Multi-Media Reviews

Okay, since vacation has started, I have done much reading of books and viewing of movies. Considering the vacation ends in just a few days (sigh), I decided to recap for you all what I thought about everything.

Movies:

Walk the Line: This movie was excellent. Joaquin and Reese were fantastic and talented on so many levels and the story didn't portray anyone as particularly good or bad. Music, of course, was good. If you like biofics, or Johnny Cash, or hot men, watch this movie.

Ray: This was more of a heart-string-tugger than the other, but when your protagonist is blind, you're going to have that sort of thing. I actually didn't like this one as much as Walk the Line, but everyone in it still gave fantastic performances. The writers, however, did cut a LOT of stuff out (a bunch of children, a wife, a divorce), so a read of Ray's biography might be in order as well.

Battlestar Galactica: Okay, not technically a movie. I bought the roommate the miniseries for Christmas and we watched it to catch up on what we missed before we started watching the show. If you're into sci-fi, you should maybe get into this show. But definitely see the miniseries first, because stuff makes WAY more sense on the show.

Books:

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett: Going backwards to go forewards, I finally read the first book in the ever-expanding Discworld saga. I have a ton of pages marked, as Terry is a very funny man, but would instead recommend simply reading the book; I think it took me six total hours to finish it. I didn't like it as much as Monstrous Regiment, but it definitely helps explain things better. If you like fantasy and you like humor, Terry really is the way to go.

The Woven Path by Robin Jarvis: Book One of Three, sent to me via Canda from my cousin as a birthday present. (Just for the background info on why I have it) Anyway, it's a YA book, of indeterminate grade level, but I'm thinking fifth grade on up. Not as complicated as Harry Potter, but involving time travel, non-aging women, Odin, the demon Belial and a teddy bear possessed with the spirit of a WWII fighter pilot. The protagonist is a young boy of perhaps ten or eleven, living with his scatterbrained father and brother in a museum that no one visits after the mother ups and leaves to start a new family. Again, a quick read, but it did keep me reading.

An Underground Education by Richard Zacks: This was a Christmas present from Kelly. Basically, it debunks all those quaint things we're pretty sure we know about science and history. Of note: Catherine the Great (Russia) was a big fan of the horse guard in Russia, not the horses themselves. An important distinction; although she did have a stroke on the way to the bathroom and died three days later. FYI. Also, all the prudishness of society falls squarely on the backs of the Victorians, and actually most other major problems are their fault too. I enjoyed this book immensely, and anyone who doesn't remember History class too fondly should pick it up.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffengegger

I just finished this book about 20 minutes ago. My goal for Christmas break is to get as much reading done as humanly possible: either at home or at the gym. Having completed one book thus far, I am feeling rather accomplished.

I did like the book, muchly, and am wondering how long it will be before they make a movie out it. Given the rather linear nature of the story (following Clare--mostly) it does lend itself to an excellent chance for visual story telling: If they could get it right.

Anyway, most people on this list have read the book, but those of you who have not ought to. As the roommate put it "It was a time travel book that didn't give me a headache." It brings up the paradox of free will versus predeterimination, as well as the question of how you would live your life if you knew (for the most part) how it was all going to turn out? Henry and Clare are both loveable characters, and you can't help feeling bad for both of them: it's a toss up, however, as to who has it worse.

Some quotes (of course):

"Here all of nature was captured, labeled, arranged according to a logic that seemed as timeless as if ordered by God, perhaps a God who had mislaid the original paperwork of Creation and had requested the Field Museum staff to help Him out and keep track of it all."--Henry, p. 24

"I told Ing once that she dances like a German, and she didn't like it, but it's true: she dances seriously, like lives are hanging in the balance, like precision dancing can save the starving children in India."--Henry, p. 437

"Wagnerites are the Green Berets of opera fans: they're made of sterner stuff, and they all know each other."--Henry, p. 439

Let us all thank Kelly for getting me this book.

Feliz Navidad, all!

The Rule of Four

Weird book. I wanted it to be like The Secret History, but it did not meet my expectations. Still, it was interesting because of how crazy everyone was getting over this book...the book in the book.

Quotes:

"Be honest with yourself Tom, any company that thinks you deserve a salary like that isn't going to be around very long. You don't even know what they do."--Paul, p. 14

"I have a peculiar middle name, which for parts of my childhood I carried like an albatross around my neck."--Tom, p. 20

"Her rising importance in my life is a fact Charlie accepts by reminding himself that sharp women often have terrible taste in men."--Tom, p. 23

"The Good Friday sermon is now nothing more than a lecture delivered by a member of the humanities faculty; the only thing mentioned less often than God in the lecture is hell."--Tom, p. 131

"The comedy of being chronically latefor my own life was lost on me."--Tom, p. 244

"A darkness was setting in, a book lover's heartbreak..."--Tom, p. 292