This week's movie picks are 'Project X' and 'Hugo'

It’s Wednesday, so today I give you my weekly list of movies that will open in theatres this week as well as a list of movies that will be released this week on DVD.

I hope this will serve as a useful guide as to what’s going on this week if you happen to be near a movie theatre or if you’re looking for something to drop into your NetFlix queue.

Movies that are scheduled to hit theatres this week include:

Being Flynn (Drama, Comedy, R): Directed by Paul Weitz and starring Paul Dano, Robert De Niro, Olivia Thirlby, Julianne Moore and Wes Studi.

Black Butterflies (Drama): Directed by Paula van der Oest and starring Rutger Hauer, Liam Cunningham, Carice van Houten, Grant Swanby and Graham Clarke.

Boy (Comedy, Drama): Directed by Taika Waititi and starring James Rolleston, Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu, Taika Waititi, Moerangi Tihore and Cherilee Martin.

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (PG, Family, Comedy): Directed by Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda and starring the voices of Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, Ed Helms, Betty White and Taylor Swift.

Last Days Here (Not Rated, Documentary, Music): Directed by Demian Fenton and Don Argott.

Let the Bullets Fly (Action, Comedy, Not Rated): Directed by Jiang Wen and starring Chow Yun-Fat, Jian Wen and Ge You.

No Room For Rockstars (Documentary, Music): Directed by Parris Patton.

Project X (Comedy, R): Directed by Nima Nourizadeh and starring Thomas Mann, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Oliver Cooper, Miles Teller and Nichole O’Connor.

The Salt of Life (Comedy): Directed by Gianni Di Gregorio and starring Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria De Franciscis Bendoni, Alfonso Santagata, Michelangelo Ciminale and Valeria Cavalli.

The Snowtown Murders (Suspense): Directed by Justin Kurzel and starring Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway, Craig Coyne and Louise Harris.

Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie (Comedy, R): Directed by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim and starring Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, John C. Reilly, Zach Galifianakis and Jeff Goldblum.

New DVD releases for the week of Feb. 28 include:

Answers to Nothing (Drama, Mystery, R): Directed by Matthew Leutwyler and starring Dane Cook, Elizabeth Mitchell, Julie Benz, Barbara Hershey and Zach Gilford.

Beneath the Darkness (Suspense, R): Directed by Martin Guigui and starring Dennis Quaid, Aimee Teegarden, Stephen Lunsford, Devon Werkheiser and Tony Oller.

Bounty Hunters (Action, R): Directed by Patrick McBrearty and starring Trish Stratus, Frank J. Zupancic and Boomer Phillips.

Hugo (Family, Adventure, PG): Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Christopher Lee and Jude Law.

I Melt With You (Suspense, R): Directed by Mark Pellington and starring Thomas Jane, Jeremy Piven, Carla Gugino, Christian McKay and Rob Lowe.

Insight (Action, R): Directed by Richard Gabai and starring Natalie Zea, Sean Patrick Flanery, Christopher Lloyd, Adam Baldwin and Thomas Ian Nicholas.

Johnny English Reborn (Comedy, Adventure, PG): Directed by Oliver Parker and starring Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West and Richard Schiff.

Mandrill (Action, R): Directed by Ernesto Diaz Espinoza and starring Marko Zaror, Celine Reymond, Alejandro Castillo, Luis Alarcon and Maria Jose Prieto.

The Myth of the American Sleepover (Drama, Comedy): Directed by David Robert Mitchell and starring Jade Ramsey, Amy Seimetz, Nikita Ramsey, Amanda Bauer and Marlon Morton.

Rabies (Horror): Directed by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado and starring Ania Bukstein, Lior Ashkenazi and Danny Geva.

If I could only watch one movie at the theatre this week, it would be “Project X,” and if I had to pick just one DVD to rent this week, it would be “Hugo.”

In the end, let me know if you get a chance to watch any of the new movies in theatres this week or if you’ve already seen any of the movies that have just been released on DVD. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

Daily Weather Observations for Wed., Feb. 29, 2012

Temp: 63.1 degrees F (17.3 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.1 inches.

Humidity: 87 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Overcast.

Winds: 1.7 mph out of the South-Southeast (light air)

Barometric Pressure: 29.66 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.3 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 7.7 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 12.4 inches

Local Weather Alerts: Dense Fog Advisory in effect until 9 a.m.

NOTE: 70th day of Winter. End of Rabbit, Squirrel, Raccoon, Opossum and Quail seasons in Alabama.

