NMF #12: Life Happens

Title: Life Happens

Year Released/Rating: 2011 R

Starring: Krysten Ritter, Kate Bosworth, Rachel Bilson

Written By: Kat Coiro, Krysten Ritter

Directed By: Kat Coiro

Genre: Comedy

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Summary: A comedy centered on two best friends, Kim and Deena, who fight to maintain normalcy in their lives after Kim gets pregnant and has a baby.

Review: 

Another one of my random Netflix finds.  I love Krysten Ritter in basically anything.  She's just awesome.  And Justin Kirk is just way too awesome.  But I must say that I don't really like Kate Bosworth.  There's just something about her that I just can't like.  The movie is redeemed by a good storyline and fairly likable characters.  I found this movie to be a decent depiction of life and friendship while being a mom.

Best Bits: 

• Kim: I feel like a large chunk of hamburger that's been mooshed into a person.
• Francesca: It makes me crazy now-a-days that people have children when there's so many dogs that are in need of forever homes.
• Henri: Yeah! I can see you. Child on your hip, born to be a mom. Deena: And I see you. Mustache on your face, profiled on To Catch a Predator.

300 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

Title: 300

Author: Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

Publisher: Dark Horse 1999

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 88

Rating:  3/5 stars     Movie  5/5

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Ebook; Book to Movie

How I Got It: I own it

300 is a story of war and defiance as only Frank Miller can tell. Featuring the watercolor talents of painter Lynn Varley, 300 marks the first collaboration for these two creators since 1990's Elektra Lives Again.

The paintings are just absolutely gorgeous.  I love the play of shadows and the use of a limited color palette.  In many ways the characters are not clear, but rather an approximation of themselves.  It's just so nice to look at.  As to the storyline, I'm a bit torn.  I like the historical angle, but the characters aren't very developed.

Movie

This movie is just absolutely gorgeous.  I love the play of shadows and the use of the a limited color palette.  Oh wait...  I already said that.  But it's the same for the movie as the graphic novel.  I love the look of this movie, the slightly dream-like quality.  The colors are to die for and the costumes have this fairy tale quality to them.  I was in awe of the cinematography.  I'm glad Snyder expanded the storyline to include a bit more backstory and scenes back in Sparta.  The rape scene almost made me take off a star, but it's such a short scene.  I could definitely have down without it...  But overall, I really enjoyed this movie.

NMF #11: Centurion

Title: Centurion

Year Released/Rating: 2010 R

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko

Written By: Neil Marshall

Directed By: Neil Marshall

Genre: Action, adventure, drama

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia:

• German archaeologists have found evidence of the 9th Legion on the banks of the Rhine River and carbon-dated them long after these events took place, suggesting that rather than being wiped out, the reason that there is no evidence of the 9th Legion being in Scotland after these battles is that they moved to Germany.
• The Picts in the film are speaking Scots Gaelic. No written record of the Pictish language exists, but historians believe the modern language most similar to theirs is Welsh. However, director Neil Marshall thought viewers would be confused by a tribe in Scotland speaking Welsh.
• Neil Marshall shot the film in such hard conditions that some cast members suffered health problems. As written in the Independent: Noel Clarke recovered from frostbite.JJ Feild quit smoking because of hypothermia. Michael Fassbender survived shirtless sprinting in sub-zero temperatures to become the next Daniel Craig".
• The Picts were generally thought to not have worn any clothes. However, seeing as the film was being shot in the wilds of Scotland in the depths of winter, it was decided that they should wear something.

Summary: A splinter group of Roman soldiers fight for their lives behind enemy lines after their legion is decimated in a devastating guerrilla attack.

Review: 

I'm such a sucker for these pseudo historical movies.  I always like to see how filmmakers portray events in history.  Thankfully for Marshall, there is very little evidence of what happened to the Ninth Legion in Britain.  I enjoyed the movie.  I enjoyed the storyline.  I enjoyed the characters.  Nothing knocked my socks off, but it was a good afternoon's viewing.

