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Showing posts from 2010

2009 Movies I Finally Saw

Here are some movies that came out in 2009 that I saw on DVD during the past year. My reactions are given and I've put the ones I recommend in BOLD to make it easy on ya! Amelia - bleh An Education - bleh The Blind Side - LOVED IT! Bright Star - LOVED IT! Couple's Retreat - a stinker Dance Flick - a few laughs, but mostly distasteful Extract - Yuk Fame 2009 - Boring The Hurt Locker - Turned it off a few minutes in Ice Age 3 - can't remember if I actually watched it or if the kids just did, lol The Lovely Bones - SO suspenseful! Me And Orson Welles - Very good ! New Moon - um, well... It was Twilight. New York I Love You - a stinker Pippa Lee - good acting, rotten story Precious - same thing as Pippa but worth watching Sherlock Holmes - enjoyed very much! Star Trek 11 - liked it far more than I imagined I would Up in the Air - liked it until the ENDING - AUGH!! Where The Wild Things Are - loved it! Whip It - very compelling The Young Victoria - A WONDERFUL MOVIE!

Fall Reads

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I've missed posting here monthly, but quarterly will have to do for now. Maybe soon I can post more regularly. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - 9/8/2010 Excellent - Classic Re-read (AUDIO version) Catherine Morland visits Bath and falls in love. I am so glad I read this again. The girls I am teaching are reading all 6 of the Austen novels this school year and I'm reading along with them, of course. Northanger Abbey was first. The reading experience was so much richer this time around. Listened to the librivox version . I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman - 9/10/2010 Good - Suspense Eliza Benedict is contacted by her kidnapper/rapist 25 years later because he wants her testimony to save him from the death penalty. Interesting since it deals with the aftermath of a serious crime - not just the immediate results, but the long term effects on a victim's life. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins - 9/20/2010 Good - Young Adult Katniss becomes a reluctant leader in the Rebellion

Summer Reads

Have not been doing well with updates here. Here are my summer reads. The comments in italics are my thoughts as of today, so some of the less memorable books won't be very detailed. Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon - 6/10/2010 Excellent - Historical Fiction Re-read (AUDIOBOOK) My second time reading the latest book in the Outlander series. Loved it more listening to it. But you? You must start at the beginning. Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas - 6/17/2010 Good - Historical Fiction Poignant tale of children caught in an avalance in a 1920's mining town Very touching story with an interesting presentation. Each story is told independently and then woven together at the end. Loved it, though it was sad. The Burning Wire by Jeffrey Deaver - 6/22/2010 Good - Thriller Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs combat a perp killing people with electricity. Better than the last Deaver I read which seemed to be slightly soapbox-oriented. Read It and Eat by Sarah Gardner - 6/29/2010 Excelle

April & May Reads

As you may have surmised from the lack of recent posts, life has overtaken me. The part-time job I've taken means less time for writing and much less time for reading. I have all I can do to keep up with my book club's selections. (And I have managed it so far, but the size of the Dickens volume I am supposed to tackle this summer has me quivering in a lump in a lonely dank corner.) So, here are my April and May reads - pitiful list, though it may be. Becca By the Book by Laura Jensen Walker 4/2/2010 Good - Inspirational This was an inspirational romance and I neglected to write a summary. I remember it was about a book club, mostly about the non-Christian member of the club. I also did not realize it was part of a series of books and it wasn't the first one in the series, or I probably would not have read it. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead Good - Children's (Read Aloud) I believe this was the Newbery Award winner for 2009. Mysterious and engaging, the book addres

Mini Reviews - Weeks of April 4 and 11

Titanic National Geographic special This was really interesting - about how many errors were involved in the sinking of the Titanic. From the inferior iron rivets to a insulting comment made by the radio operator, so many tiny things contributed to the sinking of the great ship. It helps that I have been fascinated by the Titanic since I first heard of it as a child. Law-Abiding Citizen Found this one really distasteful. I don't watch a lot of "R" movies and this would be a good example of why not. Really gory vigilante justice film. Even Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx didn't save it. Save your time. Alice in Wonderland Watched this in the theater with my sister - her treat! Thank you, Janet! It was rather surreal, but that comes with the territory, eh? Both Lewis Carroll and Tim Burton fit that category neatly. A beautiful film - lots of vivid colors and interesting things to look at. Sherlock Holmes Not as good as I'd hoped, but maybe I was too tired to appreciate