And Remember - "Expect the weather to be fair when crows fly in pairs."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level.

Nominees for this year's Nebula Awards named by SFWA

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association recently released its slate of nominees for this year’s Nebula Awards, which are given annually by the SFWA to recognize the best science fiction and fantasy fiction published in the U.S. during the previous year.

This year, awards will be given in six categories, including best novel, best novelette, best novella and best short story. There are also three special awards – the Andre Norton Award for Excellence in Science Fiction or Fantasy for Young Adults, the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation and the Solstice Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field.

The Nebula Awards are voted on by active members of the SFWA, and the winners will be announced during an awards banquet on May 19 in Arlington, Va.

The Nebula Award that I keep an eye on each year is the Nebula for Best Novel. This year’s slate of nominees for Best Novel includes the following six novels.

- “Among Others” by Jo Walton

- “Embassytown” by China Miéville

- “Firebird” by Jack McDevitt

- “God’s War” by Kameron Hurley

- “Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti” by Genevieve Valentine

- “The Kingdom of Gods” by N.K. Jemisin

The first Nebula Awards were awarded in 1965, and, as you might imagine, more than a few outstanding and famous sci-fi and fantasy novels have received the Best Novel award over the years. What follows is a complete of the Best Novel winners over the years.

1965 – “Dune” by Frank Herbert
1966 (tie) – “Babel-17” by Samuel R. Delany and “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
1967 – “The Einstein Intersection” by Samuel R. Delany
1968 – “Rite of Passage” by Alexei Panshin
1969 – “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin
1970 – “Ringworld” by Larry Niven

1971 – “A Time of Changes” by Robert Silverberg
1972 – “The Gods Themselves” by Isaac Asimov
1973 – “Rendezvous with Rama” by Arthur C. Clarke
1974 – “The Dispossessed” by Ursula K. Le Guin
1975 – “The Forever War” by Joe Haldeman

1976 – “Man Plus” by Frederick Pohl
1977 – “Gateway” by Frederick Pohl
1978 – “Dreamsnake” by Vonda McIntyre
1979 – “The Fountains of Paradise” by Arthur C. Clarke
1980 – “Timescape” by Gregory Benford

1981 – “The Claw of the Conciliator” by Gene Wolfe
1982 – “No Enemy But Time” by Michael Bishop
1983 – “Startide Rising” by David Brin
1984 – “Neuromancer” by William Gibson
1985 – “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card

1986 – “Speaker for the Dead” by Orson Scott Card
1987 – “The Falling Woman” by Pat Murphy
1988 – “Falling Free” by Lois McMaster Bujold
1989 – “The Healer’s War” by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
1990 – “Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea” by Ursula K. Le Guin

1991 – “Stations of the Tide” by Michael Swanwick
1992 – “Doomsday Book” by Connie Willis
1993 – “Red Mars” by Kim Stanley Robinson
1994 – “Moving Mars” by Greg Bear
1995 – “The Terminal Experiment” by Robert J. Sawyer

1996 – “Slow River” by Nicola Griffith
1997 – “The Moon and the Sun” by Vonda McIntyre
1998 – “Forever Peace” by Joe Haldeman
1999 – “Parable of the Talents” by Octavia E. Butler
2000 – “Darwin’s Radio” by Greg Bear

2001 – “The Quantum Rose” by Catherine Asaro
2002 – “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman
2003 – “The Speed of Dark” by Elizabeth Moon
2004 – “Paladin of Souls” by Lois McMaster Bujold
2005 – “Camouflage” by Joe Haldeman

2006 – “Seeker” by Jack McDevitt
2007 – “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” by Michael Chabon
2008 – “Powers” by Ursula K. Le Guin
2009 – “The Windup Girl” by Paolo Bacigalupi
2010 – “Blackout/All Clear” by Connie Willis

Have you had a chance to read any of this year’s Best Novel nominees? Which did you like? Which do you think will win this year’s Nebula for Best Novel? How many of the past winners for Best Novel have you read? Which of did you like? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more information about the Nebula Awards, including the nominees in other categories this year, visit the SFWA’s website at www.sfwa.org.

Daily Weather Observations for Tues., Feb. 28, 2012

Temp: 58.6 degrees F (14.8 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.1 inches.

Humidity: 85 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Overcast and foggy.

Winds: 1.3 mph out of the South-Southeast (light air)

Barometric Pressure: 29.79 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.2 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 7.6 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 12.3 inches

Local Weather Alerts: None.