Best Bits: 

• [first lines]  Centurion Quintus Dias: [narrating] My name is Quintus Dias. I am a soldier of Rome, and this is neither the beginning nor the end of my story.
• Carlisle Messenger: I have a message for your general. Now, point me in his direction before I have you flogged. General Titus Flavius Virilus: Who are you? Carlisle Messenger: I'm the personal envoy of Governor Agricola. General Titus Flavius Virilus: I suggest you get down off that horse and give me your message before I have you flogged!
• Arianne: [trying to fish downstream of Quintus as he urinates] Is that fer bait? Centurion Quintus Dias: [startled] Where I come from it's considered rude to interrupt a man mid-flow. Arianne: Where I come from it's considered only fair to warn a man when he's pissin' on his breakfast.
• Centurion Quintus Dias: Brick, put the fuckin' knife away.

NMF #10: Urbanized

Title: Urbanized

Year Released/Rating: 2011

Directed By: Gary Hustwit

Genre: Documentary

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: On the server

Summary: A documentary about the design of cities, which looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world's foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers.

Review: 

The third of Gary Hustwit's documentaries (Helvetica, Objectified), we really seem to be loving documentaries lately. This one did not disappoint.  I've always found urban planner fascinating.  It's one of my varied interest areas.  I've not studied much, but it has intersected my study of history and sociology.  This documentary focused on cities around the world and the challenges they face.  We see how cities change and grow.  We learn about some of the new movements in urbanization We see some small local projects that are changing cities.  I especially loved the section on Detroit.  Here is an opportunity to radically make over an are of the country focusing on smart urbanization.  I really hope something is down about the city.  The bus system in Bogota is fascinating; an above ground subway.  I love the bicycle culture of Copenhagen.  Overall, I found this a fascinating look at cities.  And full disclosure, I would rather live in the heart of the city than anywhere else.

NMF #9: Moon

Title: Moon

Year Released/Rating: 2009 R

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott

Written By: Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker

Directed By: Duncan Jones

Genre: Drama, Scifi

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: On the server

Trivia:

• Shot in 33 days for $5 million dollars.
• The name of the Lunar station, and written on one of the mineral tubes that Sam unloads from the mining machine has the word Sarang written in English and Korean. Sarang is Korean for "love". Sarang also means peacock in Sanskrit language, and means nest in the Malay language as well.
• Duncan Jones directorial debut. Before making this film, Duncan Jones was more famous for being the son of David Bowie. Indeed, one of the producers, Trudie Styler is married to another rock singer,Sting.
• Kevin Spacey read the script and agreed to voice Gerty but when the film was finished and only if he liked it. Having loved it, he recorded his lines in half a day.

Summary: Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.

Review: 

One of those movies that's been on my list since it came ut, but we just never got around to watching it.  I'm so glad we did.  This was amazing.  Right from the start, it reminded me of 2001.  It has that same lonely, but sinister, feel to it.  I won't give away the twists and turns, but I must say that they are expertly executed.  The characters are beautifully constructed.  I love Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell.  He played the progression wonderfully.  And then it have Kevin Spacey voice GERTY was genius.  He has that slightly creepy, robotic voice.  I loved it!  This is a definite must see and Duncan Jones is one director to watch.

Best Bits: 

• GERTY: I hope life on Earth is everything you remember it to be.
• Sam Bell: Listen, why don't you relax. Why don't you take a pill, bake a cake, go read the encyclopedia.
• Sam Bell: Gerty, is there someone else in the room?

Cowboys and Aliens by Fred Van Lente

Title: Cowboys and Aliens

Author: Van Lente, Foley, Callero, Lima, Rosenberg

Publisher: It Books 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 3/5 stars     Movie  4/5

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novels; TBR Pile; Book to Movie; Bingo -- 4 from TBR

How I Got It: I own it

Arizona. 1873. The ultimate showdown between cowboys and Indians is interrupted… by an alien invasion.Every conqueror believes himself moved by a higher power, his destructive actions justified by necessity, compassion, or divine providence. In the greatest and most deadly expansion the world has seen, European settlers pushed west, decimating the native population without a second thought. But when aliens invade, they give the cowboys the fight of their lives, forcing them to pair with the Indians in a battle for control of the planet.The Old West will never be the same…

So, I'm a bit underwhelmed with this one.  I like the idea: cowboys and natives versus aliens.   This sounds like a great story.  Unfortunately, the story seems very short and undeveloped.  We don't spend any real time with the characters before the aliens land.  The action is choppy and not very exciting.  The ending does have a great cliffhanger, but something comes of it.