March Reads

Five books in March. Fewer than I'd have preferred due to my new part-time job and to reading Wuthering Heights . See below... Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier - 3/3/2010 Good - Fiction Elizabeth Philpott and her spinster sisters move to Lyme and befriend Mary Anning, a fossil hunter who discovers complete skeletons of never-before-seen creatures. This was interesting, something different than usual. I love Chevalier's books. Brava, Valentine Adriana Trigiani - 3/9/2010 Good - Fiction Valentine's brother joins the business and they investigate production of the ready-to-wear shoe line, plus Valentine reconnects with Gianluca from Italy, and family secrets explode all over the place. I liked this one better than the original Valentine novel. In fact, I've enjoyed this one more than any Trigiani I've read since Big Stone Gap. Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte - 3/17/2010 Difficult - Classic Classic tragedy of Heathcliff and Cathy - read it yourself if you want to

Film Feedback - Wks of 3/7 & 3/14

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April 7 - I just realized I never posted this despite writing it on March 21. So, here you have it. lol Last week, I only watched ONE movie. I know - can you even believe it? Not only that, it was a movie I've seen lots of times already - The Proposal . One of my new favorites. IMDB This past week, I did manage a few more. Went to the theater to see The Bounty Hunter . It was just ok. The funny moments were almost all in the trailer. I felt like Gerard Butler's character was too flawed to be a convincing romantic lead, though I do enjoy watching him on film. I like Jennifer Aniston too, and the supporting cast was also enjoyable. I felt like a lot of it was a rip off of Stephanie Plum - right down to the big blue classic car that Stephanie has to drive. But it was a nice outing with a friend, even if it was a rather forgettable film. IMDB Our book club selection this month was Wuthering Heights , so last night we watched the newest film version (2009). The filmmakers made Heat

February Reads

I've had this post half-written for a couple weeks. Thought I'd better publish it before the MARCH reads are ready to be posted. LOL I found time to read 4 books in March - rather a small amount for me. By a Lady by Amanda Elyot - 2/11/2010 Good - Chick Lit CJ, an actress preparing to portray Jane Austen on Broadway, is sucked through a time portal to 1801 Bath England where she meets her role model and is in for a surprise! I enjoyed this one - Time travel, Jane Austen, romance - what's not to like? The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte - 2/17/2010 Excellent - Classic The mysterious new young woman who resides at nearby Wildfell Hall intrigues young Gilbert. This was our book club choice for February and it was a pleasant surprise. I knew there were three Bronte sisters, but I'd never heard of this book, written by the Bronte who didn't write Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights. It was great - I highly recommend it! The man who loved books too much by Allison Hoo

Film Feedback - Wk of 2/28

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This week I started a new job working from home. It allowed me less time for watching movies - can you imagine? I still managed 5 films. The 39 Steps - PBS Masterpiece Theater. Rupert Penry-Jones (better known as Captain Wentworth in Persuasion?). WWI. 'Nuff said? It was enough for me. :-D IMDB Danc e Flick - Every now and then, I wonder if I ought to tell the world that I've seen a certain movie. This is one of them. Since I tend to watch dance-themed movies, I figured I'd get a lot of the jokes. Yep. I did. lol And I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that. IMDB New York, I Love You - Another one of those ensemble cast movies. Very strange one. It was more of a love story TO the city of New York, rather than a love story set in NYC or even about it. Short mostly unconnected vignettes - some amusing, some heart-rending, some romantic, some tragic, some hopeful, some thankful. Watched it because of some of the actors in it - Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, & Orlando

Film Feedback - Wk of 2/21

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Film Feedback Week of 2/21 Cities of the Underworld - watched a few more of these while I was working. Love the show! State of Play - Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams in a political thriller that I really didn't follow very closely. I Hate Valentine's Day - That actress from My Big Fat Greek Wedding in a rom-com that I liked better than My Life in Ruins , but not as well as Greek Wedding . Post G rad - Recommended by one of the librarians, and rather cute. About a recent college grad whose life isn't going quite how she planned. Moo n - Odd, odd, odd! Not quite sure I followed it all - the hazards of having a movie on while doing other things. Read a review that recommended it, but not sure *I* would give it the thumbs up. Vegg ie Tales Pistachio: The Boy Who Woodn't - Cute! Love the silly song, and the Pinocchio parallels fit the story well. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - Book club movie! The book was better, but Toby Stephens is worth a watch!

