Lovely Books and Things - 9.29.18

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~
HAPPY THINGS:

1. Yoga classes that help get the kinks out

2. Random compliment from stranger "I like your color palette."

3. Looking at Maud Lewis paintings online - they give off that cozy vibe

~*~
Bought:

Emma
by Nancy Butler
illustrated by Janet Lee
based on Jane Austen novel
-Historical, Romance, Graphic Novel | Goodreads
SUCKER for things Jane Austen related.


Library:

Barrel Fever
by David Sedaris
-Humor, Essay, Memoir | Goodreads
CATCHING up on Sedaris works. I love to listen to the audio versions as Sedaris narrates them. His sense of humor really shines with the telling.

What We Were Promised
by Lucy Tan
-Contemporary, China, Shaghai | Goodreads
FOR the World Reads challenge (here). I chose China for this and next month.


AND watched: in theatre

Science Fair (2018)
Director/writer: Cristina Costantini, Darren Foster
Writer: Jeff Plunkett
Stars: Anjali Chadha, Ryan Folz, Harsha Paladugu, Abraham Riedel-Mishaan, Kashfia Rahman, Ivo Zell, Robbie Barrat, Myllena Braz de Silva, Gabriel de Moura Martins, Serena McCalla, Jack Andraka.
-Documentary | imdb | my rating: 5
Nine high school students from disparate corners of the globe navigate rivalries, setbacks, and hormones on their quest to win the international science fair. Only one can be named "Best in Fair."

WENT to a screening that included a Q&A with directors and one of the students in the film (Robbie). I usually find it entertaining and fascinating to learn about the behind-the-scenes goings on of big events. This film was inspiring and hopeful. Amazing kids!

The BookShop (2017)
Director/screenplay: Isabel Coixet
Based on book by: Penelope Fitzgerald
Stars: Emily Mortimer, Bill Nighy, Hunter Tremayne, Patricia Clarkson
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 4
England 1959. In a small East Anglian town, Florence Green decides, against polite but ruthless local opposition, to open a bookshop.

LOVED the setting and storytelling visuals and the books!


AND watched: on DVD for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

The Monuments Men (2007)
Director/Screenplay: George Clooney
Screenplay: Grant Heslov
Based on book by: Robert M. Edsel, Bret Witter
Stars: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray
-Drama, History, War | imdb | my rating: 3
An unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.

Watched: 9/23/18
Connection: John Goodman starred with Bacon in Patriot's Day
Despite the all-star cast and interesting historical topic I found the film okay.

On Chesil Beach (2017)
Director: Dominic Cooke
Writer/screenplay/based on book by: Ian McEwan
Stars: Billy Howle, Saoirse Ronan, Andy Burse
-Drama, Music, Romance | imdb | my rating: 4
Based on Ian McEwan's novel. In 1962 England, a young couple find their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night.

Watched: 9/26/18
Connection: Saoirse Ronan was in Lady Bird with Laurie Metcalf who starred with Bacon in JFK
Beautiful scenes and scenery amongst a sad love story.

Paddington (2014)
Director/Writer/screen story: Paul King
Writer/screen story: Hamish McColl
Paddington Bear created by: Michael Bond
Stars: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins
-Adventure, Comedy, Family | imdb | my rating: 4
A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven.

Watched: 9/27/18
Connection: Ben Whishaw was in Cloud Atlas with Tom Hanks who starred with Bacon in Apollo 13
Cute one with a whimsical portrayal of London.

~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino

Grotesque
by Natsuo Kirino
translated by Rebecca Copeland

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Published: 2008
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Mystery, Horror, Japan
Paperback: 544
Rating: 5

First sentence(s):
Whenever I meet a man, I catch myself wondering what our child would look like if we were to make a baby.

Life at the prestigious Q High School for Girls in Tokyo exists on a precise social axis: a world of insiders and outsiders, of haves and have-nots. Beautiful Yuriko and her unpopular, unnamed sister exist in different spheres; the hopelessly awkward Kazue Sato floats around among them, trying to fit in.Years later, Yuriko and Kazue are dead — both have become prostitutes and both have been brutally murdered.

