin many lives. But it is also about generosity, loyalty, fidelity, gratitude, selflessness, and taking joy in the moment. The series wrapped up plot points in a satisfying way and left plenty of room for season two, which is already available. Should you watch it? I say go for it. ### Interested in other quirky movies? Check out: NINE DAYS DADDIO GHOSTLIGHT 0:00 / 0:00 Dark Matter (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her WEBSITE. Check out her DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES. Check out her PAINTINGS. APPLE PODCAST SPOTIFY PODCAST

PODCAST-THE BRAND NEW TESTAMENT-A MOVIE REVIEW Add Text Here…. 0:00 / 0:00 The Brand New Testament The Belgian film, The Brand New Testament, puts the “Q” in quirky. I love dark humor and unconventional films, but my husband, Bruce, does not. However, by the movie’s end, we agreed that this movie was a wild ride that we both enjoyed. (A miracle.) Here’s the set-up: God is a mean-spirited, grungy, bathrobe-wearing old guy who sits at a computer in bleak apartment in Brussels, wreaking havoc on mankind. His actions range from petty annoyances, like making sure toast always falls on the jelly side, to devasting events (think heart failure, assassinations, weather disasters.) This grumpy God shares his non-descript apartment with his timid wife, his son, JC, a sometimes-animated statue who sits on a shelf, and his feisty ten-year-old daughter, Ea, who is the hero of this tale. Ea routinely tangles with her cruel father. One day she sneaks into the computer room and discovers how he intentionally causes great suffering for all of humanity. When she confronts him about his actions, he goes after her with a belt. Ea escapes and asks her brother, JC, for advice. He tells her to find six additional apostles and to write a brand new testament. Ea randomly chooses the names of the six apostles from her father’s data base. Then, she sends a text to the cellphones of all the people on earth that includes a countdown to each person’s specific time of death. After that, Ea finds a brilliantly inventive way to escape from the apartment. Then she roams the streets of Brussels looking for the specific apostles, all of whom seem like people who have just wandered out of a Fellini film. I’m not going to tell you any more of the plot except that it’s bizarre and in its own circuitous way, it works. The nuanced acting in this film is a tribute to Jaco Van Dormael’s directing skills. The actors say and do the weirdest things without blinking an eye. Bruce and I especially loved Ea, the ten-year-old child who made the world a better place by marching around Brussels giving people truly insane advice. The only actor we recognized was Catherine Deneuve, playing the fifth apostle. Her choice of a romantic partner will astonish you. The humor is both understated and absurd, my favorite kind. The film was a Golden Globe nominee and was shortlisted in the Best Foreign Film category at the 88th Academy Awards. Bruce and I liked The Brand New Testament. If you watch it, you may not feel the same way. This movie is not for everyone. My mother would have hated it. You may think the movie is heretical and offensive. I would disagree. However, I don’t want to say why, because saying so would reveal too much of the plot. If you decide to watch the movie and want to discuss it, shoot me a message. That’s all for now. ### Interested in other quirky movies? Check out: NINE DAYS DADDIO GHOSTLIGHT (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her WEBSITE. Check out her DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES. Check out her PAINTINGS. APPLE PODCAST SPOTIFY PODCAST

PODCAST-STERLING POINT-TV SERIES If you watch a trailer for the eight-episode series, Sterling Park, you might be tempted to dismiss it as a Disney-like teen show, but you would be wrong. Yes, there are a few “Disney” moments but on the whole director, Megan Park, delivers a tale well told, addressing important issues with nuance and wisdom. Fraternal twins Annie (Ella Rubin) and Connor (Keen Ruffalo—yes, son of Mark Ruffalo) inherit an island in Canada from a maternal grandfather they’ve never met. They’ve been raised in New York City by Steven, their adoptive father, played by Jay Duplass, Their mother died when they were very young. Seventeen-year-old Annie, (who looks like a cross between Ann Hathaway and Julia Roberts) discovers a letter from her grandfather that gives her ambiguous instructions. Without telling her father, Annie flies to Cananda then hires a private plane to get to the multimillion dollar island she’s inherited. The pilot of the small plane is a teenager named Ellis (Jacob Whiteduck). The instant sizzle to their interactions does gives off a Disney vibe, but no worries, their relationship proceeds in a way that made me feel there is hope for the next generation. This is not to say that the Ellis-Annie relationship is lacking in conflict and uncertainty. The presence of Rory (Daniel Quinn-Toye) provides plenty of drama. He is an ultra-wealthy former classmate of Annie’s from NYC who falls for her immediately when he sees her on the island. He’s not your typical