So this is part three and I still have a lot of movies to cover...so maybe I don't give you a synopsis of each. And again, these are in no particular order. I just really enjoyed them.
"Marvel's The Avengers" - There's a reason it's the number one grossing film of all time. It really is that good. Great performances all around. The Hulk is as good as you've heard (if you're one of the 8 who hasn't actually seen it yet).
"Skyfall" - The best Bond film ever? I have to say yes. Bond is real in this movie. He cries, for God's sake! And Bardem is a fantastic villain. This is a Bond film that really should be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Just fantastic from start to finish.
"Life of Pi" - I spent a good portion of this movie crying. There are a lot of tough scenes in this, tough scenes that you know aren't real, but they are hard to watch nonetheless. And when you see it, see it in 3D. The visual effects are staggering and will leave you with your mouth agape. We left the theatre exhausted and with lots of questions: which story was real? Does it matter in the end?
"The Dark Knight Rises" - A fantastic finish to this trilogy. An ending that made me happy. I wasn't totally sold on the character of Bane (about 1/3 of the time I wasn't sure what he was saying, and I thought the wrap-up of his character was a little anti-climactic), but everything else was pretty close to perfection. This is a superhero who made himself super. He doesn't come from another world, he wasn't bitten by a radioactive spider. He just has really neat gadgets and an overwhelming desire to protect. And Anne Hathaway was just fantastic. She could do no wrong this year.
"Magic Mike" - McConaghuey strips. Enough said.
"Haywire" - A little Soderbergh movie. Did not get a lot of views, and I caught it on DVD. But it is a great little action flick with a female star who really kicks ass. Double crossers get double crossed and a lot of fighting. Well worth your time.
"The Hobbit" - How on Middle Earth is Peter Jackson going to stretch this one book into three movies? I don't know and if the remaining two are as good as the first one, I don't care!
"Battleship" - Vastly better than it got credit for. I really enjoyed the tribute to the veterans and I really enjoyed Taylor Kitsch. Love him.
Kids movies - there were some really great kids movies this year. Yes, there were the re-releases of "Beauty and the Beast" and "Finding Nemo" and "Monsters Inc.", but there was also "The Secret World of Arrietty", "The Pirates! Band of Misfits", "Rise of the Guardians", "Paranorman" and "Wreck-It Ralph". All of them were wonderful and not just for kids.
I have to single out Tom Cruise's performance in "Rock of Ages". Like most, I was not all that thrilled with the movie as a whole, but Tom...oh Tom...I just love him. He was great. Every moment he was in the movie made the movie worthwhile.
I also have to specifically single out the battle scene in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two". I reacted so viscerally to that scene. I saw it with two of my friends at the first showing (10pm, not midnight, that's how ready we were to see it) and they were genuinely worried about me. But they were having so much fun watching me that they did nothing about it. I was a mess of tears, yelling that this was the most horrible scene ever and why make the movie at all??? And then...when IT happens (and those of you who have seen it know what I mean), I yelled "I KNEW IT!" and then threw my empty candy box at the movie screen. Not my finest moment, but my friends enjoyed it. They told me later that the majority of the people sitting around me did as well.
So, there you have it. 2012 was a pretty good year for movies. I can't wait to see if Hollywood rises to the challenge in 2013!
The end of another year...I know this sounds so cliche, but it really does feel like we were just celebrating New Year 2012. I know a lot of things happened in the past 365 days, but I don't know that I can remember them all without looking at Facebook. I know I started working at the library, the first job I have had that I really WANTED, I just didn't have to take it because I needed it. That was a nice first. It was the year Clare started going to school for full days every day. I saw Duran Duran again this year (always a good thing). I did my first play in around 8 years (another really good thing) and Clare was in it with me, which was her first play ever (a really great thing!). We added to our animal family (2 new dogs, 2 new cats). There have been lots of other things, but those are the ones I remember without any prompting.
So what will 2013 bring? I think this will be the year I apply to grad school to get my Master's in Library Science. I will be doing at least one more play. One of my best friends is getting married in a few months and both Clare and I are in the wedding, so we will be going to AUSTIN TX soon (this is a WONDERFUL thing). I have kept up with this blog pretty decently, so I think I will stick with that. No followers yet, so it's still kind of just like a diary, but that's okay for now.
I read 100 books this year...can I break that number this year? Of course I can! What number should I try to hit this coming year? Thoughts anyone? Increase by 10%, by 20%?
