tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779977087782258742012-01-25T10:20:49.411-05:00reviews and cultural criticism of popular books, movies and televisionMandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comBlogger921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-64884291053155415182012-01-25T10:19:00.002-05:002012-01-25T10:20:49.418-05:00

I've been making my way through John le Carré's George Smiley novels. Not a whole lot of George Smiley in these past two; he's sort of a peripheral figure in them, a contact person for other, newer characters. I suppose it can be difficult to build too much around George himself, since he's so quiet and staid. He's a thinking man's hero, so if one is looking for action, one must turn to someone

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-50254795262328332672012-01-12T20:38:00.000-05:002012-01-12T20:38:49.299-05:00

Justin Evans Harper, 2011 380 pages hardbound _____________________________________________________ I picked this one up when I saw it on the library's New Releases shelf for a couple reasons: (a) the cover looked interesting, (b) the title was vaguely familiar. Later I would remember that Entertainment Weekly had said it was really good. But I brought it home because the flap said it was a

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-58217297969901209602011-12-17T00:41:00.001-05:002011-12-17T09:59:43.042-05:00

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace, Stephen Fry Directed By: Guy Ritchie Written By: Michele Mulroney, Kieran Mulroney (screenplay), from the characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle Warner Bros., 2011 PG-13; 129 minutes 3 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a fun movie. Entertaining. Which

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-91368126003790268142011-12-12T13:05:00.001-05:002011-12-13T10:23:14.542-05:00

Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard Directed By: Woody Allen Written By: Woody Allen Gravier Productions, 2011 PG-13; 94 minutes 4 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ IMDB has this movie listed as a comedy, which surprised me because I didn't see a whole lot of funny in it. But then again, comedy has a lot of different flavors, and Woody

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-19310648258071496602011-12-10T19:45:00.001-05:002011-12-13T21:03:31.460-05:00

Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, A Bunch of Other British Dudes Directed By: Tomas Alfredson Written By: John Le Carré (novel), Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan (screenplay) Focus Features/Studio Canal, 2011 R; 127 minutes 4 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ I recently read and reviewed the book this movie was based on, and I have to say it did help

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-10666969563937172662011-11-22T21:05:00.001-05:002011-11-22T21:08:28.775-05:00

This is a little book that came in a set of 12 I bought for my 2-year-old at the book fair at his school last week. He loves Thomas the Tank Engine, and the minute he saw these books he had to have them. They were produced by Random House, copyrighted 2010. Tonight I read him the book titled Fox in the Box, and I have to say: it is a terrible book. I understand the need to use certain words and

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-63501711411341490482011-11-04T16:40:00.000-04:002011-11-04T16:40:51.362-04:00

John Le Carré Alfred A. Knopf, 1974 355 pages hardcover _____________________________________________________ This book was kind of excruciating to read, but I dogged my way through it because I wanted to know the story before the film opens in the U.S. in December. I'd never read anything by Le Carré before, so I don't know if all his books are as much of a slog as this one. Or maybe it's just

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-16086413298438844612011-10-15T22:36:00.000-04:002011-10-15T22:36:11.959-04:00

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins Directed By: Kenneth Branagh Written By: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Don Payne (screenplay); J Michael Straczynski, Mark Protosevich (story); Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby (comic book) Paramount Pictures/Marvel Entertainment, 2011 PG-13; 115 minutes 2 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ This is

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-50717607216749880722011-10-11T09:44:00.000-04:002011-10-11T09:44:04.786-04:00

Jon Spence Continuum, 2007 312 pages trade paperback _____________________________________________________ This is the book the film Becoming Jane was based on. Now to be fair, my husband and I had tried to watch Becoming Jane a couple years back and couldn't get into it, so we turned it off after 15 minutes. Maybe we were just in the wrong frame of mind, or maybe this is the kind of story that

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-2327889306399880492011-10-03T10:56:00.000-04:002011-10-03T10:56:07.362-04:00

All right, let's start from the tippy top. My dad used to watch Doctor Who when I was a kid, and I'd sometimes sit with him (we only had the one television), but I never did follow what was going on exactly, and it all looked a bit silly to me. Still and all, when the program was rebooted in 2005, my husband and I tried it out. We didn't get more than a couple episodes in, however. Maybe it was

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-37401146566551684302011-09-06T13:41:00.000-04:002011-09-06T13:41:14.917-04:00

Imogen Robertson Pamela Dorman Books, 2011 384 pages hardcover _____________________________________________________ This was one of those books I lucked into at the library while browsing the "new releases" shelves. Picked it up, read the flap, and added it to my stack. That's what's grand about libraries--getting to taste-test the wares at no cost. And so here was this book that I'd never

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-19063792334173122262011-08-24T08:27:00.000-04:002011-08-24T08:27:56.585-04:00

Starring: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Toni Collette, David Tennant, Imogen Poots Directed By: Craig Gillespie Written By: Marti Noxon (screenplay), Tom Holland (story) Albuquerque Studios/Dreamworks SKG, 2011 R; 106 minutes 2.5 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ I went into Fright Night wanting to like it, and I did, but not as much as I hoped. The story