Natsuo Kirino, celebrated author of Out, seamlessly weaves together the stories of these women’s struggles within the conventions and restrictions of Japanese society. At once a psychological investigation of the pressures facing Japanese women and a classic work of noir fiction, Grotesque is a brilliantly twisted novel of ambition, desire, beauty, cruelty, and identity by one of our most electrifying writers.

My two-bits:

Unreliable narrators and unlikable characters serve to tell the state of affairs for the "ugly" realities in Japan especially in regards to women. The whole of it just drew me in.

~*~
* part of World Reads challenge - Japan pt 2 (here)

* part of R.I.P. 13 (here)

Lovely Books and Things - 9.22.18

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~
HAPPY THINGS:

1. Short work week due to taking the kid back to college.

2. Oregon Shakespeare Festival - going to see Sense & Sensibility, Manahatta, and Othello.

3. Traditional Cheese Fondue

~*~
For Review:

Art Boss
by Kayla Cagan
-Art, YA
Release date: October 2018
courtesy of publisher -Thanks! | Goodreads
A companion novel to Piper Perish which includes illustrations sprinkled into the pages of the book.

Salt
by Hannah Moskowitz
-Fantasy, YA
Release date: November 2018
courtesy of publisher -Thanks! | Goodreads
SEA monster hunters premise makes this a good candidate to add to my R.I.P. 13 challenge.


Freebies:

By a Lady:
Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England
by Amanda Elyot
-Historical, Time Travel, Jane Austen | Goodreads
GOT this from the bookswap table at the local chapter Jane Austen Society Fall meeting.

Finding Fraser
by K.C. Dyer
-Chick-lit, Scotland | Goodreads
GOT this from the free bin at Green Apple Bookstore. Could not resist this Jamie Fraser inspired romance (from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon).


AND watched: in theatre for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

one
A Simple Favor (2018)
Director: Paul Feig
Screenplay: Jessica Sharzer
Based on the novel by: Darcey Bell
Stars: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding
-Crime, Drama, Mystery | imdb | my rating: 5
A Simple Favor, directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy blogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily's (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town.

Watched: 9/15/18
Connection: Anna Kendrick was in Pitch Perfect 3 with John Lithgow who starred with Bacon in Footloose
I liked this chick-lit thriller and enjoyed the french swinger tunes in the soundtrack.


AND watched: on DVD for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

Annihilation (2018)
Director/Writer: Alex Garland
Based on novel by: Jeff VanderMeer
Stars: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson
-Adventure, Drama, Horror | imdb | my rating: 4
A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.

Watched: 9/14/18
Connection: Benedict Wong starred with Benedict Cumberbatch in Avengers: Infinity War who starred with Bacon in Black Mass
Interesting concepts brought up in the mysterious zone aka the shimmer. Ended with an interesting cliffhanger too.

The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Director: F. Gary Gray
Writer: Chris Morgan
Writer/based on characters created by: Gary Scott Thompson
Stars: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson
-Action, Crime, Thriller | imdb | my rating: 5
When a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world of terrorism and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew face trials that will test them as never before.

Watched: 9/17/18
Connection: Jason Statham was in The Italian Job with Mark Wahlberg who starred with Bacon in Patriot's Day.
This film series continues to entertain with its action packed scenes (with cars), especially the zombie time sequence.

~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Death On Demand by Paul Thomas

Death On Demand
by Paul Thomas

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt

Published: 2013
Publisher: Bitter Lemon Press
Genre: Mystery, New Zealand
Paperback: 288
Rating: 5

Tito Ihaka series:
Death On Demand
Fallout

First sentence(s):
Greytown, fourteen years ago
Females had always found him hard to resist.

Zombie sighting:
He drove over the Rimutakas to Greytown, aka Gaytown. It had been just another zombified little country town until a few gays from Wellington jazzed it up.
-chapter 9, page 145

Maori cop Ihaka, unkempt, overweight, intemperate, unruly, unorthodox, and profane, is a cop unable to play the police politics necessary for promotion, but he's a man who has a way with women, and he's a stubborn investigator with an uncanny instinct for the truth.