chucklehead rich boy; he’s kind, generous, tender, and asks all the right questions. So, the love triangle is nuanced. The Ellis and Rory characters are not stereotypes. The screen writers go to great pains to develop robust back stories for both guys. Connor, Annie’s twin brother, provides comedic relief throughout the series. Pay special attention to the scene where Connor and Rory help each other stretch their hamstrings after they play some sort of racket sport. It had me laughing out loud. Some of the best acting is done by Ramona and Oona. Ramona’s mother is dead. She has been raised by her grandfather, a grandfather she just happens to share with Annie and Connor, siblings she does not know exist. Oona’s mother seems to have abandoned her and her twelve-year-old sister, Maple, whom Oona is raising. Oona and Ramona clearly are in love. At the same time, the two young women clearly have absent mother issues, which they both acknowledge. Their relationship is passionate, tumultuous, and angst filled. The behavior of these teens does not always reflect best judgment. That being said, all of seven of the main characters, ranging from twelve to eighteen, are pretty darn smart, with the twelve-year-old, Maple, being the wisest of them all. At least five of them read fancy-schmancy books, one is a concert pianist, and Connor, who portrays himself as a party boy is a closet genius. Well, maybe not genius, but very bright. The three adults in the film fall into the murky territory of not really bad guys, but also not parents their collective offspring would like to emulate. Two of the fathers regret the questionable choices they made in the past, and one woman (Rory’s mother) is a person who regrettably doesn’t not regret any of her actions. The setting, the Muskoka Lakes region of Canada is gorgeous. If I had access to a private jet, I’d zip off there in a heartbeat. The soundtrack blew me away. When I heard a clip from Joan Osborne’s song, What if God is One of Us, I knew I was in for a treat. The songs are a mix of mainstream, indie, and folk music, with performers like Teddy Swims, the Head and the Heart, and Liza Minnelli. The cinematography and the soundtrack alone make the series worth watching. Are there plot points that defy credulity? Yes, of course, I could name several but nothing egregious. There was a twist I did not anticipate that possibly wasn’t quite believable, but I liked it anyway. The end was satisfying in that wrapped up most of the major plot points and included two cliff-hangers that left room for an intriguing second season. Sterling Point is an entertaining and thought-provoking series. I recommend it so long as you are not squeamish about occasional scenes of teens making questionable choices. ### Interested in other TV series? Please check out my reviews of: FIRE BUG TASK WIDOW’S BAY 0:00 / 0:00 Sterling Point (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her WEBSITE. Check out her DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES. Check out her PAINTINGS. APPLE PODCAST SPOTIFY PODCAST

PODCAST-EUPHORIA, MONTANA, & THE PROFESSOR & THE HOUSEKEEPER Are you looking for a book to read? Check out my mini reviews. Euphoria by Lily King: This work of historical fiction is loosely based on the life of anthropologist, Margaret Mead. The novel is set in 1930’s New Guinea, when anthropology was a nascent and not necessarily respected field of study. The narrative tension of the novel is created by both a love triangle and also the differing views the three anthropologists hold about the ways to pursue their research. King skillfully presents this tale from two distinct points of view. We mainly hear from Andrew Bankson, a depressed and on-and-off suicidal British anthropologist who is in love with Nell Stone. She is an American anthropologist who is married to Fen, an Australian anthropologist. Excerpts from Nell’s diary provide a second point of view. One takeaway for me is how often we have no idea what is going on in another person’s mind and how guessing wrong can result in tragedy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson: This slim volume of 169 pages is a coming-of-age story, told by twelve-year-old David Hayden whose father is the sheriff of a small town, a job he took on unwillingly. David’s uncle is the town physician and local war hero, who, on the surface, is a charming fellow. His grandparents are wealthy folks who control the town and its members. This includes families that have settled the area and Native Americans, the people they’ve displaced and mistreated. This spare story is elegantly told, with moving observations of disturbing events that forever shift David’s world view. The novel addresses themes of family loyalty, the harsh treatment of Native Americans, justice deferred, and the cost of living your life with integrity. The pacing is great and the prose is engaging. I read the book almost in one sitting. I wish Watson had spent more time talking about the interior life of the Native Americans who suffered greatly. And, at the end, I wanted to see all the “bad guys” and the institutional racism dealt with in a more vigorous manner. However, the