Wow. This film was gripping. And it was bleak. Another that I caught up with while on a recent flight, Everest entertains. The film covers the true story (as a dramatization, not as a verified actual account) of the fatal expeditions on Mount Everest in 1996. Yes, fatal. Going in, I knew people would not survive. But…
Charming. Soft. Lovely. Touching. Bittersweet. These are the new film, adapted from the novel, Brooklyn. It’s a wonderfully quiet film, entertaining gently, but leaving the viewer better for sharing the story—the story of a young girl as she moves from Ireland to Brooklyn, starting life over in the 1950s. It is not just a story…
I enjoyed this film—for what it was and for what it did not do. Sure, it could have been deeper. It could have been darker. But even the title indicated it wasn’t trying to do those things. And it was nice to see a country through a different lens than the one permanently smudged and…
For many (if not most) people, watching Wild will be a view from the outside of a woman on a journey to heal her soul as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail. For me, it was a journey of my own as I tested the fortitude of the healing scars of my own path. Wild…
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…
Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza from Italy) is, well, different. As my movie companion and I left the theater, we shared our perplexity over what, exactly, the movie was about. I’ve sat with it for several days now, but still, I’ve not much more than questions and…
There is something to be said for a book when you finish a chapter and turn the page and realize only then that you just finished the final chapter in the book. Upon turning that final page of Crazy Rich Asians, I exclaimed out loud at that moment. I’m still debating whether I feel good…
Finally saw this one. Yes, yes, I loved (and live) the line, “There’s nothing cheap about loyalty.” And yes, I maximize my miles/points all I can. Love the perks that come by doing so! But the movie itself—-interesting. The gender reversal was a grand spin. I wonder how many people were upset for George but…
There was great talk (and a few nominations) over Rachel Weisz’s performance in The Deep Blue Sea. Frankly, I wasn’t able to make it through the entire movie without fast-forwarding through parts to the end. I’m sure mindset has a lot to do with how we interpret and receive films, and whatever mine was, it…
The Impossible is a beautiful movie that reminds us how amazing—-in so, so many ways—-the world is. In watching this, through the tears that flowed often, I wanted to believe it was fiction—-that there is no way this could happen. But in watching this, through the tears that flowed often, I knew how true the…
Touching story of the lives of two women intersecting in Kabul, mainly in the 90s. The story arcs differently than that in The Kite Runner, but it is still good, and wonderfully told. I especially enjoy learning more about the struggles and beauty of the country. (Yes, this is fiction, but Hosseini does a grand…
Wonderful book and inspiring story. Not only is this man’s story something to enjoy, the book teaches great things about the Pakistani culture (and Mortenson’s wonderful respect for it). If only everyone could have some exposure to the story . . . and a little more understanding. (Downgraded from five stars to four due to…