NOTE: 69th day of Winter. End of Snipe season in Alabama.

And Remember - "A wind in the south has rain in her mouth."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level.

FICTION - The Ambulance Incident - Part III

The wolf’s howl echoed into the foggy night, and I watched as the beast turned toward me. He stood on top of the stretcher with his teeth drawn back from his lips in a snarl. They were fish belly white under the ambulance’s bright fluorescent lights.

From my vantage point at the vehicle’s rear double doors, I only had a second to consider the situation. My partner looked dead. He was sprawled on the bench seat and was covered in blood. Our patient, the man we’d struck with the ambulance, was nowhere to be seen. Had he gotten free somehow and escaped while the wolf attacked my partner?

Those thoughts left my mind when I saw the wolf flex his hind legs. He then pounced towards the door lightning fast, and left me with almost no time to react. Only the right side of the double doors was open. I swung it shut hard, and the wolf slammed into it. The beast was large, maybe as much as 200 pounds, and the blow almost knocked me to the ground. Somehow I managed to stay on my feet, but the door was still ajar. The only thing that stopped the wolf from escaping was the fact that it had been briefly stunned by its collision with the thick metal door.

The wolf recovered and rammed the door again. I braced against the door and kept him inside. If I could just close the door, he’d be trapped, unable to work the latch from the inside with his thumbless paws. The wolf’s forelegs and snapping muzzle filled the gap between the closed left door and the open right door, and its teeth gnashed savagely. If it were to escape, I’d be done for. There was no way that I’d be able to outrun the wolf. I’d end up as so much dead meat on the side of the foggy road.

We struggled on, and I could feel my strength fade. I made one last ditch effort to force the door closed. At the same moment, the wolf threw its full weight into the door, and it banged hard against my head. My vision blurred as I bordered on the edge of consciousness. Blood began to run down my face. For some reason, I think because the wolf caught the scent of blood, he relaxed his pressure on the door and that’s when I finally closed it.

The wolf threw himself repeatedly against the door as I sat on the bumper, dazed, catching my breath. It was hard to sit there for more than a minute. The wolf howled out of frustration and from somewhere close by in the fog there came an answering howl, a sound that got me moving.

I ran down the left side of the ambulance only to fall hard to the wet asphalt when I stepped into a small pothole that was invisible in the darkness. I went down hard and the wind whooshed out of my lungs as I belly-flopped hard against the blacktop. The pavement was wet from the fog and dew. In seconds, my clothes were soaked as if I’d stepped beneath the stream of a running shower.

I was tired, and it took all the strength I could muster to fight the urge to stay down. Nothing would have pleased me more than to lay there, close my eyes, drift off to sleep and await the rising sun. The only thing that kept me from doing just that was the noise of the wolf crashing against the back doors of the ambulance. The beast was big and heavy, and I knew that he’d eventually get lucky, hit the latch just right and free himself. I had to get to the cab. It was my only hope.

I got to my feet and steadied myself against the side of the ambulance. My head swam as I wiped the blood from my eyes. The wolf slammed against the rear doors once more and I got moving. I stumbled to the driver’s side door, pulled it open and climbed behind the steering wheel.

I fought the urge to rest, and the one thing that kept my mind in action was the sudden silence from the back of the truck. It was then, in a terrible moment, I realized that I had walked into a trap. I spun in my seat, grabbed the knob of the open window between the cab and the back of the ambulance and slid it closed. A second later, the wolf’s snarling face appeared at the window.

The window was made of hard plastic and was about one-foot square. The window allowed the paramedic in the back to communicate with the driver up front and vice versa, and you could also pass items back and forth through the opening. Despite the window’s size, the wolf clawed at it with great energy and bit at it with a fierceness that was unnerving. If he ever got to me, I’d be done for.

I needed a weapon. I snatched open the glove box. It was full of nothing but loose papers and fast food napkins. Next, I zipped open John’s jump bag, and my heart sank when I recalled that he’d already removed the handgun that he kept in case of an extreme emergency that required the last resort of self defense. In the compartment beside the door, I did find a large flashlight. I might get one good lick in on the wolf with it, but beyond that it would be of little use as an effective bludgeon.

I flicked the light on and searched behind the seats. There was nothing of use behind the driver’s seat, just a few spare boxes of rubber gloves and a roll of white paper towels. I cast the beam behind the passenger’s seat and the light fell on a long red plastic box.