Really, I just hope that this is a year that my family does well. That we are all happy and healthy and safe. In this crazy world, that last word - safe - means so much more. It's not just happy and healthy anymore. Please let my family be safe. And I hope that for you and your families in the new year - be happy, be healthy and be safe.
Now then, where was I? Ah yes, movies. Last night I went to see "Les Miserables," and I would be totally and utterly shocked if Anne Hathaway doesn't win many, many awards, up to and including the Oscar, for her performance as the doomed Fantine. Seriously, what an amazing job she did with such a tiny amount of screen time. "I Dreamed a Dream" is always sung in such a pretty way (and I know since I sang it years and years ago at my Senior Showcase in high school. Sang it wearing a gorgeous, emerald green vintage prom dress, which is SO Fantine. Ha!) but Hathaway sings it in such a raw and visceral way that I don't know if I can ever hear it sung "pretty" again. That's the way it is supposed to sound. She just shaved her head, she just allowed her own teeth to be pulled out, she was just raped...it's not a pretty story so it shouldn't be a pretty song. I had to swallow down sobs in order to be able to hear the whole thing.
And then there's Hugh Jackman. Wow. He is an actor who I think has always been taken for granted. He is gorgeous and built like a god so he has always played action heroes. Sure, he won a Tony for the musical "The Boy from Down Under", but I don't think Hollywood cares all that much about Tony awards. And so to see him in this role of a lifetime, baring his soul with every note he sings, every movement of his body, every look he gives, was nothing short of a revelation. I would also be very surprised if he does not pick up wheelbarrows full of awards for his performance as Jean Valjean. And he will deserve every single one of them.
So now we come to Russell Crowe as Javert...he is really receiving a critical drubbing for his performance and I can honestly see why. However, having said that, I don't think I agree with it. If "Les Miserables" was a comedy, Javert would be the straight man and the straight man is frequently overlooked. Crowe is most certainly not as strong a singer as Jackman, but then again, neither is Hathaway. He did look wooden next to the other actors, but is that his acting or his acting choice? I think it was the latter. Javert is so fully devoted to his job, to the law, that for them there is no grey; there is only black and white. While everyone around him is frequently overcome by emotion, he does not have that luxury. He is the law. He does not have time for emotion. And so, when he at last confronts himself and realizes what a truly good man Valjean is, he loses himself. He is overcome with emotion and for Javert, that signifies weakness, a great weakness that he cannot abide within himself. And so, he kills himself. Besides the gut-wrenchingly emotional performances given by just about everyone else, of course Crowe looks wooden, but I think it was a character decision, not an acting flaw.
My husband and I are HUGE Les Mis fans and so it was so exciting to finally see this movie and it did not disappoint. A wonderful adaptation, one that should and hopefully will win many awards, and one that I know we will watch again and again and again. And in the solitude of our home, we can finally sing along!!!
I watch a lot of movies. A lot. And all types of movies. Kid movies, blockbusters, art house...just love movies. So I don't think I can pick one as my favorite. It just wouldn't be fair. Instead, I'll give you a list of my favorites from this year, in no particular order. I know, I know, it's pretty wishy-washy of me, but it's my list and so there!
"Argo" - So much talk has been made of how amazing the turn-around of Ben Affleck's career has been. First there was "Gone Baby Gone", but maybe that was a fluke. Then came "The Town", but hey, looks like he can only make movies based in Boston. Now, there's "Argo", a movie that Hollywood loves because it's about Hollywood. Even though the ultimate escape scene is a little enhanced from what really happened, it takes nothing away from the truth of this amazing story. Bennifer is long gone and Ben Affleck has a loooong career ahead of him.
"Moonrise Kingdom" - Wes Anderson is a genius. Straight-up, stone-cold genius. This is such a sweetly funny, nostalgic film. I don't think it is as good as "Rushmore" or "Bottle Rocket", but it is still a fantastic movie experience. Such an amazing cast also - Bill Murray + Wes Anderson = SOLID GOLD. And I have always been a fan of Bruce Willis. He is so much more than just an action star. This is a first-love story, but has that Wes Anderson edge to it. Visually stunning (as always) and of course, a great soundtrack.
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" - This one blew me away. To think that the little girl who is the star of this film was younger than my 6-year old daughter when filming happened leaves me in awe of her. Entirely made by amateurs, this is a film that 7/8 of the Hollywood establishment wishes they could make. Such power in every single performance. And it all has such a dream-like quality to it; this is the way a little child would alter reality to make it less scary. I hope this wins lots and lots of awards.