Movie

The movie is very different from the book.  We get a story of cowboys versus aliens, but that's really where the similarities stop.  I enjoyed the movie if nothing more than a fun action movie. Daniel Craig is the convincing stoic cowboy with a shady past.  Harrison Ford is great as the craggy grumpy old man.  The action sequences are fun and full of fun special effects.  This is anything ground-breaking, but I did enjoy the movie.  My only issue is Olivia Wilde's character.  I could have done without her...

NMF #8: Helvetica

Title: Helvetica

Year Released/Rating: 2007

Directed By: Gary Hustwit

Genre: Documentary

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: We own it

Summary: A documentary about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture.

Review: 

J owned this documentary even before we started dating, and I just never watched it until now.  It's something I would like: a specific documentary.  A documentary about something I find interesting.  And now living with J (who's a designer), I find myself discussing design on a regular basis.  I finally got around to watching this one following our earlier viewing of

Objectified

.  This is a very layered documentary.  We see all sides to the issue of the "universal typeface" of Helvetica.  Personally, I really like the typeface, but part of that may be because I had to see Times New Roman throughout all of school and hated it.  Helvetica gave me a new experience, despite seeing it everywhere in public.  Overall, I learned a lot about typeface and design.  And most importantly, I understand J just a little bit more.

Best Bits: 

• Rick Poynor: Type is saying things to us all the time. Typefaces express a mood, an atmosphere. They give words a certain coloring.
• Massimo Vignelli: You can say, "I love you," in Helvetica. And you can say it with Helvetica Extra Light if you want to be really fancy. Or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it's really intensive and passionate, you know, and it might work.
• Lars Müller: And I think I'm right calling Helvetica the perfume of the city. It is just something we don't notice usually but we would miss very much if it wouldn't be there.

NMF #7: Pizza My Heart

Title: Pizza My Heart

Year Released/Rating: 2005 TV

Starring: Shiri Appleby, Eyal Podell, Dan Hedaya

Written By: Juliet Giglio, Keith Giglio

Directed By: Andy Wolk

Genre: Romance

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia: The Pizza War scene was filmed in weather of 40 degrees Fahrenheit, although it was supposed to be in the summer; the extras and cast were freezing during the filming.

Summary: Another modern spin-off of Romeo & Juliet, this time about two families who each run rivaling pizza restaurants in New Jersey.

Review: 

Another ABC Family romantic comedy.  I have a thing for these cheesy movies. The Romeo and Juliet play is a bit overdone, but most of the actors make it fun.

Best Bits: 

• Jean Paul Veber: [trying to tell the families that he can only pick one to go into business with] I can only go to bed with one of you.
• Joe Montebello: Ma told me to spice up my life.  Gloria Montebello: Not with arsenic. Joe Montebello: Arsenic is not a spice.

NMF #6: Wizards

Title: Wizards

Year Released/Rating: 1977 PG

Starring: Jesse Welles, Richard Romanus, Bob Holt

Written By: Ralph Bakshi

Directed By: Ralph Bakshi

Genre: Animation, Fantasy

Star Rating: 3/5 stars

Where I Got It: We own it (it's really J's)

Trivia: 

• No pencil tests were done on the film because of its low budget. The drawings went straight to the final product.
• The "religious" articles in the temple include pinball machines, a Pepsi-Cola sign, a catcher's mitt, an Oscar statuette, a jukebox, and a gold front grill from a Rolls Royce.
• Due to the dark imagery from the shadow-animation, this movie is a favorite for Midnight Movie shows around the world, whose primary market are teenagers.
• Avatar's mount is wearing socks, although he himself remains barefoot throughout the entire movie.

Summary: On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a wizard and his faire folk comrades fight an evil wizard who's using technology in his bid for conquest.

Review: 

This is one of those creepy movies J liked as a child.  He had to introduce me to it tonight.  Wow!  All I can say is wow!  This was just weird.  A pseudo retelling of WWII, I was just stunned throughout the movie.  Overall, I am just so lost with this movie. It's weird.  At times it seems to be anti-religion.  And then we get the Hitler piece.  But then there's a fight between technology and religion.  I feel like I need to take some drugs before watching this movie, and I still don't know if it would make sense.  Definitely a strange pick.