Film Feedback - Wk of 2/14

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Northanger Abbey My favorite Austen film! Probably because it's light-hearted and comic. Tilney is all that a gentleman should be, plus he's amusing and likes to banter. None of that smoldering broodiness that Darcy is so known for. It's also short, which is nice to be able to fit in an evening, unlike the very long Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. You have to make an appointment with that one. (though it is an oh-so-enjoyable undertaking!) IMDB Cities of the Underworld This History Channel TV show on DVD caught my eye at the library. I've always been fascinated with underground relics and ruins, especially after having toured the Underground Seattle as a teen. I find it almost unbelievable that all that can be underneath the pavement of modern cities. I watched 4 episodes - the first disc - and can't wait to watch the rest. You can watch some online at the History Channel website. IMDB Valentin e's Day The star-studded cast was the attraction here, not th

Film Feedback - Wk of 2/7

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The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Nope, I'd never watched this. HERESY WARNING - I am not a Sean Connery fan. (Apologies to all of you who just gasped aloud.) And the print ads I'd seen didn't interest me. But someone mentioned to me the other day that the "extraordinary" in the title really refers to super-hero-type qualities. Oh really? Like the X-men? Kind of. OK, then, I'll give it a watch. 'Twasn't bad! IMDB Whiteout Chose it because I couldn't find anything else new at the library that I hadn't already watched. Premise - 1st murder in Antartica and female US Marshal has to investigate quickly or be left behind for 6 months of Antartic winter. I sort of stopped paying attention about halfway through. IMDB Castle Finished watching Season 1 and I liked the latter episodes better than the first ones. Sometimes a season needs some time to get going. I really like how involved of a dad Castle is, I like the fact he's an author, and I do

2009 Movies I HAVEN'T seen (+4 I have seen by now)

I know I see a lot of movies, but even I missed a few in 2009. More than a few, actually, since I didn't go to the theater very often. I've starred the ones I am really looking forward to viewing. NOTE: I wrote this list a few days ago and since then, I've seen four movies from it. Bright Star - Loved it and would like to watch again Duplicity - Not my thing really Extract - Even more not my thing Star Trek 11 - Not usually my thing, but really well done! Have you seen any of these? What'd you think? I've starred** the ones I really want to see. Aliens In The Attic Amelia An Education Avatar 3D The Blind Side** Bright Star Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs Couple's Retreat Dance Flick Duplicity Earth Extract Fame 2009 Fantastic Mr. Fox The Hurt Locker Ice Age 3 Inkheart It's Complicated The Lovely Bones Me And Orson Welles** New Moon** New York I Love You** Pippa Lee** Precious The Road Sherlock Holmes**** Star Trek 11 Terminator 4 Up in the

2009 Movies I've Seen

I've divided this post into several categories, ranking the movies I've seen that were released in 2009. (updated 2/12/10 with 4 additional movies) LOVED IT - Multiple Viewings 17 Again Confessions Of A Shopaholic Management The Proposal Wolverine (X-men Origins) ENJOYED IT - Would recommend Adam Bright Star Julie & Julia Monsters vs Aliens 3D Star Trek 11 The Soloist The Time Traveler's Wife Up 3D ENJOYED IT - Not necessarily for everyone (or guilty pleasures!) Adventureland The Hangover Night At The Museum 2 Sunshine Cleaning INDIFFERENT - Not a lot of feeling one way or the other Easy Virtue Hotel For Dogs The Princess And The Frog Race To Witch Mountain Sugar MIXED FEELINGS - Liked some parts, disliked something about it (500) Days Of Summer All About Steve Bride Wars Duplicity Extract Fanboys Gamer He's Just Not That Into You Madea Goes To Jail My Life In Ruins New In Town Taken The Ugly Truth DISLIKED MOVIE - But you might like it. Not my thing. Or it was ju

