March 2015 Books and Movies

Still

Gregory V. Wilson

I still can't believe this short story couldn't get published. It's some of the best YA writing I've ever read. Inventive, with a serious story woven in, it grabs you and pulls you in. I really don't want to spoil the story, so please check out http://sensibleadventures.com/still/still-the-whole-story/ and happy reading!

A Fat Boy's Chronicle

Although a little to Christian for my liking, the story of positivity in the face of bullying and fat shaming was refreshing. Hollywood's obsession with thinness is destroying many young people with insurmountable pressure. The side stories about cutting and a teen who runs away further the overall theme that being a teen is tough, but you will eventually get through it. Not a bad pick for a Netflicks browse.

Boychoir

Fantastic. Though I was disappointed that they didn't chose a male lead who could sing, and over dubbed it instead. The ending was a little pat but forgivable. Dustin Hoffman was really great and it was nice to see the actor who plays Artie on Glee in something else. What I liked most of all though, was showing young boys who are interested in classical singing. Too many students seem to be moving further and further away from music that has any complexity or links to the past. Which is funny because most modern music is either drawing from or is a complete copy of what's come before. The music in this movie was absolutely breathtaking. They obviously had a wonderful music director. If you are a classical music fan, this is a good one.

February 2015 Books and Movies

The Duff

Pleasantly surprised that I laughed as much as I did at this one. I was talked into it by a friend who is in the entertainment business, and knew the lead guy was from Toronto. It's a great teen movie along the lines of Easy A, be true to yourself because everyone else is just as insecure as you are, even if they seem fine. The main character Bianca is played by Mae Whitman and she reminds me of a Janine Garafolo for the 2010s. Bianca's mom was played by Allison Janney, who is always entertaining, she really made the most of a bit, comedic part. Remember how great she was in Juno? All in all, this film isn't something that will keep your grey matter in shape, but thoroughly entertaining.

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

Peter Jackson, shame on you for making a wee book into 3 movies. This last installment was 70% fight scenes and 30% story. Don't get me wrong, I like the Tolkien universe fight scenes as much as the next fan, but the story was kind of done two movies ago. Seriously, I got the impression that even Orlando Bloom was bored! I wish I could be more positive about it, but it really sucked. When sufficient time has passed, I'll watch the three of them back to back and maybe have something more to say.

July 2014 Books and Movies

Wedding Night
Sophie Kinsella

Another easy, breezy, fun read. I actually laughed out loud at some of the antics Fliss pulls while trying to keep her sister from consummating her flight of fancy marriage, with the exception of the peanut allergy. That was just mean. I thought this was slightly better than I've Got Your Number, because I liked the older sister character who seemed to have half a brain in her head. The younger one was ditzy and impulsive, much like Becky Bloomwood from the Shopaholic series whom I always find annoying. Only read if you are a die hard Kinsella fan.

I've Got Your Number
Sophie Kinsella

Ah, back in familiar territory. Slightly awkward, foot in mouth heroine, good (but predictable) plot, funny moments and a satisfactory conclusion. Chick lit at it's best. Poppy is a very likable character and you really do root for her in the end. Using a mobile phone as a character is a clever twist. I'll leave it there to not spoil the ending, but this is a good summer read. 


A Desirable Residence
Madeleine Wickham (aka Sophie Kinsella)

Yuck. Unlikable characters, unsatisfying ending and a wasted few hours of my life. Set in the fictional town of Silchester, which just sounds hilarious, it stumbles along, each two dimensional character worse than the next. Liz was the most egregious and it was frustrating that there was no confrontation between her and her husband about the affair. I only picked this book up because it had been republished with a printed cover reading:

SOPHIE KINSELLA 

writing as 

Madelene Wickham

Obviously, a clever move on the part of the publishing  house marketing department, to capitalize on a mediocre novel written in 1996, five years before the Shopaholic series took off under her pen name. There is even a foreword from the author issuing a slightly veiled warning that books written under the name Madeleine Wickham are not in the same style as books written under the name Sophie Kinsella. The bones of what made that series so readable are there, which is why I finished it, but it is crystal clear that she has grown leaps and bounds as a writer since her first few attempts. I was also surprised to learn that the author's sister is Gemma Townley, another British chick lit author I've reviewed. I wonder who was published first, and if the second one was piggybacking on the first sister's name. Don't get me wrong, I've thoroughly enjoyed Kinsella books. They're funny, fast-paced and generally page turners. I'll try another Wickham novel to see, but definitely give this one a miss.