Tito Ihaka is in the wilderness, having fallen foul of the new regime at Auckland Central. Called back to follow up a strange twist in the unsolved case that got him into trouble in the first place, Ihaka finds himself hunting a shadowy hitman who could have several notches on his belt.

His enemies want him off the case, but the bodies are piling up. Ihaka embarks on a quest to establish whether police corruption was behind the shooting of an undercover cop and—to complicate matters—he becomes involved with an enigmatic female suspect who could hold the key to everything.

My two-bits:

This mystery got complicated and twisty-like. However, I liked how this cop stayed true throughout.

~*~
* part of Books, Inc. Foreign Intrigue Book Club (here)

Lovely Books and Things - 9.15.18

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~
HAPPY THINGS:

1. Watching films for the start of the Fall Film Challenge (here)

2. Making Chinese hot pot meal using a fondue pot :-) it worked but was a slower process

3. Custom-made zombie cards, stickers and washi tape by @beecreativegreetings - Thanks Nicole!

~*~
Library:

How To Walk Away
by Katherine Center
-ChickLit
Goodreads
PART of the BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge. Although summer is over, I am still working through some of the books on the list (here).

A People's History of the Vampire Uprising
by Raymond A. Villareal
-Horror, Vampires | Goodreads
IMPULSE pick up. Looks like a good one for R.I.P. 13 reading challenge (here).


AND watched: in theatre

BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Director/writer: Spike Lee
Writers: Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott
Based on book by: Ron Stallworth
Stars:
-Biography, Comedy, Crime | imdb | my rating: 5
Ron Stallworth, an African-American police officer from Colorado, successfully manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan with the help of a white surrogate, who eventually becomes head of the local branch.

“based on some fo’ real, fo’ real shit.”

TIMELY story as a reminder of the past and how things have/have not changed.

Of Love & Law (2017)
Director: Hikaru Toda
-Documentary, Japan | imdb | my rating: 5
Fumi and Kazu are life partners, both professionally and privately: they run the first and only law firm in Japan set up by an openly gay couple. The lawyers know all too well the realities of being a minority in a conformist society, where the collective unity is absolute and often maintained at the expense of individual rights and freedom. Not being part of the majority could lead to prosecution by law and alienation by society at large - illustrated by the cases that the two lawyers take on. The individual freedom is viewed as a privilege not a right, and the fundamental human rights of equality and security are only extended to the majority. In a 2014 report, Amnesty International slammed Japan for 'veering away from global human rights standards', while the World Economic Forum places Japan 101st out of 145 countries in the global gender equality ranking, far behind developing countries such as Rwanda and the Philippines. Laws of Love and Other Things follows the two lawyers as they enter into the lives of their clients; each revealing the hidden diversities of the homogeneous and conservative society. As the two lawyers work hard to defend the rights of their clients, they have their own dilemma to deal with - to raise a family of their own in a society where their partnership have no legal recognition or protection. The film explores the universal concept of love, family, and equality with the personal stories of the characters revealing modern Japan in transition. The film also poses the questions - what are the risks of being an outsider in your own country? What happens when you don't belong to the masses?

THOUGHTS on diversity and conformity prevail.


AND watched: on DVD

Jane Got A Gun (2015)
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Screenplay: Brian Duffield, Anthony Tambakis, Joel Edgerton
Story by: Brian Duffield
Stars: Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Ewan McGregor
-Action, Drama, Western | imdb | my rating: 4
A woman asks her ex-lover for help in order to save her outlaw husband from a gang out to kill him.

WESTERN heroine by necessity. Made me think of Natalie's character from Cold Mountain film and this film as the continuation of her story.

AND watched: on DVD for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Writers: Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn
Based on comic book The Secret Service by: Mark Millar, Dave Gibbons
Stars: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore
-Action, Adventure, Comedy | imdb | my review: 5
When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsman's journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the United States. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy.

Watched: 9/11/18
Connection: Colin Firth starred with Bacon in Where the Truth Lies
Action-packed with British spy work and a kooky villain.

The Sea of Trees (2015)
Director: Gus Van Sant
Writer: Chris Sparling
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts, Ken Watanabe
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 4
A suicidal American befriends a Japanese man lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji and the two search for a way out.