NMF #5: Moonrise Kingdom

Title: Moonrise Kingdom

Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG-13

Starring: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward

Written By: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

Directed By: Wes Anderson

Genre: Action, Drama

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: On the server

Trivia:

• Though it was filmed in part on Prudence Island, Rhode Island, the map of the island of New Penzance is based on Fisher's Island, New York.
• In the film, Laura Bishop shouts at various family members through a bullhorn. The idea came from co-writer Roman Coppola's childhood, as his mother Eleanor Coppola used a bullhorn in a similar fashion.
• During filming, Wes Anderson rented an old mansion in Newport, Rhode Island for himself, editor Andrew Weisblum, and director of cinematography Robert D. Yeoman, in which they had a room set up for editing the film. It had been arranged for the cast to stay in a nearby hotel, but eventually some of the actors also decided to stay at the mansion, including Edward Norton, Bill Murray, and Jason Schwartzman. Murray later joked that the theory was to have everyone close by so that they could all work "ungodly art-movie hours."
• Most of Wes Anderson's classmates who were Scouts were in Troop 55.
• This is the first Wes Anderson film without any involvement of Owen Wilson.

Summary: A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.

Review: 

I love Wes Anderson movies...  they are just the ticket for a humorous and quirky look at people.  My favorite is The Royal Tenenbaums, but this one was really good.  I loved all the child actors.  They had the right amount of quirk and precociousness.  I wouldn't want to meet them in the woods alone at night, but they are entertaining.  And we get Bill Murray being his usual awesome self.  I especially loved Tilda Swinton's social worker.  She is crazy and prim and by-the-book, so not like the rest of the characters.  And hello Jason Schwartzman!  I love him way too much.  This has definitely moved up in my ranking list of Wes Anderson movies.

Best Bits: 

• Laura Bishop: Walt, where the hell are you? Walt Bishop: Right here. Why are you cursing at me? Laura Bishop: Does it concern you that your daughter's just run away from home? Walt Bishop: That's a loaded question. Laura Bishop: Come down and read this!
• Walt Bishop: Be advised, the two of you will never see each other again. Those were your last words. Do you understand?  Suzy: I'd be careful if I were you. One of these days, somebody's gonna get pushed too far. And who knows what they're capable of?  Walt Bishop: Is that a threat?  Suzy: It's a warning.  Lionel: You're a traitor to our family.  Suzy: Good! I want to be.
• Scout Master Ward: Jiminy cricket, he flew the coop!
• Walt Bishop: Holy Christ, what am I looking at here?  Laura Bishop: He does watercolors. Mostly landscapes but a few nudes.  Walt Bishop: Did she sit for this?
• Walt Bishop: Our daughter's been abducted by one of these beige lunatics!

NMF #4: Objectified

Title: Objectified

Year Released/Rating: 2009

Directed By: Gary Hustwit

Genre: Documentary

Star Rating: 5/5 stars

Where I Got It: Server

Summary: A feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them.

Review: 

This is one of those documentaries that J has insisted we watch.  And I'm glad.  Living with a designer, I have slowly started to see elements of design, especially of the bad variety.  The documentary lays out many philosophies of design and how they impact our daily lives.  Very interesting.  I love the idea that design evokes emotion and becomes a part of your family.  Great way to explain it.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Title: Mansfield Park

Author: Jane Austen

Pages: 410

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Reread; Jane Austen; Ebook; Book to Movie; Book Bingo -- 3 rereads

How I Got It: Own It!

Most definitely least favorite of the Austen novels.  Fanny is too meek and naive to love to the fullest.  Edmund is a bit of a limp noodle when it comes to the opinions and character.  I do revel in the villainy of Mary and Henry Crawford.  They are the lowest form of villans in the Austen novels.  They start as interesting and likable, and only later do we see their treachery.  The entire section dealing with the play drags a bit.  I kept wanting to skip ahead, but I didn't.  I knew the book would get better.

Movie: 

This is a very losse adaptation of the novel.  In that, the director took liberties with the character of Fanny Price.  Here she is much too bold and confidentwilling to speak up.  She is a much weaker creature in the novel.  The side characters are a lot of fun, I especially love Hugh Bonneville as Mr. Rushworth.  And I forgot that James Purefoy played Tom.  I love him!  Henry is a bit too handsome, but Mary is spot on.  And I do love the romance between Edmund and Fanny.  As to the story, the heavy slavery references get to be a bit much.  It's mentioned in the book, but the movie dwells on it.  I like the movie, but can't compare it too closely to the novel.