"Silver Linings Playbook" - This will go down as the movie that showed Bradley Cooper can act. Sure he was funny in "The Hangover", but people often overlook comedy as throwaway performances (even though comedy can actually be harder to pull off than drama). In this fantastic film that deserves every single accolade it is receiving, Bradley Cooper plays "crazy" in a non-stereotypical manner. You really cannot take your eyes away from him as you see his mind working, his mind trying to make sense of the world around him. And of course Jennifer Lawrence was wonderful, as was DeNiro and Jacki Weaver, but we knew they would be. The real silver lining (sorry, couldn't resist) in this movie is Bradley Cooper.
"The Hunger Games" - Was it as good as the book? No, but it did come pretty darn close. There were some moments from the book left out that I would have loved to have seen on the big screen, but I still loved this adaptation. I thought the casting was great (Lenny Kravitz!) and of course cannot wait for the next one.
I really wanted to make myself do a daily entry on to this thing, but Newtown pretty much made me take a break. Just couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't make me cry. Today though, I am going to try and give it a go again. I decided that I would spend the next few posts writing about the things I loved this year. Some will be children's books, but a couple of adult books will sneak in there as well. I saw a bunch of movies, so those will be here as well. Maybe even a tv show or two. Perhaps even a Duran Duran concert will make the list (spoiler alert: it will!). Consider it my gift to you: my favorite things from this year!
First up, one of my favorite books this year. I fully admit that I sometimes base a book on its cover, and so when I saw this one, I was instantly drawn to it. The Cranes Dance, by Meg Howrey, has a great cover, with a fantastic font choice for the title. I love how the girls look so perfect, but still, everything is just a little bit askew, just like the characters in the book.
If you saw "Black Swan" and liked it, you will love this book. It is the story, told in the first person, of a professional ballerina named Kate. She has a younger sister named Gwen who is also a professional ballerina. The two sisters dance in the same company. No stress there, right? Things get even more complicated when Gwen has a mental breakdown and is forced to move home with their parents for treatment. Now Kate, in classic older sibling fashion, has to deal with the guilt she feels. Even though she was younger, Gwen was always just a little bit better at dancing. Now that she's gone, there's no longer a shadow hovering over Kate. She feels bad about her sister's illness, maybe even a little responsible, but she can't help but also feel a little pleased that now she can shine on her own. But, does mental illness run in the family? Because Kate starts to go a little off kilter too. The copious amounts of pain pills she is taking certainly aren't helping. In her battle to find her own place in the company, will she lose herself? In her quest to assert her differences from her sister, will she end up being just like her?
The symmetry of this novel was so fitting ... it all came together like a beautiful dance even as it told the tale of one dancer in particular. The ending had me on pins and needles, so nervous. Just a lovely story about the family ties that bind. And the lines are just fantastic. One of my favorites is "I had to drink my coffee as bitter as I am". Brilliant language!
I read this second book in the Goddess Test series thinking that the whole series was already out, but sadly I was very mistaken and now I have to wait until February for the next one! Arggghhh!
For those of you who haven't read the first book in this series, The Goddess Test, the series brings the Greek myths into the modern world. Hades (now called Henry) had to find a new wife since Persephone left him to become mortal. After 11 unsuccessful attempts, Henry finally triumphs when he meets Kate Winters. Of course, it wasn't as easy as just meeting and then marrying, but to figure all that out, I suggest you read it for yourself.
In this second book, their new love travels a very rocky road, filled with a goddess seeking revenge, a re-awakened Titan, lots of self-doubt and the return of a former love. I liked this book and I really like the character of Henry, but sometimes I am not all that crazy about Kate. I have to remind myself that she is a 19-year old girl and so is going to react in a way appropriate to that age which leads to lots of crying and moping and doubting and second-guessing. This was one of those reading experiences where I want to reach in and slap the main character and tell them to snap out of it! Especially when you also take into account the fact that Henry has existed for eons and eons. You would think Kate would cut him a little slack. I mean, when every single other character is telling you something, eventually you have to accept that it's true, right?