Watched: 9/10
Connection: Ken Watanabe was in Batman Begins with Christian Bale who was in The Big Short with Steve Carrell who starred with Bacon in Crazy Stupid Love.
Slow moving but good story on self reflection and survival amongst trees (and dead people).

~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Summer of Scandal by Syrie James

Summer of Scandal
by Syrie James

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Just released: September 11, 2018
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Genre: Historical Romance
Paperback: 416
Rating: 5

Dare to Defy series:
Runaway Heiress
Summer of Scandal
book 3 - 2019

First sentence(s):
Bolton, Cornwall, England
June 21, 1889
The brisk wind bit Madeleine Atherton's cheeks as she stepped down from the train.

Madeleine Atherton is no typical American heiress, sent to England to marry an English lord. A brilliant college graduate who secretly dreams of becoming a published author, she wants to marry for love. After receiving a proposal from a future duke, Madeleine flees the London Season for Cornwall to seek her sister’s advice, never expecting her decision to be complicated by a charming, handsome earl she’s certain she dislikes—even though his every touch sets her blood on fire.

Charles Grayson, the Earl of Saunders, has secrets and ambitions of his own. Although under pressure from his mother and gravely ill father to marry his cousin, Charles cannot find the words to propose. But this fascinating American visitor does not figure into his plans, either.

Thrown together unexpectedly at Trevelyan Manor, Madeleine and Charles struggle to rise above their intense attraction. But as things heat up between them over a summer that becomes increasingly scandalous, Madeleine and Charles will both be forced to make a difficult choice. Can two dreamers dare to defy convention and find their own happily ever after?

My two-bits:

Although second in the series, this works well enough as a standalone. But it is an extra treat when characters from the first book make appearances.

Loved the friendship to love transformation with this couple. Lots of chatting, sharing and stolen kisses to move this along.

Liked learning about what the two characters face when their expected paths "dare to defy".

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

News of the World
by Paulette Jiles

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Published: 2016
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Historical, Literary, Western
Hardback: 224
Rating: 5

First sentence(s):
Wichita Falls, Texas, Winter 1870
Captain Kill laid out the Boston Morning Journal on the lectern and began to read from the article on the Fifteenth Amendment.

In the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction from the author of Enemy Women that explores the boundaries of family, responsibility, honor, and trust.

In the wake of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels through northern Texas, giving live readings from newspapers to paying audiences hungry for news of the world. An elderly widower who has lived through three wars and fought in two of them, the captain enjoys his rootless, solitary existence.

In Wichita Falls, he is offered a $50 gold piece to deliver a young orphan to her relatives in San Antonio. Four years earlier, a band of Kiowa raiders killed Johanna’s parents and sister; sparing the little girl, they raised her as one of their own. Recently rescued by the U.S. army, the ten-year-old has once again been torn away from the only home she knows.

Their 400-mile journey south through unsettled territory and unforgiving terrain proves difficult and at times dangerous. Johanna has forgotten the English language, tries to escape at every opportunity, throws away her shoes, and refuses to act “civilized.” Yet as the miles pass, the two lonely survivors tentatively begin to trust each other, forming a bond that marks the difference between life and death in this treacherous land.

Arriving in San Antonio, the reunion is neither happy nor welcome. The captain must hand Johanna over to an aunt and uncle she does not remember—strangers who regard her as an unwanted burden. A respectable man, Captain Kidd is faced with a terrible choice: abandon the girl to her fate or become—in the eyes of the law—a kidnapper himself.

My two-bits:

This western road trip tugged at my heart at parts. All the elements of a western old-timey tale were in place including the pacing. Loved it.

And, loved the relationship and interactions between Captain Kidd and Johanna throughout.

~*~
* National Book Award Finalist—Fiction

* part of the Blog All About It Challenge: Escape (here)

* part of Bout of Books 23 (here)

Law of the Desert Born by Louis L'Amour

Law of the Desert Born
by Louis L'Amour
Charles Santino, Beau L'Amour, Katherine Nolan, Thomas Yeates

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Published: 2013
Publisher: Bantam
Genre: Graphic Novel, Historical, Western
Hardback: 160
Rating: 5

The first graphic novel adaptation of the work of master storyteller Louis L’Amour is a dynamic tale of the Old West that explores the borderlands of loyalty and betrayal with the emotional grittiness of a noir thriller.