Random trivia: Jonny Lee Miller (Edmund) and Justine Waddell (Julia) were in this movie and Dracula 2000 together.  Weird connection.

Movie:

I like this version so much better.  The storyline and characters are much more in line with the book.  The Crawfords are still devious.  Edmund is still the rock.  Yet, this Fanny is much more docile and meek.  I believe her consistency much better.  And we don't have the reliance on slavery to make any social point.  The costumes are amazing, just right for the time period, not showy or too modern.  I love this version of Mansfield, even if the book is my least favorite Austen...

NMF #3: Transformers Dark of the Moon

Title: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Year Released/Rating: 2011 PG-13

Starring: Shia LaBeoug, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel

Directed By: Michael Bay

Written By: Ehren Kruger

Genre: Action, Scifi

Star Rating:  2/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia: 

• Megatron's alternate mode in this film is a Mack Titan tanker truck, his first Earth disguise. This was chosen to put him on parallel with Optimus Prime (the filmmakers described him as "a demented version of Prime"). This mode also pays homage to theTransformers: Robots in Disguise Decepticon Scourge (also known in Japan as "Black Convoy"), who is an evil clone of Optimus Prime.
• Michael Bay described the tone of the film as "a homeland version of Black Hawk Down with giant alien robots." -- Ridiculous!
• When the employee is pushing the buttons on the photocopier that later transforms into Laserbeak, the distinct tones of the copier form the title theme song of The Transformers.
• In 2011, Alan Tudyk told "Empire" magazine that his character from 28 Days (the gay German performance artist, Gerhard) was the same character as the one Tudyk later played in this movie: "I decided that it's the same guy: he had gotten out of rehab, got himself on the right track and then... entered the army, became a specialist, found that he had skills in computers and weapons. Then he got burned out after too much killing and just decided to become a valet to Agent Simmons. There's a moment where he just goes crazy, and I say, 'That's the old me' and that was all based on that bullshit idea that it was the same guy." -- The only interesting bit of the trivia!

Summary: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets.

Review: 

This movie sucks...  Can I just end my review there?  No, I must explain a bit more.  The plot is completely convoluted I had no idea what the movie was actually about for the first hour.  Even after that, it had some many logical failings.  I couldn't get over it.  The characters are flat, well, the human characters at least.  Megatron and Optimus Prime are the most realized characters and those are robots.  Plus, I am so disappointed that this many awesome actors are in this movie.  See: John Malkovich, John Turturro, Frances McDormand, Alan Tudyk, and Ken Jeong.  Ugh!  We decided to watch this movie tonight for a comedy.  And it is definitely hilarious, but in all the bad ways.

Best Bits: Notice they are all from awesome side characters...

• Dutch: [after dispatching some Soviets] I'm so sorry. That is the old me.
• Simmons: [Wants to impress the Russians with a Russian phrase] Dutch, give me something tough. Dutch: Eh. [browses dictionary in panic] Dutch: Baryshnikov. Cosmonaut Dimitri: We do speak English. Simmons: Dutch, you suck. Dutch: It's a Cyrillic alphabet. It's like all the buttons you never push on a calculator! I don't suck.
• Bruce Brazos: Come on people! Yes, a workmate died, but looking out the window is not going to bring him back! The man was depressed. You can keep watching him but he's not getting up, you all read Humpty Dumpty.

NMF #2: Ip Man

Title: Ip Man

Year Released/Rating: 2008 R

Starring: Donnie Yen, Simon Tam, Siu-Wong Fan

Directed By: Wilson Yip

Written By: Edmond Wong, Chan Tai-Li

Genre: Action, Drama

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: We own it

Trivia: Although it's the first film centering around Yip Man, the idea of doing a Yip Man biopic have been conceived for as long as 30 years. Donnie Yen was actually slated to play Yip Man in the supposed first biopic that was about to go into production in 1997. The film would've also featured Stephen Chow playing an adult Bruce Lee. However, only one day of shooting took place before the project was canceled.

Summary: A semi-biographical account of Yip Man, the first martial arts master to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun.