January Reads

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Eight books in January and most of them very satisfying! The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - 1/7/2010 Good - Sci-fi Thursday Next, a British literary detective, has to track down the thief of a stolen Dickens manuscript. Darlene told me about this series and it sounded intriguing. I enjoyed it, mostly because of all the literary references and how the story sets itself on its ear. Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - 1/8/20 10 Good - Fiction Twelve years after Nan was fired, Grayer comes back into her life as a troubled sixteen-year-old who asks her to help his seven-year-old brother. I chose this because I'd read The Nanny Diaries and found it horrifyingly mesmerizing, mostly because of the way the family treated their son. Now the family has two sons, but I found this story much less believable, though still in teresting. A Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist - 1/11/2010 Excellent - Inspirational Romance Joe Denton needs a wife to keep his land in 1860's

Film Feedback - Wk of 2/1

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Since I tend to watch quite a few movies, I thought it'd be productive to review them briefly here. My schedule doesn't often allow for long reviews as I have done in the past (though I adore writing them) but I can at least give you a quick reaction to each one. Hope you enjoy! Extract - Looked funny from the previews I saw on another DVD. Jason Bateman h as made sort of a comeback and I liked him in Juno. This one was heavy on the drugs and sexual situations and left sort of a bad aftertaste. Don't bother with it . www.imdb.com/title/tt1225822/ Duplicity - I don't normally like movies where the bad guys are the protagonists a n d this one had the added problem of me doing something else while I was "watch ing" it. So, I missed some key points I am sure, but I didn't really enjoy it. However, Clive O wen is nice. :-) www.imdb.com/title/tt1135487/ Star Trek - I am not a Trekker. Not by a long shot. But I was told I had to watch this, and it was very watc

The Library's Gerard Butler Fan

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A librarian at one of the libraries I frequent heard me mention that I wanted to watch Gamer because Gerard Butler stars in that violent action flick. Not my normal type of movie. Hers either, but she is a rabid Butler fan and so we discussed his various movies for a few minutes. The next time I came into the library, I found this note affixed to my stack of requested items. "Lisa - For my Gerard Butler fan. Check out Dear Frankie and Attila the Hun DVDs. Good Chick Flicks! Christine, The Library's Gerard Butler Fan" Are you giggling? I was! LOL We then had a chance to talk about those films in particular, which I'd already seen (of course!) and loved. Dear Frankie is a lovely movie and Gerard is particularly charming in it, especially because of his Scots accent shining through. Too many movies don't feature that. Attila the Hun is not a particularly good movie, but I enjoyed Gerard in that one as well. And Gamer ? Interesting premise. Pretty gory, in a vide

2008 movies I saw in 2009

This is a list of movies from 2008 that I didn't manage to see until 2009 and my brief comments on each. Running about 50/50 on the Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down decisions. 1. Bedtime Stories (PG) (2008) (Adam Sandler, Keri Russell) Didn't really like it, although my family really did. Guess I'm just not an Adam Sandler fan! 2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (PG-13) (2008) (Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett) Disliked it quite a bit. Again, not a Brad Pitt fan, but the movie was just depressing and way too long. 3. Yes Man (PG-13) (2008) (Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel) Usually I love Zooey and dislike Carrey, but I didn't like either of them in this much. Now I realize Bradley Cooper is in this so I may go back for another viewing. David really loved this movie though! Red Bull! Red Bull! 4. Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who (G) (2008) (voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carell) Finally managed to see this at our summer park Movie Nights - on a big inflatable screen. It was really go

December Reads

Wow, just haven't gotten around to posting my December reads yet! Thought I'd better get to it! An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon 12/03/09 Excellent - Historical Fiction Jamie and Claire travel to Scotland and back while continuing to participate in the American Revolution I've waited for this book for YEARS and then when it was published, I was still re-reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes so I couldn't start immediately. Jamie and Claire only get better with age, and the cliffhanger ending makes me crazy!!! Can't wait to listen to the audio! I think Gabaldon's books are even BETTER in audio. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen 12/04/09 Excellent - Memoir Rhoda Janzen's Mennonite upbringing colors her approach to love, life, and religion. Humorous and insightful, though I didn't actually agree with much. This book was a great example of an author having a compelling voice. Janzen was utterly charming and mesmerizing even when I didn&#