February 2014 Books and Movies

Trading Places 

An oldie but goodie from 1983 staring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Lee Curtis. I laughed and laughed, which was good for the soul after such an emotional time in Regina. A wall street big wig and a street con artist trade places. These three will have you laughing your socks off in no time. (Warning, the vintage of this movie has elements of racism and sexism common at the time.)

Last Vegas

I was pleasantly surprised at how funny this was, for a "golden guys" type movie. Great cast (Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas and Kevin Kline) and great writing. Good diversion on a plane ride to Donna Lou's funeral in Regina, which was such a sad occasion. I really liked the 60+ bachelor party theme and the Vegas local was well shot. Give it a go!

The Great Gatsby 

I love, love, love this book, so was a little wary. That being said, it was pretty good due largely to the breathtaking cinematography and the subtle use of CGI. Leonardo DiCaprio excels in these old timey, slightly sketchy gentleman roles and did not disappoint. Daisy was a bit underdeveloped and I didn't love Toby McGuire, but the rest of the cast was stellar. The costumes and sets were to die for (I adore the twenties) and the director took great care to utilize plenty of symbolism from the book. I would watch it again, for sure.

Over You
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus

These authors are famous for The Nanny Diaries, which I really liked (although the movie not so much) and Citizen Girl, which I also liked, so I was surprised when this wasn't a knock out. Maybe it was that the protagonist was 17 going on 30 but it was all at once too YA come chick lit or vice versa for me. There were some funny moments and I liked the Ex Inc. business model, but then there were some stupid SATC/The Devil Wears Prada rip off like the Teen Vogue closet. I'd still like to read more of their offerings, but maybe not the YA novels so much.

January 2014 Books and Movies

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 

As I mentioned in my reveiw of the first Hobbit installment, why in the world was this tiny book turned into three movies? I do love Benedict Cumberbatch and this film has a lot of him as the voice of Smaug, but it just drags on. I honestly don't know how they are going to stretch the story into a third movie. The CGI of the dwarves' cave was pretty cool though.

Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction
Sue Townsend

Pretty good. I'm not sure I've I've actually read the prequel The Cappuccino Years, the last one I remember is when he was living with Pandora in Oxford. I grew up with Adrian Mole, so I really connect with his character, even though he does the dumbest stuff imaginable, has the most misguided opinions and his parents are nuts. I'm glad there is another installment of the series.

2013 in review

I don't normally post this kind of yearly review, but 2013 really ended up kind of sucking, so I will indulge myself and potentially scare of the 2.2 readers I do have by whinging. :) There were some bright lights too, as not to be too depressing.

January - July (and the last 2 months of 2012)

Trying to conceive, doing everything short of standing on my head and wondering what is wrong with me.

August 1

Mr. Fancy Pants fertility doctor says that of course it's my age and couldn't be anything or anyone else.

August 22

My baby cousin is born. He didn't come along the way anyone envisioned, and has a few hurdles to leap over but he is overall healthy and has a good set of lungs. :)

September 8

Another baby cousin is born, in perfect health during a fast natural birth.

My dad dies at 66 (nearly 67) from diabetes complications. I still can't believe he is gone. He was survived by his mother, which is definitely not the natural order of things. My mom, who is already mentally fragile and in poor health, is wrecked and we are trying to hold everything together with spit and glue. The stress is overwhelming sometimes. I've had to give up all my extra music outside of work, and sometime I feel chained to my home.