The language of this series is very evocative; almost the entirety of this second book takes place in the Underworld which could be so bleak and drab and boring, but Carter makes it sound quite lovely (well parts of it; the parts where people are hanging over burning lakes of lava aren't so great). It can sometimes be confusing keeping all the secondary characters straight, but it doesn't detract in any way from the story itself. My only other gripe with this one is that a crucial part of the book is when the gods and goddesses have to trap Cronus, the mac daddy of Greek myth, who is escaping his prison, but we never find out what that trap is and how it works. Maybe we will hear more about that in The Goddess Inheritance.
The end of this book threw a nice little wrench into the works and I am really excited to see what happens. Even with its few flaws, this is a great series and is a very quick read. I recommend this series for girls ages 13 and up.
I absolutely LOVE it when children's books don't talk down to children. Children are smart and they have senses of humor. Lester's Dreadful Sweaters is a smart book full of wicked humor. It reminded me of Lemony Snicket's An Unfortunate Series of Events in its use of language. Lester is a wonderful main character with lots of fun quirks. Alliteration and clever phrases are sprinkled throughout and even more than making this a fun story, they help to increase children's vocabulary as well as their understanding of how words work.
My daughter Clare is 6-years old and she loved this book. She loved the illustrations, especially the sweaters. She really interacted with this story, cringing and crying out "Oh no!" when Lester has to wear the dreadful sweaters out in public. Everytime one of the dreadful sweaters would "mysteriously" be ruined, Clare would chant, "clickity click", showing that she knew Cousin Clara was knitting yet another sweater.
This is a book that is fun for both children and adults. I will definitely be adding it to our home library. I recommend it for ages 5 and up.
Finally got around to reading Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I'm glad I waited a little while to read this one, because now I won't have to wait so long to read the upcoming sequel, Scarlet! I really enjoyed this young adult take on the classic Cinderella tale. This was a truly fresh way of looking at a story that has been told and re-told many, many times.
Sometime in the future, after a fourth world war, the world has a population of both humans and cyborgs. Cinder is a cyborg, but her stepmother and two stepsisters are completely human. This novel follows in the footsteps of the original story and has the stepmother as a not-so-nice lady, but only one of the stepsisters is also mean to Cinder. The second stepsister, Peony, is Cinder's best friend. They live in a small apartment in an over-crowded building in New Beijing and the world they live in is made even more difficult by the rapid spreading of a disease called lutmosis, which has no cure and which kills its victims rapidly, sometimes even within days.
Cinder works as a mechanic in order to earn income for her family. She can hardly believe her enhanced eyes when she looks up one morning and sees His Royal Highness, Prince Kai standing beofre her. His android has stopped working and he has sought our her services after hearing that she was the best mechanic in the land. But, he doesn't know she's a cyborg, and she'd like to keep it that way, especially since it seems he might actually like her!
There is no time for romance though, no time to think about maybe even going to the ball because Peony contracts the deadly lutmosis. Now Cinder has to work quickly to not only try and save her sister but also to try and fix the prince's android because it just might have the answers they are all needing.
I would recommend this book for girls ages 13 and up. It is a quick read not only because it is so well-written but also because it is based on an already-familiar story and so is easy to follow.
“Oh my blog!” I remember hearing that line in the movie “Juno” and thinking how no one actually talks that way. But it does seem that EVERYONE has a blog these days so HERE”S MINE! So what should I blog about? Well, I am mother to an extremely precocious 6-year old daughter, wife to a fitness/running obsessed husband and I'm a part-time library assistant. So I probably have lots of things to write about: should all my blogs be about books? Because oh how I love to read. It’s the best thing in the world. I have literally cried, many times, thinking about how I will die without having read all the books that I wanted to read. And so I try to read as much as I can every single day. So if you check this blog out more than once, you will see lots about books (all types of books!), but you will also see lots about my daughter and my husband, lots about our companion animals (5 cats, 2 dogs, and an-always changing number of fish), and maybe even a little about yummy vegetarian food and a little about cool crafts. Oh! And did I mention I love movies??? (I might be a little ADD with these topics, but variety is the spice of life, right?) Most of all, I just want to have fun with this and hopefully create a little fun for visitors who might stop by. I hope you’ll be one of them!
Kids movies - there were some really great kids movies this year. Yes, there were the re-releases of "Beauty and the Beast" and "Finding Nemo" and "Monsters Inc.", but there was also "The Secret World of Arrietty", "The Pirates! Band of Misfits", "Rise of the Guardians", "Paranorman" and "Wreck-It Ralph". All of them were wonderful and not just for kids. 
