Daddy’s Home is a light, fun, all-around run-of-the-mill comedy. It was our pick for the family movie on Christmas Day, and it suited everyone well enough, age 14 to 73. It was better than I expected. Sure, it’s corny sometimes. Sure, its humor sometimes tries too hard. But the laughs were as varied as our…
This book is a collection of short stories, with one storyline making a few repeat appearances over the course of that character’s dating and engagement. The writing is light. It is good writing. I *want* to say that it is funny. But I just cannot bring myself to do so. I did laugh at the…
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…
The Hundred-Foot Journey is a delightfully charming film that brought warmth and smiles. It’s cliché, sure, but it’s done with enough heart that I wasn’t bothered by the repeated-time-and-again story in the least. And Helen Mirren, of course, shines, from haughty to heartwarmingly enchanting. As a student of cooking, as a person who nurtures through…
Having finished reading a well-written, dense, deep novel earlier followed by another thought-provoking novel, I sought something lighter, something shorter, something quicker. In The Husband’s Secret, I found those things. The story takes a bit of time to follow as each chapter early on brings in a new set of characters. I was sure the…
I didn’t plan to see Last Vegas, but when a friend asked at 7:20 pm if I wanted to go see a movie that night, we picked what was showing. Among what was available and what both of us were willing and in a mood to see, we walked into the theater to see Last…
Salmon Fishing on the Yemen, by its title, does not evoke a “rush to the theater” reaction, eh? But I’ll say it’s certainly worth a Red Box. The flick is simply a fun, light movie. Emily Blunt brings her charm, and what I noticed most about Ewan McGregor was his breadth as an actor with…
Fast & easy summer read exploring dynamics of two sisters and finding one’s life even after 40. I have tried to read some of the “Chick-Lit” books about girls in their 20s, but really, they are girls in their 20s. I have little patience for some of that —– ? —naiveté? —foolishness? —self-absorption? …
Fun book and a perfect read for the first week of my summer. Hiaasen writes about characters and places in Florida, and this first book of his that I’ve read included several characters from Fort Worth! Perfect! The story in this tale is fun and fast and silly and outlandish—full of unbelievable sets of coincidences…
Great light summertime ladies’ “fluff”/beach read. It’s not about changing the world, just about taking a break and being entertained. Single, married, divorced—has it all for the 30/40something woman.