September 12

Funeral home. Two viewings. Emotionally exhausting. I was overwhelmed to see the number of people who turned up, some of whom I hadn't seen in years.

September 13

Funeral. No one else could stand up and give the eulogy from our immediate family, so I did it. It was hard, but I'm glad I did. JT played the trombone and a cousin played the accordion. It was a lovely service and a befitting send off for dear Dad.

 September 23

My mom moves into our spare room and the 3 of us start sharing an under 900 square foot condo. This of course does wonders for the likelihood of conception. Big thanks to my sister and brother in law for taking her the first 2 weeks.

September 30

Put on a cycle monitoring protocol, to "figure out the problem".

October 4

First Argos game without Dad. It was hard to tell everyone in the section that Dad wouldn't be coming to any more games. I wore his Argos cap with pride and only cried a little.

October 14

Thanksgiving. First holiday without Dad. HARD. It was like the world was just moving on as if nothing had happened. I knew it would be like this, but I was shocked at how much it hurt.

October 19

Ashes scattering at cemetery. The funeral director forgot to bring the ashes because he got the wrong end of the stick in a phone conversation and somehow thought that I would be picking them up from the crematorium in Whitby! He fixed it though, as soon as possible. I cried a lot at the scattering, more than I thought I would.

October 20

My friend's 70 something mom fell down the stairs in her home and broke practically everything between her neck and her pelvis. She is thankfully doing much better and is living in a rehab centre for the time being.

October 27

Got to play with Cmdr. Hadfield at Roy Thompson Hall. Met him and he signed his book for me. This was a really lovely ray of positivity in the middle of a difficult time.

November 8

Finally got off my butt and went to the chiropractor about the numbness and potential never damage in my right hand that kept me from playing. Have been going for treatments regularly and it's much better, but it was scary for a while.

November 9

Treated to Swan Lake by a good friend. Another beautiful distraction from a rough couple of months. This is one of my favorite ballets and the music is so lovely.

November 20

Had the opportunity to hear a good friend (who has moved to Europe to be an early music superstar) do his thing at a concert in Georgetown. Not only was it great to see him, I am in awe of his talent and passion for his art.

November 22-25

Grey Cup in Regina. Very fun. Another great distraction plus, hadn't seen the in-laws since the wedding. It was very cold though and prompted the immediate purchase of sturdy winter coats for both of us.

November 26

Another year older. Now with this notion of "fertility age" in the mix, feeling worse and worse about the passing of time. Thankfully that was mitigated by a lovely dinner at Nervosa and seeing my cousin in law play with his new music percussion quartet.

December 16

Mom's condo closing. In between all of the above, we packed, cleaned and staged every inch of the condo, including ripping up the carpet in the bedrooms and laying down hardwood. It was exhausting, but worth it in the end, as the condo was only on the market for 4 HOURS before selling.

December 17

Find out that my stats are fine, and we could have been looking into other causes for a whole YEAR.

December 10

School concert. This is always a lot of work, but particularly this year, when there were so many other stresses. Mom came to the concert and really enjoyed it.

Christmas

Christmas quite plainly, sucked. Not just with missing Dad and having to create a whole new set of Christmas traditions so my Mom didn't lose her sh*t but also being surrounded by my family's happy families and just wanting everything to be sorted so I don't feel like a reject all the freaking time.

New Year's

No resolutions, just the determination that 2014 has got to be better than this crap hole of a year. I will do what I can to make this a reality. I feel badly that I don't have the same time I have had in the past for other things, but I know my friends understand. We have so much ahead of us, listing our place, finding a bigger place that has a separated space for Mom, selling our place, moving but taking it one day at a time is key. I am so lucky to have the world's most patient amazing partner because two heads are better than one. :)

Happy New Year!

August 2013 Books and Movies

Bad Teacher

I went into this expecting to hate it. I don't like teacher movies that portray the profession negatively. But, Cameron Diaz is pretty funny, so I gave it a go. I ended up liking it, mostly because she has a change of heart by the end, and really ends up helping kids. It's a light, humorous rom-com, great for date night or a night in.