New Mexico, 1887, a land in the midst of the worst drought anyone can remember. Family histories and loyalties run deep, but when rancher Tom Forrester has his access to the Pecos River cut off by the son of his old partner, he convinces his foreman, Shad Marone, to pay Jud Bowman back for the discourtesy. Yet what starts as a simple act of petty revenge quickly spirals into a cycle of violence that no one can control.

Now Marone is on the run, pursued by a sheriff’s posse across a rugged desert landscape. Leading the chase is Jesus Lopez, a half-Mexican, half-Apache with a personal stake in bringing Shad to justice. Newly released from jail, trusted by no one, Lopez swears he’s the only man who can track Marone down. That may be true. But who will live and who will die and what price will be paid in suffering are open questions. Fate and the Jornada del Muerto desert possess a harsh justice that is all their own.

With a propulsive script from Beau L’Amour and Kathy Nolan, adapted by Charles Santino and illustrated in bold black-and-white by Thomas Yeates, Law of the Desert Born captures the dust and blood of Louis L’Amour’s West—a world where the difference between a hero and a villain can be as wide as the gap between an act of kindness or brutality or as narrow as a misspoken word.

PeekAbook:

My two-bits:

A little bit of everything old western style in this novella turned graphic novel. I loved the artwork with its charcoal sketch vibe.

~*~
* part of the Blog All About It Challenge: Escape (here)

Happy release: Summer of Scandal by Syrie James

Summer of Scandal
(Dare to Defy #2)
by Syrie James
-Historical Romance
Release date: September 11, 2018
Amazon | Goodreads
Madeleine Atherton is no typical American heiress, sent to England to marry an English lord. A brilliant college graduate who secretly dreams of becoming a published author, she wants to marry for love. After receiving a proposal from a future duke, Madeleine flees the London Season for Cornwall to seek her sister’s advice, never expecting her decision to be complicated by a charming, handsome earl she’s certain she dislikes—even though his every touch sets her blood on fire.

Charles Grayson, the Earl of Saunders, has secrets and ambitions of his own. Although under pressure from his mother and gravely ill father to marry his cousin, Charles cannot find the words to propose. But this fascinating American visitor does not figure into his plans, either.

Thrown together unexpectedly at Trevelyan Manor, Madeleine and Charles struggle to rise above their intense attraction. But as things heat up between them over a summer that becomes increasingly scandalous, Madeleine and Charles will both be forced to make a difficult choice. Can two dreamers dare to defy convention and find their own happily ever after?

Runaway Heiress by Syrie James

Runaway Heiress
by Syrie James

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Just released: June 12, 2018
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Genre: Historical, Romance
Paperback: 400
Rating: 5

Dare to Defy series:
Runaway Heiress
Summer of Scandal
book 3 - 2019

First sentence(s):
London, England
May 8, 1888
"One first-class ticket for Liverpool, please." Alexandra Atherton managed a smile for the ticket agent behind the window.

Jane Austen sighting:
"I'm looking for Miss Austen. And I know just where to find her."
-chapter 12, page 166

When a runaway heiress runs into trouble, she may end up exactly where she belongs…

Brainy and college-educated, American heiress Alexandra Atherton will do anything to avoid marriage to the English peer her mother has chosen for her--even abandon the life of privilege she's always known. But as her escape goes horribly wrong, Alexandra must invent a new identity to gain the help of a handsome stranger.

Thomas Carlyle, the Earl of Longford, sweeps in and out of London disguised as a humble artist, earning just enough to keep his ancestral Cornwall estate afloat. When Alexandra crashes into his life, she awakens feelings and desires that he vows will stay buried. Despite himself, he needs this beautiful newcomer, for his sisters have run off another governess.

Alexandra is surprised to find she thrives in her new position at Longford's home. But as she grows closer to Thomas and his sisters, and her relationship with the emotionally guarded earl unleashes their hidden passions, the truth Alexandra's been forced to hide may end up coming between her and the only man she's ever loved.

