ROAR. “Can’t go thru life without seeing this.” When I asked my movie companion if he would indulge me in seeing this movie as our chosen film one evening, I described it and sent a write-up I’d found. The above was his reply. And even having seen it now, having cringed and rolled my eyes…
What a fantastic, fun read The Stranger is. I’d never read Harlan Coben until now, so his style of fast-paced suspense was new to me, and its different nature from so many other books I’ve read lately was welcome and refreshing. As a mystery, this truly was a page-turner. The general premise brings a stranger…
Paper Towns is an easy read and a fine enough book. It’s not great. It’s not deep. It’s not much of anything remarkable. But fine enough, that it is. As I continue blending genres of books, it is nice to return every so often to a quick read that doesn’t hide much and doesn’t try…
This will surprise those who know how many movies I see, but I have never seen the movie, The Color Purple. I know, right? (But to be fair, that was a great movie long before I sought out great movies. And now that I know more about the story, I can admit that I missed…
I have such admiration for Al Letson, a Jacksonville local and the creator and host of State of the Re:Union* on NPR, “a series of in-depth, compelling stories exploring communities and how they are connected.” He also hosts “Freestyle: A Mixtape with Al Letson, “an original broadcast combining storytelling, podcasts and other public radio content.” I first saw…
While We’re Young is a pleasant, easy movie, good for some relaxing and enjoyable laughs. Set as a movie regarding a couple in their early 40s at the crossroads of watching a carefree youth set sail over the horizon while they settle down into the stable, shored life they’ve built for themselves, the film rings…
An Honest Liar is a wonderfully interesting, engaging, intriguing documentary that tells you a story while delivering a side of nostalgia and a satisfying serving of information. The film focuses on “The Amazing Randi,” a magician who appeared on stage predominantly in the 50s through 70s. But what makes his story particularly compelling is the…
What clever fun! What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary (yep, new word I’d never heard until this flick) that takes a “real world”-ish view of a few vampires who share a flat in New Zealand. And it does it with wit and a wink and a whole lot of laughter. On the…
Horror. For the most part, this isn’t my typical genre I prefer when seeing movies. As much as I loved the original Halloween, Friday the 13th, and I’m sure others (although I *still* have never visited Elm Street or played with Chucky), at some point, everything became too formulaic and predictable. The fright was less.…
My reading material the past few months has been varied. In the Heart of the Sea added to the blend, bringing a true tale of a fascinating but challenging time in America’s history: whale hunting, life on the open ocean, and the struggle and catastrophe of being lost at sea. More so, this book reveals…
Stop what you’re doing right now and reserve or order or buy or download Andy Weir’s The Martian. And read it. It’s fantastic! The Martian is one of the funniest and wittiest books I’ve read in several years. When I use the term “laugh out loud,” I do mean it literally. And usually, if I…
I cannot say that The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is an excellent movie. But I can say that it was a wonderful pleasure to watch. Sure, it’s contrived and predictable and not deep enough. But it’s also gentle and sweet and full of love and life. It’s not as fresh as the first, as…
Beautifully written, this novel set in World War II France and Germany doesn’t take what I would have thought a traditional spin on war. It’s not about the conflict. It’s not about separated lovers. It’s not about history. It’s about the stories of two children, one in France, one in Germany. And it’s their stories—their uniquely individual…
Just out, a list of “All the Movies you should see in March.” Fortunately, three of the four on that list are already on my list. (I fear I’d be lost at Insurgent, being as I’m one of the few not to have seen or read Divergent. (Interesting conversation too with a friend ocurred over…
Goodness, how does this happen? I saw Citizen Four back in November. I know that I did. I went with a group. It’s on my calendar. I saw it. But I never wrote about it. How does this happen? But just now, watching the Oscars much past my bedtime, I recalled that I’d indeed seen…