Life After Porn

Good documentary. It was sad to see that some people were not in the best circumstances, but most (save a few who were coerced into doing porn in the first place) weren't sorry they spent time in the industry. You get real insight into what really goes on, both on and off camera. A must see for people who consume porn without really thinking about it, as well as people who like an interesting documentary, who aren't afraid of a little boobage.

Hall Pass

Watched this as a way to pass time at the cottage. I expected raunchy from the Farrelly brothers, but I wasn't expecting how many times a the full monty would appear. Especially since I didn't know the movie at all and was watching it with a couple of teens. Their godfather fast forwarded though those parts, but I say as long as they're comfortable, don't make such a big deal about it. The concept of the movie was pretty funny. Two friends give their husbands a hall pass for one week from their marriage. This inevitably gives them the chance to live it up and the result is a sometime funny movie with a passable script.

Wreck it Ralph

Very well done. I haven't ever been a gamer, but I've been around long enough to recognize the different styles of video games in the movie. The animation is top notch, especially with crossing over between one style of game to the next. John C. Reilly and Jane Lynch (Sue from Glee) are fantastic as Ralph and Calhoun. A must see.

Crazy, Stupid, Love 

This was a pretty good rom-com with a surprise happy ending. I really like most of the cast (Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone) and they and the script gelled together nicely. As an audience member, I was really invested in the plot. To divorce or get back together, unrequited love, being romanced by two completely different men, the twist of how Hannah (Stone) relates to the rest of the cast all drew me in.  For me, Carell is at his best just hovering between funny and sad. Definitely a good date night movie.

May 2013 Books and Movies

She's Come Undone 
Wally Lamb

Incredible! No wonder this guy is a professor of writing. I wish I could take his class. Given that the protagonist is female, you really have to keep checking the author pic to remind yourself that the author is male! The book is surprisingly humourous for what amounts to a 40 year lifespan of tragic circumstances. It reminded me a bit of the book Sybil, in terms of the writing style. Dolores is a tragic figure, but you are left with a sense of hopefulness at the end. The book apparently became extremely popular after making Oprah's book club in the 90s. A really good read.

April 2013 Books and Movies

The Waitress
Melissa Nathan

This was ok. Typical chick lit format, with the exception of dividing the story up like a menu, appetizer, main course, dessert etc. I feel bad that I sort of read it and forgot about, especially since the author died at such a young age which sets off that sub-conscious thing when works become better posthumously. I really liked The Nanny, so I wanted to like this more, but in reality, it's a light read, good for someone who either really likes chick lit as a genre, or needs a really long book for a vacation.

Good Hair

This was really good. I love Chris Rock at the best of times, but couple his humour and delivery with a positive message that tells young black girls that their are beautiful just as they are, before straightening products, weaves and potentially harmful chemical treatments as young as six, I'm sold. I was horrified to learn that hair weave companies buy Indian hair for pennies from monasteries that shave girls heads as a sacrifice, then turn around and sell their product for hundreds of dollars to women who can ill afford them.

Mansome

I really liked Morgan Spurlock's Supersize Me and subsequently got into his 30 Days series, but this was a little dumb. The beards at the beard competition were impressive, but so called metrosexual grooming habits have been around for ages. The pro-wrestling component was just funny, as I don't think much of that world beyond great stage fighting technique. Give it a miss.

Food Matters

As is my hope whenever I start watching a food documentary, I expected great things from this documentary. It started out ok, but then descended into a big advertisement for the raw food movement. There are some interesting factoids about environmental concerns and soil conditions, but this film lacked substance and didn't present anything new for me. Give it a miss with the exception of people  who haven't a clue how food gets on their plate.