I pulled the box free and sat with it in my lap. I worked the latches open and looked inside. The box contained our roadside breakdown kit. I dumped it all into the passenger’s seat. Beneath a packet of triangular reflectors and a folded safety vest, I found what I’d hoped was inside, two roadside flares. They were covered in dust and looked like a pair of old Roman candles.

Between snarls and bouts of scratching against the window, the wolf’s black eyes met mine. How could I use the flares against him, I wondered? Could I drive him out of the ambulance and away from John? The back of the ambulance had two exits, the double rear doors and a side door. My problem was that I could only open one door at a time, so how could I drive him out of the truck with a flare? Worst of all, suppose he’s not afraid of the flare? What if he ignores it and pounces on me despite the hot, bright thing in my hands?

I glanced over my shoulder, peered past the wolf and tried to look at John. His face was obscured behind the sharps container where we threw away our used needles. I could only see him from the chest down. He was covered in blood and was perfectly still. I knew that he was either dead or dying.

It occurred to me that I might be approaching things all wrong. Unable to unlatch the doors himself, the wolf was trapped. Instead of driving him out of the truck with a flare, I could start the ambulance and drive to Claiborne. I’d either arrive somewhere to get help or get within cell phone or walkie-talkie range.

I took a deep breath, and my mind was made up. I set the flares in my lap and reached for the keys. I turned the ignition switch, and the diesel motor roared to life. I put the truck in drive, but it was then that my worst fears were realized. The small plastic window gave way under the wolf’s constant onslaught. The window came off its track with a loud snap, and the wolf wriggled its large head into the cab.

I tried to move out of the reach of his snapping jaws, but failed. They were inches from my face, and I instinctively threw my right arm up to protect my head and neck. In the next instant, his powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth sank into the flesh of my right forearm. Blinded by the pain, my right foot pressed down on the gas pedal, and the ambulance leaped forward.

As the truck gained speed and the tires left the road, I groped for the flares in my lap. In the struggle, I knocked them aside and saw them disappear into the darkness of the floorboard at my feet. A moment later, the ambulance came to a sudden stop as it entered the ditch and collided with a large pine tree. Unrestrained, I surged against the steering column, and everything went black.

(All rights reserved. This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.)

Yesterday's News from The Evergreen Courant for Feb. 27, 2012

25 YEARS AGO
FEB. 26, 1987

“Masonry class is moved to Evergreen: The Regular class in Masonry being held on Thursday nights at Downing Lodge in Castleberry will be held at Greening Lodge in Evergreen tonight. The change is for this week only.
“Assistant District Lecturer Bernie Raines of Brewton is conducting classes which are open to all Masons.”

“A crowd of over 255 people overflowed the available area at the Evergreen Inn last Thursday night for the annual Membership-Promotion Banquet of the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce (both private dining rooms, the Henry Sessions Room and the Conecuh Room and about two-thirds of the general dining area, were thrown open for the meeting.
“Governor Guy Hunt was the principal speaker and the main attraction and was warmly received by a standing ovation.”

“Earl Windham reports three nice rains, .50 of an inch on Feb. 20; .42 on Feb. 21; and .55 on Feb. 22.”

“The 42nd annual Conecuh County 4-H and FHA Steer Show will be held Monday at the Evergreen Cooperative Stockyard Livestock Arena starting at 9 a.m.
“The show, generally recognized as the best county show in Alabama, is sponsored by the Conecuh County Steer Show Committee and the State Dept. of Agriculture & Industries in cooperation with the Extension Service of Auburn University and the Dept. of Vocational Agriculture and the Conecuh County United Fund.”

40 YEARS AGO
FEB. 24, 1972

“David T. Hyde Jr., Evergreen attorney, has qualified as a candidate for the Republican nomination for County Solicitor.”

“W.W. (Billy Wayne) Cook is seeking re-election to the Conecuh County Commission, District 1, Place 1.
“He is a member of the Mt. Zion Methodist Church and of the Masons.”

“Delma E. Bowers is seeking re-election as County Tax Assessor.
“He is currently active in the Evergreen Kiwanis Club and the Masons as well as church affairs.”

“The University of Alabama in Birmingham got its first chapter of a national fraternity with official establishment of Eta Xi chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha.
“Tim Stinson of Evergreen is one of the charter members. Tim serves as corresponding secretary and is a member of the Executive Council.”

“J.W. Windham qualified Wednesday morning to campaign for the Democratic nomination for Member of the Conecuh County Commission, District 2, Place 4.”

“Navy Seaman Joel R. Price, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Price of Evergreen, has sailed for the Mediterranean aboard the destroyer escort USS Sims, homeported at Mayport, Fla.”