My two-bits:

Loved this headstrong heroine, Alexandra, that exudes American independence set in this historical Jane Austen-like setting.

The hero is just as captivating with his demeanor and open mind to take on Alexandra.

~*~
* the next book in this series releases tomorrow!

Lovely Books and Things - 9.8.18

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~
HAPPY THINGS:

1. Listening to KDFC classical radio station while crocheting a comfy throw blanket

2. Made my first pot roast - mmmm, more comfort food

3. Shakespeare in the Park in the Presidio (pictured below) - this year's performance is Midsummer Night's Dream

~*~
Freebie: belated birthday gift

Piercing
by Ryū Murakami
-Horror, Japan | Goodreads

Almost Transparent Blue
by Ryū Murakami
-Horror, Japan | Goodreads

69
by Ryū Murakami
-Horro, Japan | Goodreads
THESE are perfect for my next Japanese binge mode.


AND watched: in theatre

The Children Act (2017)
Director: Richard Eyre
Screenplay and based on book by: Ian McEwan
Stars: Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 5
As her marriage crumbles, a judge must decide a case involving a teenage boy who is refusing a blood transfusion on religious principle.

THOUGHTS on meaning of life as well as parent and child relationships come to mind.


AND watched: on DVD for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

Black Mass (2015)
Director: Scott Cooper
Screenplay: Mark Mallouk, Jez Butterworth
Based on the book by: Dick Lehr, Gerard O'Neill
Stars: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson
-Biography, Crime, Drama | imdb | my rating: 4
The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.

Connection: Johnny Depp - Bacon is a co-star.
Interesting historical bit about violent criminal, White Bulger. Johnny sure made him and himself unlikable.

Interstellar (2014)
Director/Writer: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Jonathan Nolan
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain
-Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi | imdb | my rating: 5
A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival.

Connection: John Lithgow who starred with Bacon in Footloose.
Some slow parts in this but loved how they handled time and aliens and black holes. Interesting to see Matt Damon suited up in astro gear, but totally not Martian-like.

Jurassic World (2015)
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Screenplay: Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly
Screenplay and story by: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Based on the characters by: Michael Crichton
Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins |
-Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi | imdb | my rating: 5
A new theme park, built on the original site of Jurassic Park, creates a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur, which escapes containment and goes on a killing spree.

Connection: Chris Pratt starred in Passengers with Jennifer Lawrence who starred with Bacon in X-Men: First Class.
I can understand the hype and love for this one. It was entertaining for a dinosaur flick.

Maudie (2016)
Director: Aisling Walsh
Writer: Sherry White
Stars: Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke, Kari Matchett
-Biography, Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 5
An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the community.

Connection: Sallie Hawkins was in An Education with Peter Sarsgaard who starred with Bacon in Black Mass.
Lovely introduction to this folk art painter and Nova Scotia.

~*~
* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Thanks for stopping by :-)

World Reads: China

World Reads
hosted by Stephanie Jane
details | my world posts
World Reads blog series challenge is to encourage and promote the reading of global literature. On the 5th of each month Stephanie Jane highlights five books. Everyone is welcome to join in by reading one or more books from a different country each month, write a post about them and include the World Reads banner.

Going to... CHINA

My reading list:

What We Were Promised
by Lucy Tan
-Contemporary, China, Shaghai | Goodreads

China Rich Girlfriend
(Crazy Rich Asians #2)
by Kevin Kwan
-ChickLit, Romance, China, Singapore | Goodreads | my review | my rating: 5

Rich People Problems
(Crazy Rich Asians #3)
by Kevin Kwan
-ChickLit, Romance, China, Singapore | Goodreads

Ghost Month
by Ed Lin
-Mystery, China, Taipei | Goodreads | my review -tba | my rating: 4

WATCH:

Noodle
Director: Ayelet Menahemi
Writers: Shemi Zarhin, Ayelet Menahemi
Stars: Mili Avital, BaoQi Chen, Alon Aboutboul, Anat Waxman
-Drama, Comedy, Israel
imdb | my review | my rating: 5

LISTEN:

Le Velours et La Soie by Jessica Fichot

A friend mentioned this Velvet and Silk Shanghai jazz song (Chinese & French)