Jack (TV Movie)

Although countless reviewers said this was badly done and misrepresented Jack Layton's politics and life, I enjoyed it immensely. I was able to suspend my disbelief where I had to and just went along for the ride. I cried and cried at the end, mostly because that's what I did when I found out he had died in real life. Politicians may come and go, but there will never be another Jack Layton. He stood up for the people and had a lasting impact on social policy both municipally and federally. I really enjoyed Rick Roberts as Jack and and Sook-Yin Lee as Olivia Chow. Their connection was touching and honoured what I really feel was true to their real life counterparts. I was glad to see that both Erin Karpluk and Wendy Crewson had supporting roles, as I always enjoy their acting. There was great use of archival CBC clips and some pictures of the real Jack Layton at the end, just in case you weren't crying already. If you loved Jack, give it a watch. I know I'll watch it again.

March 2013 Books and Movies

Why Don't Students Like School?
Daniel T. Willingham 

The subtitle of this book is "A cognitive scientist answers questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom" which is why it immediately appealed to me. It definitely confirmed some really good concepts (children's learning styles are more alike than different, despite edu babble and practice is the only way to improve a skill) and gave me a better understanding of cognitive psychology. There were some really hard truths in the book such as, not everyone is "smart", not everyone is "good at something" and that background knowledge is huge, and some students will never catch up. My only complaints (and this is purely aesthetic) are that either the author or the editor of the book used far too many fonts to illustrate different points and used both foot and end notes which made for a lot of unnecessary flipping. Otherwise, a must read for parents and teachers alike.

Capitalism: A Love Story

I always enjoy Michael Moore's film even though I know that he manipulates the footage to make his points sometimes. I would rather the information be released by someone who is relatively well known enough so that people see it en masse, then by an obscure filmmaker with a small following. That being said, I agreed with a lot of the ideas presented in this movie. Moore makes many connections between banks, corporations and those in political power and exposes the weakness of the current financial markets. I especially enjoyed the swing rendition of  The Internationale that played over the end credits. A must see for anyone who believes in social change or for anyone who doesn't like what they see in the world.

February 2013 Books and Movies

Why We Get Fat (And What to Do About It)
Gary Taubes

This was a real eye opener. For years we have been fed the calories in/ calories out methodology of losing/ gaining weight. This book reminds us of how our ancestors never knew of a carbohydrate as processed as we know it. Up until the middle of the 20th century doctors prescribed diets low in carbohydrates and high in protein (full fat, not lean) with equal amounts of veggies for patients suffering from heart disease, diabetes and any number of ailments. Unfortunately, there are some people who don't lose weight through any diet because of complications such as hormonal disruption or PCOS. I was disappointed that the book did not discuss this at all but still agree with the sound idea of reducing our dependency on processed carbohydrates.

January 2013 Books and Movies

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

This was phenomenal, if not a little bit depressing. I don't generally love Ethan Hawke, but he was really good in this. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Albert Finney were suberb as usual. The concept was definitely unique. Two brothers rob their parents jewellery store only to have things go horribly wrong. The incredible character arcs of the three male leads along with the two supporting female roles (Marissa Tomei and Amy Ryan) make this film imminently watchable. The director, Sydney Lumet is every inch the master of detail. I studied 12 Angry Men in university film class, so I wasn't surprised that this was a character driven dose of gritty realism. After the credits rolled, I just sat there, digesting. A must see.

The Hobbit

I'm really surprised that this book is being made into three movies. Two I could have seen, but three? Don't get me wrong, I love LOTR as much as the next nerd, and loved the Hobbit to bits, both as a child and as an adult. But this just seems like a cash grab.

The movie was too long. If you're not familiar with the book, the characters are incredibly confusing. A number of years have passed since the Fellowship of the Ring was released, and you can tell. Especially with the elf characters who are supposed to be immortal. In today's world of computer genius and CGI, why did they only go with makeup? Cate Blanchette is beautiful at any age, but she doesn't look immortal 11 years on. Neither does Elrond (Hugo Weaving).

That being said, it was breathtakingly shot and well acted. I'm really looking forward to the next movie and to seeing more than just Smaug's eye. :)

December 2012 Books and Movies

Young People F*cking

The title says it all. There is a whole lot of graphic sex and nudity in this film. Be that as it may, the film itself isn't very well acted (with the exception of Sook Yin Lee), written or shot, although I loved the NYC setting.  I applaud the Canadian filmmaker Martin Cero's attempt to make something real that doesn't shy away from what some see as a taboo subject.