Review: 

I was in the mood for something actiony...  and J suggested this movie.  He has introduced me to many martial arts movies and I must say that this has been my favorite so far.  I love the storyline.  The history of the story is so poignant.  This isn't a mystical land, but something based on a true story.  But it's the action scenes that make this movie amazing.  I loved seeing all the different styles of fighting.  Now I want to see Ip Man 2.  It looks great.

Best Bits: 

Miura: [after witnessing Ip Man single-handedly defeat ten Japanese fighters at once] What's your name?  Ip Man: I'm just a Chinese man.

New Movie February #1: My Future Boyfriend

Title: My Future Boyfriend

Year Released/Rating: 2011 TV Movie

Starring: Barry Watson, Sara Rue, Fred Willard

Directed By: Michael Lange

Written By: James Orr, Jim Cruickshank

Genre: Comedy, romance, scifi

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia: The character Elizabeth Barrett's name may have been based on the romance poet of the 18th century Elizabeth Barrett Browning. (IMDB)

Summary: An archaeologist (Barry Watson) from 1000 years in the future uncovers a romance novel written in our time. Curious, he journeys back to find out about this thing called "love" from the novel's author (Sara Rue). Set in New Orleans.

Review: As far as TV romance movies go, this was a delight.  Okay the premise is hooky... man from future comes back to learn about love.  But amazingly, it is a cute little fun movie.  I really really liked it.  I think this is due to the actors as opposed to the plot itself.  Somehow Watson and Rue make the characters relatable.  The entire movie is simple, but a nice afternoon's worth of watching.

Best Bits: Elizabeth Barrett: I have no intention of explaining sex to a grown man one more time in my life.

One Day by David Nicholls

Title: One Day

Author: David Nicholls

Publisher: Vintage Books 2009

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 437

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Genre - Contemporary; New Author; Mount TBR; Book to Movie; Book Bingo -- 5 from TBR

How I Got It: I own it

It’s 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day—July 15th—of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself.

Another of those I-had-to-buy-it-but-its-been-sitting-on-my-shelf-ever-since books.  I started it thinking "this is an interesting concept, seeing a relationship evolve over the years, but only one day each year."  As I got into the book, I fell in love the characters.  By the end of the books, I was convinced that I am Emma.  I am Emma in all her insecurities, wants, needs, and hopes.  I don't have a Dexter (thank goodness), but I could see myself falling for a Dexter.  I was obsessed with the Harry and Sally-like story of Emma and Dexter's relationship.  It seemed annoyingly complicated, but somehow those complications made the characters and events feel even more real.  Even with these amazing thoughts on the book, the ending utterly destroyed me.  Absolutely.  Still amazing...

Movie:

This movie is just gorgeous and heartbreaking.  I was in love with it from the first scene.  It follows the books but in a great way.  We see all the different years laid out before us.  I loved Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway.  They were the perfect Dex and Em.  I loved seeing them grow through the years.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Title: The Reader

Author: Bernhard Schlink

Publisher: Vintage 1995

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 218

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Back to the Classics -- 20th Century; New Author; Mount TBR; Eclectic -- Translated; Movie

How I Got It: I own it!

When he falls ill on his way home from school, fifteen-year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. In time she becomes his lover—then she inexplicably disappears. When Michael next sees her, he is a young law student, and she is on trial for a hideous crime. As he watches her refuse to defend her innocence, Michael gradually realizes that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder.

Hmmm... I heard so many good things about this book, and I'm just not convinced at all. The first part is just awkward.  The pseudo relationship between Michael and Hanna just doesn't convince me at all.  The second part, the trial, gets more interesting.  Questions of morality and ethics invade the writing.  I found the philosophical questions intriguing.  But the third part, after the trial, didn't interest me at all.  I just wasn't that emotionally involved with the book.  It didn't speak to me at all.  That's not to say it isn't a good book.  I'm sure many like it, I just didn't really love it.

Movie version:

Overall, I liked the movie much better than the book.  The movie held true to the book, but added a bit more of Michael in the present day.  We see him reminiscing about the story of Hanna.  Plus, the audience has the good fortune of getting rid of Michael's rambling narration.  Kate Winslet is amazing as Hanna.  I felt for her more than at any time during the book.  WInslet made her more human.  And the actor who played Michael lets us into his head much more than the book.  A very good movie.