ending I yearned for would not have been realistic for the times. Regardless, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. The Housekeeper by Yoko Ogawa I don’t care about baseball, and I’ve feared math since early childhood. Numbers hurt my brain. However, Yoko Ogawa’s novel gave me a deeper appreciation of both math and baseball. Although, I can’t see myself ever watching a full game. The story is about a brilliant, but ornery mathematician who suffered a traumatic brain injury which left him with an eighty-minute short term memory. A housekeeper and her son become an integral part of his life. The professor is forced to live entirely in the present. He doesn’t remember the housekeeper and her son from visit to visit. However, the professor communicates his passion for math to the woman and her boy. Ultimately, they both cine to share the professor’s passion. The story is heartwarming in a non-sentimenal way. And, miracle of miracles, I happily learned about the beauty of math and the intricacies of baseball. The relationship between the three characters felt touching and realistic. I highly recommend the book. If you hate math, let me know if this novel changes your mind. ### Interested in more reviews? Please check out: THE GOD OF THE WOODS FOSTER 0:00 / 0:00 THREE BOOK REVIEWS (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her WEBSITE. Check out her DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES. Check out her PAINTINGS. APPLE PODCAST SPOTIFY PODCAST

PODCAST-WIDOW’S BAY-TV SERIES I did not have helicopter parents. My first exposure to horror films was watching The Haunting at age ten with my father. Dear Dad, always the jokester, jump scared me at a tense moment of the movie, an event that shaved a decade off my life. Years later, in college, I stupidly re-watched the film with a bad boyfriend, who jump scared me at exactly the same moment. Based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, this movie is the reason I can never fall asleep while staying in an Airbnb in an old Victorian mansion. My second exposure to the horror genre was watching The Sixth Sense which I thought was going to be a simple psychological drama. I spent the movie with my hands covering eyes and my thumbs stuck in my ears. After watching this film, I’ve never viewed kitchen cabinets in the same way. Created by Katie Dippold for Apple TV, Widow’s Bay is billed as a comedy horror television series. After reading many intriguing comments about it, I broke my “no horror movies” rule. I binge-watched the series on my iPhone on a daunting car trip from Virginia to Long Island. We drove up in a snarl of cars that were headed to World Cup events, a golf tournament, and the Knicks parade. The bumper-to-bumper traffic, coupled with unhinged New Yorkers behind the wheel, made the trip terrifying. So, to distract me from the terror, I decided to watch Widow’s Bay on my iPhone. Brilliant logic, I know. Here’s the plot: Tom Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, is mayor of Widow’s Bay, an island that townies believe to be cursed. Tom is a widower with one son, Evan, a teen who hates the place and takes every opportunity to engage in shenanigans. A mainlander himself, Tom’s main goal is to convince everyone that Widow’s Bay is safe and is a great tourist destination. The old-timer residents know better than to believe Tom and impede him at every turn. The ensemble cast of townspeople is a pitch perfect portrayal of quirky odd ducks, some of whom are innocuous, and some who are not. They are given the very best comedic lines and corporately are the highlight of the movie. Compared to the sheer terror of our drive to Long Island, I found this series more funny than frightening. The movie is filled with the usual tropes: a sea hag, boogeyman, spooky fog, black skies, howling wind, dungeon, jump scares galore, and your two, not one, off-kilter people periodically screaming about impending doom. I loved the campy humor and the straight-faced delivery of some of the ridiculous things ever said. The film never takes itself too seriously. For example, during an intense scene when Tom is alone in a dark room interrogating a menacing specter, the mayor’s secretary pops in, saying, “Oops, sorry. I forgot my purse.” Good pacing and the ever-building narrative tension kept me engaged. The storyline is so over-the-top ridiculous and implausible that I never felt scared, repulsed maybe, but not scared. If I’d watched this on a big screen or even a slightly bigger screen, the experience would have been more immersive and possibly more frightening. British TV series tend to wrap up each season with a definitive ending. Not so with Americans. Widow’s Bay leaves the viewer with unresolved plot points which I found mildly annoying. Regardless, I enjoyed this character-driven dark comedy and recommend it. ### Interested in other TV reviews? Check out: TASK SMOKE THE PERFECT COUPLE 0:00 / 0:00 Widow's Bay (Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her WEBSITE. Check out her DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES. Check out her PAINTINGS. APPLE PODCAST SPOTIFY PODCAST