This is 40

I wasn't expecting more than a big budget Hollywood comedy with a few cheap laughs that were already given away in the trailer, but I was pleasantly surprised. Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann (who is director Judd Apatow's wife) have fantastic chemistry and great sparring scenes. I was really touched by the scenes with the kids and how real they seemed, then found out why. They are Apatow and Mann's own children. :) I laughed quite a bit, which is not usual for a Hollywood comedy, which can only be a good sign. Definitely check it out on Netflicks or similar.

The Mystery of Mercy Close
Marian Keyes

Reading the long anticipated 5th book in the Walsh sister series was absolutely delicious. Keyes is in fine form once again and it was a delight from start to finish. It was really good to finally find out why Helen was so quirky in all the other books. Her depression was prominent to the storyline, but didn't detract from the plot. The Laddz characters tied over from Sushi For Beginners was a brilliant choice. The only thing that makes me sad is that there won't be any more books in this series unless maybe there is one about Mammy Walsh. I'm so glad Marian Keyes is feeling better and writing again, but as I've said before, even if she never wrote another page, it was great to have had the chance to enjoy her work. 

November 2012 Books and Movies

Skyfall

Whoo hoo, I love James Bond. Particularly of the Sean Connery and Daniel Craig variety. :) I was anxiously awaiting Skyfall for this reason. It didn't disappoint for eye candy that's for sure. I found I was a little bored by the plot, but Javier Bardem was sufficiently creepy to be a great villain. The blonde dye job also worked to make his look match is psychopathic personality. The special effects, fancy props and beautiful costumes were all awesome. Watching it on IMAX also helped. I didn't love the Bond girl, I thought her nails were gross. I loved the new Moneypenny and the twist at the end, though somewhat predictable, was sad all the same. Great addition to the franchise, and I really hope they don't replace Craig just yet.

Breaking Dawn - Part 2 

Ugg, ugg and triple ugg. The worst of the lot. Overwrought acting, terrible dialogue and cheezy special effects. The twihards loved it, but I couldn't wait for it to be over. Kristen Stewart as a vampire was probably the worst part about it. Although the awful name Renesme is a close second. I didn't even get any pleasure from laughing in the theatre.  That and I could only even get one of the original bunch to go see it with me. I suppose I needed to complete the series to appreciate how truly awful it really is. They really should have stuck to one movie per book regardless of the money to be made. 

October 2012 Books and Movies

Sacré Bleu
Christopher Moore

I generally love this author but I'm finding more and more that his books take a little too long to get into. Once you're there though, the book is great. My only other complaint was that the book was printed in blue ink, which was somewhat hard on the eyes. I learned some more about art history (which is a secret love of mine to study intermittently) and enjoyed some historical fiction. A good read if you're a Moore fan, but maybe not so much if you don't like/get his wacky sense of humour.

Shortbus

Graphic sex in every combination, Sook Yin Lee and NYC, what's not to love about this movie? :) Actually, it was pretty good plot wise, and an interesting commentary on sex and all the hang ups that go along with it. It was pretty weird to see Lee, as I'm used to her as a newscaster, and had never seen her acting a character before. A good film, deserving of its film fest awards.

September 2012 Books and Movies

Where did the time go? Why didn't I read or watch anything? Oh yeah, coming down from the most amazing wedding ever plus starting a new school year equals no time. :)

August 2012 Books and Movies

Anne of Hollywood
Carole Wolper

This started out slowly, got really good in the middle, and then sort of petered out to an unsatisfying finish. If you don't go for an execution, there really isn't much else that will do, really. :)

I love, love, love historical fiction and this is definitely that kind of book. Wolper takes the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and sets it in 2012 Los Angeles. I really liked the way she changes the characters, for example making Thomas Cromwell a Theresa, and changing Thomas Wyatt the poet's name and occupation to just the first name of Wyatt who is a musician. I loved the joke of turning Cardinal Wolsey (who is was yet another Thomas, no wonder she changed all the names) into Carl Wolsey, a slimy investor who ends up going down for fraud.