55 YEARS AGO
FEB. 28, 1957

“The Ben Franklin Store, located on West Front Street in Evergreen, is being moved to Jay, Fla., Mack B. English, owner, said this week.”

“D.T. Stuart has been appointed Conecuh County chairman of the 1957 crusade of the American Cancer Society in April.”

“Letters are being mailed this week to the Chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Commander of Naval Air Training urging the location of a new Naval Jet Training Facility at Whynot.”

“The Southern Bell Telephone Co. estimates that Evergreen will have 2,665 telephones in 1966 – 93.1 per cent more than the present 1,380.”

“Henry Sessions was elected president of the Evergreen Rotary Club Thursday.
“Elected vice president was M. Blake Campbell. Hill Stallworth was named to the treasurer’s post, and Harvey Pate was elected secretary.”

“One of Conecuh County’s oldest post offices, Gregville, was discontinued as of today, Feb. 28, according to Mrs. E.B. Darby, Postmaster.
“Gregville is located in the northern tip of the county, close to the Butler County line.
“The post office at Gregville, once known as Peachbloom, has been in operation for around 80 years, according to Mrs. Darby.
“Mrs. Darby was appointed Postmaster at Gregville on Jan. 17, 1924 and has served continuously since that time. This past January marked her 33rd year of service.”

70 YEARS AGO
FEB. 26, 1942

“One hundred and seventy selectees from this county were carried to Pensacola for physical examination the first three days of this week.”

“John H. Tranum, tax collector of Conecuh County, has filed qualification papers with the Democratic Executive Committee as candidate for re-election in the forthcoming primary elections.”

“Friends of Mrs. Annie L. Travis will be glad to know her son, Cpl. Carter Kyser, has just been notified of his acceptance as an Aviation Cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Kyser has been stationed at Selma, Ala. for the past six months.
“Prior to Kyser’s entrance in the Army, he was assistant bookkeeper for Tuskegee Lumber Co. For the next few months, he will be stationed at Maxwell Field.”

“Sherlock Enters Governor’s Race: MONTGOMERY, ALA. – Pledging an administration of honesty, integrity and energy, Chris J. Sherlock, 43-year-old state highway director, Wednesday launched his campaign for the governorship of Alabama.”

“SCOUTS TO COLLECT PAPER THURSDAYS: After this week, Boy Scouts will collect waste paper on Thursdays instead of Fridays.”

“Dr. Roth, Opt., Montgomery’s Eyesight Specialist, will be in Evergreen, Fri., Feb. 27, from 12 ‘til 4, at the Fairview Tourist Court.”

85 YEARS AGO
FEB. 24, 1927

“For the past several weeks, some of Evergreen’s best talent has been preparing a radio program to be broadcasted from WCOA, Muncipal Broadcasting Station, Pensacola, Fla., on the night of Feb. 25. The program is under the direction of Rev. W.H. Kamplain.”

“A storm which almost reached cyclonic proportions visited this section at an early hour Friday morning, doing some damage to buildings, and timber.
“Several buildings in Evergreen were damaged. The glass fronts to the stores occupied by the Electrik Maid Bakery and King’s Help Yourself were broken loose and leaned slightly. The tin roof of L.D. King’s warehouse was blown off, causing damage to a large lot of feed. A tree blew down on the house of G.C. Reynolds, knocking down a chimney and doing some other damage. The storm was followed by a terrific downpour of rain.”

“Farmers and gardeners report that no damage worthy of mention resulted from the frost on Sunday night. Considerable fear was entertained that early vegetables, fruit and strawberries might be hurt but such did not happen.”

“CASTLEBERRY: Early Friday morning Castleberry experienced quite a severe wind storm, which unroofed the fertilizer warehouse of the Peoples Bank of Castleberry, demolished the garage of Mr. E.A. White and did other lesser damage in several places. The wind was accompanied by considerable lightning.”

Daily Weather Observations for Mon., Feb. 27, 2012

Temp: 50.4 degrees F (10.2 degrees C)

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.1 inches.

Humidity: 84 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Overcast, misting very light rain.

Winds: 1.1 mph out of the East-Northeast (light air)

Barometric Pressure: 29.85 inHg.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.1 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 7.5 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 12.2 inches

Local Weather Alerts: None.

NOTE: 68th day of Winter. Orthodox Lent Begins.

And Remember - "If clouds move against the wind, rain will follow."

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. Elevation: 400 feet above sea level.