Fantasy and New Movies February

I have two month-long challenges to highlight today.  First up the book related one...

From The Book Cellar:

So I first had this idea last year in the summer, way past the only F month of the year, but it still had been rolling around in my head. And this year I really want to make it happen. So basically picture a month solid of fantasy: author interviews, book reviews, book features, giveaways, and anything else I can think of that is solely fantasy.  Fantasy February here I come :)

SO IT IS HAPPENING. February is going to be all fantasy all the time here on The Book Cellar and I am inviting you to join me!

So if you are a reader, come with your thoughts and what fantasy books you love.

If you are a blogger, post your own reviews and link back up so we can all explore the awesome fantasyness all month long.

Love, love, love this idea!  I am totally on board with this idea.  I have a ton of fantasy books just waiting to be read.  Would you like to join?  Hope on over to The Book Cellar to join in the fun.  Now, excuse me while I go and rearrange my TBR pile...

And now to the movie related one...

Back in September of 2011, I decided to watch one movie for each letter of the alphabet.  It was meant to be a month-long challenge, but it ended up bleeding into October.  This year, I don't want to do an A to Z movie challenge.  I decided to do just a New Movie a Day challenge.  I won't be going to the theater everyday.  We have a library, multiple Redboxes, the server, and Netflix all within reach to use.  I am going to watch a new-to-me movie everyday for the month of February.  Each movie will be highlighted with a short review.  Stay tuned...

Persuasion by Jane Austen

This is a reposted review since I was reading Persuasion for a readalong and my own enjoyment.

Title: Persuasion

Author: Jane Austen

Pages: 333

Rating:  5  / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- No Copyright (20 points); Jane Austen; Women Authors;  Ebook; Book Bingo -- 3 Rereads

How I Got It: Own It!

Book

Say what you want about Elizabeth Bennett, Anne Elliott has always been my favorite Austen heroine.  Underneath it all, she's the one that keeps the Elliott household running, even in Bath.  She understands who she is and what mistakes she has made in the past.  She knows people and how to deal with them.  I love this story of growing up and realizing your mistakes.  Plus Captain Wentworth is just so dreamy!  Definitely my favorite of all of Austen's novels.

Miniseries :

A few years ago I had a short-lived book club with some of my high schoolers.  We read Persuasion and then I hosted a movie night to enjoy a viewing.  Afterward we went around yelling "Wentworth" all over school.  Good times good times.

As to the actual movie, this is my favorite adaptation.  The casting perfectly fits the characters.  Anthony Stewart Head is imposing as Sir Walter, perfect casting.  Amanda Hale  is a nervous wreck of a Mary.  Rupert Penry-Jones is just dreamy as Captain Wentworth.  And Sally Hawkins has those long looks so perfect for playing Anne.  My absolute favorite scene is the first time that Anne and the Captain meet again.  Their looks convey a huge range of emotions.  In that instance, you know that they still love each other even with the betrayals of the past.  And I love all the scenes in Bath if for nothing more than the architecture in Bath.  Even the deviations from the novel fit with the story and characters. I forgive the filmmakers and still watch it over and over again.

2013 Book to Movie Reading Challenge

From Doing Dewey:

Alright folks! Today we have another exciting new first for Doing Dewey! I will be hosting my first ever reading challenge, the 2013 Book to Movie Challenge. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to review books and the movies which they’ve been made into. It’s a tough job, but someone has to let us book lovers know which movies are going to fulfill our dreams of watching our favorite books come to life and which movies are going to ruthlessly shatter those dreams!

You can change challenge levels at any time and the challenge levels are as follows:

Movie Fan - read 3 books and watch their movies Movie Devotee - read 6 books and watch their movies Movie Lover - read 9 books and watch their movies Movie Aficionado - read 12 books and watch their movies

Credit for the logo, to which I artistically added writing, goes to the Ozark Dale County Public Library.

I'm going for the Movie Afficionado Level of 12 books and movies.  I love comparing movies to the original texts.

My TBR List:

1. The Reader
2. Mansfield Park
3. A Game of Thrones
4. One Day
5. The Host
6. The Secret Garden
7. Emma
8. Never Let Me Go
9. Vanity Fair
10. TBD
11. TBD
12. TBD