All the major players are there, in the right capacity, Henry Tudor, Maren Tudor, Elizabeth Tudor, Catherine Aragorn, Ferdinand Aragorn, Leo De Vince (although I can't find a mention of Leonardo Da Vinci ever having painted a Tudor) Mary Boleyn, George Boleyn, the Boleyn parents (although, not named, as the father is another Thomas, and the mother is Elizabeth) and another character named Cliff, assistant to Theresa, that I have yet to figure out which 16th century person he is modelled on specifically.

I'm not a huge fan of shifting 1st person/3rd person narratives, but in this case, it worked. A good read, especially if you are a history nut like me.

Napoleon Dynamite

There were parts of this movie I really liked, and parts I really didn't. The historical artifacts were bang on. Two characters, Napoleon and Deb (who is now on Grey's Anatomy, yay) were particularly good. The ending was really goofy. It's definitely an acquired taste, but give it a watch if you like the weirdly wacky.

Pink Ribbons Inc.

This was as good as I expected it to be. I've long thought that pink washing is absolutely wrong. Highjacking any disease for corporate gain is so distasteful, yet few people speak up about it. In fact, people just keep buying. News flash, buying pink washed Revlon or Estee Lauder (whose products, according to the documentary contain known carcinogens) isn't helping the cause all that much. The biggest impact came from the Stage 4 support group, who, as terminal cancer patients, don't really derive much happiness or hope from a pink ribbon. This doc is a credit to Canadian filmmakers and the NFB. An absolute must see.

July 2012 Books and Movies

Highland Fling
Katie Fforde

My friend Amy passed this one on, and I thought it was a decent, light read. Too harlequin romance for my liking, with the "explosions went off behind my eyes and my skin sizzled as we kissed" type mooning about, but the story was pretty good. I like the aristocratic Scottish setting, and the different characters. A good read, if you like romance novels.

I See You Everywhere
Julia Glass

Definitely not my favourite of the Glass novels, but still a very interesting book all the same. This focuses on the lives of two sisters over three decades from the early 80s to the early 2000s. There is quite a twist to the ending, but I'm still not sure if it was a good one. Once I got to know the characters, I enjoyed it much more. Not really like Three Junes or The Whole World Over, so be warned. A good read, but not Glass' best.

June 2012 Books and Movies

The Red House
Mark Haddon

Another very strange but great book by this author. A Spot of Bother is still my favourite, but this was an addictive read. Told by 9 character point of views, sometimes it was a bit confusing. There was so much pathos tinged by humour. Characters were raw, and sometimes made you very uncomfortable. This is a book you could read again and again and discover new things.

The Widower's Tale
Julia Glass

Another great book by this author. A bit slow to start, but once you connected with the characters, you didn't want it to end. I liked the fictional New England setting, surrounded by real towns such as Worchester. I wished that there had been a more satisfying ending for many of the characters. It was kind of left in limbo. I guess I wanted more chapters! A good read if you are a fan of Glass.

Moonrise Kingdom

Another brillant film by Wes Anderson. Everything was so well done, from the quirky 60s inspired props, to the made up New England island. Great child actors, plus Frances McDormand, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton, not to mention a whole host of fantastic character actors. The young lovers who run away together storyline was very well written and the whole film came off very well. A definite must see.

May 2012 Books and Movies

The Other Side of the Bridge
Mary Lawson


Another Mary Lawson book read inside a week. This time, it's set in Struan, the fictional town nearest to Crow Lake. The story oscillates between the late 1930s until after WWII and the late 1950's early 1960s. There is a familiar character, Dr. Christopherson, but he is the second of three Drs (grandfather, father, son) to carry that name, so you don't really know which one is which. There is a hint, when Lawson describes the Irish setter named Molly, who Kate was comforted by in Crow Lake, but then there's talk of getting the same breed of dog and naming her Molly. Even though it's not expressly said, I get the feeling that the third Dr. Christopherson is the one in Crow Lake, and Kate leaves the North for Toronto sometime in the 70s. That would fit with the authors timeline as well, and she definitely writes what she knows. The twist at the end is well hidden and the book just flows. A must read, especially if you've already read Crow Lake.


The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel


I knew from the trailer that I was going to love this. A bunch of retirees go to an Indian retirement complex, read dilapidated old hotel, to live out their golden years. Add Maggie Smith, Judy Dench, Bill Nighy, and the guy from Slum Dog Millionaire, Dev Patel along with many others and you have one stellar cast. The cinematography was spectacular, making me want to go to India even more than I already do. An absolute charming must see.


A Touch of Pink


Given the premiss, a gay Torontonian (living with his partner in London), gets a surprise visit from his unaware, very religious Muslim mother, I thought I would like this much more. It was a joint effort between Canada and the UK, but they seemed to get it all wrong. All the British characters were played by Canadians, but the actor who played, Alim, the Canadian living in London, is British. Pretty backwards and wreaked havoc on the accents. There were some great comedic moments, and Aunty Dolly, played by Veena Sood was just hilarious. So so.


Crow Lake
Mary Lawson


This was so good that I read it in 3 days. This is unheard of for me, considering all the stuff I have going on, plus a full time job. I'm having a hard time putting it into words. All the emotions, real or imagined leap off the page and sock you right in the stomach. Kate, the character who provides the first person narrative, is not very likeable. You come away with the impression that she has been irreparably damaged by each turn of event. I liked that it was set in fictional northern Ontario farming community, but named an actual town (New Liskeard, which apparently has now been amalgamated with 2 other townships to form the city of Temiskaming Shores) so you get a sense of the local geography. This book is beautifully written, and even though it's somewhat easy to figure out what happens next, you'll be so engrossed, you won't care.


Saved By Cake
Marian Keyes


I was a mite disappointed that this was a straight up recipe book, but only in as much as I miss Marian Keyes' books so much, not that I don't wish her the very best on her journey to get well. The recipes look gorgeous, and I'm very glad that she has found something that helps so much. The intro was very well written, and it made me pine for more. Even better than some of the short stories I've read in multi author compilations! An introduction or a short story is much less demanding than a novel and I (along with her legions of fans) hope that she will one day return to the novel. And if she never does, we have had a great time reading her work. Good luck Marian!


The Whole World Over
Julia Glass

Another brilliant book by Julia Glass. I loved Three Junes to bits, and have always loved when authors write character crossovers. Fenno is one of the best characters in Three Junes, and he was seamlessly, but never intrusively woven into the fabric of The Whole World Over. The new characters were just as finely drawn, and the story was deliciously twisty. I couldn't guess what was going to happen next and I liked it. I really can't wait to read more from her, and have just now put her other two books on hold at the library. :)

Bite Me
Christopher Moore

This is the third instalment his vampire series that started with Bloodsucking Fiends and continued with You Suck. These have not been my favorite Moore books by a long shot, although I did appreciate the crossover in the first book with the character Asher from A Dirty Job, my first Christopher Moore novel and a book I really did like. It had been so long since I'd read the other two, I'd forgotten who Abby Normal even was. At first, I really didn't like it. I was put off by the valley girl speech and Abby's general annoying-ness, not to mention the character of Jody, whom I never liked at all. But after a while, when old friends such as the Emperor, the Animals and the cops Rivera and Cavuto re-appeared, and the story picked up, it got better. From research on Wikipedia, I just realized that Kona is from Fluke and the whale had Bite Me written on its tail. Not my favorite, and he completely sets the story up for yet another vampire book, but funny enough to make the read worthwhile. (I just went back and read my review of You Suck, number 2 in this series, and saw that I had posted that I would have liked to have seen a book that centred around Abby Normal. Really, I'm sorry I asked... :) )