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-36093506753947250452011-08-18T22:32:00.000-04:002011-08-18T22:32:28.588-04:00

Featuring Stories by: Mary Balogh, Colleen Gleason, Susan Krinard, Janet Mullany HQN, 2010 378 pages trade paperback _____________________________________________________ I totally picked this one up off the library shelf as a "maybe," you know, the way one does when one is browsing and begins collecting a giant pile of stuff that might be interesting. It's the same thing that happens when

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-41561700118020472962011-07-19T10:29:00.002-04:002011-07-19T10:31:23.272-04:00

Starring: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana Directed By: Justin Chadwick Written By: Peter Morgan, from the novel by Philippa Gregory BBC Films, 2008 PG-13; 115 minutes 2 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ The Other Boleyn Girl was the first of Philippa Gregory's novels that I ever read--I picked it up at an airport bookstore, as I recall, prior

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-58249036530057085782011-07-18T11:47:00.000-04:002011-07-18T11:47:19.218-04:00

Jude Morgan Review, 2010 384 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ I have a fondness for Jude Morgan. I especially enjoyed his novel Indiscretion, and I rather liked this one as well. Morgan takes on the mantel of a would-be Austen with relative ease, peppering his prose with just the right balance of wit and sensibility. His characters are flawed and quirky and

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-42585371950865918612011-07-06T12:12:00.000-04:002011-07-06T12:12:47.349-04:00

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery Directed By: George Nolfi Written By: George Nolfi, from the story by Philip K. Dick Universal Pictures, 2011 PG-13; 106 minutes 3 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ I wanted to see this in the theater when it came out but never got the chance. That's okay. It's not some big spectacle movie that benefits from

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-45297322159159082472011-06-28T14:18:00.000-04:002011-06-28T14:18:48.071-04:00

Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan, though I'm not sure why. I seem compelled to read these books--the Percy Jackson ones and now these Kane Chronicles--even though they all have the exact same formula. Admittedly, I still have The Lost Hero on my bookshelf. I nearly finished reading it. Nearly. And I'm struggling with Throne of Fire, too. What I'd like right about now is a nice Jude Morgan book

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-58205345640446992011-06-22T08:11:00.000-04:002011-06-22T08:11:07.802-04:00

Stacy Schiff Little Brown, 2010 384 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ Full disclosure up front. I like history. I minored in ancient and classical history as an undergrad. (Well, we didn't have "minors." We had "secondary concentrations," but it's the same idea.) So this book might not be everybody's cup of tea, but if you like history--or are at least

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-86021137175999318852011-06-22T07:42:00.001-04:002011-06-22T07:58:28.408-04:00

Mindy Kaling Crown Archetype, 2011 224 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ To be clear, this book won't be out until November, and I've only read selected excerpts. But I like what I've seen. It's difficult to tell from the selections how cohesive the book is likely to be as a whole; the flavor thus far is very sort of Dave Barry essay-esque. And so there's a

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-33697686771347897242011-03-30T13:04:00.000-04:002011-03-30T13:04:50.502-04:00

I've been reading Entertainment Weekly since it first came to newsstands when I was a teenager. I didn't have a job, but I dedicated a significant amount of my allowance for a subscription. Because it was awesome. The photos, the articles--I ate it all up. I have many issues of the magazine stockpiled in my collection, and many more were sacrificed to be cut up for my scrapbooks. And while there

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-50592617804119416132011-03-17T09:24:00.000-04:002011-03-17T09:24:00.572-04:00

Okay, so I decided to try a free trial of BookSwim. They bill themselves as a way to "rent" books the way you do movies from Netflix. One could easily ask, "Isn't that what a library is for?" And the answer would be: yes, yes it is. BUT . . . BookSwim delivers to your door. So no pesky driving or walking or taking the bus--whatever it is you, personally, do to get to your local library. It's a

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-92180664687912744662011-03-14T09:29:00.000-04:002011-03-14T09:29:00.600-04:00

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson Directed By: Roman Polanski Written By: Robert Harris (novel, screenplay), Roman Polanski (screenplay) R.P. Films, 2010 PG-13; 128 minutes 4 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ I had been meaning to see this one for a while. The premise wasn't all that catchy: a ghost writer is hired to

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-80183133012359727702011-03-13T22:59:00.000-04:002011-03-13T22:59:22.570-04:00

Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightly, Saorsie Ronan Directed By: Joe Wright Written By: Ian McEwan (novel), Christopher Hampton (screenplay) Universal, 2007 (limited release) R; 123 minutes 2 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ I realize I'm really late on this one. I recall trying to read an Ian McEwan novel--can't remember which--some years ago and being

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-30689554294852834632011-02-28T14:23:00.000-05:002011-02-28T14:23:55.112-05:00

Heather Havrilesky Riverhead Books, 2010 240 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ I picked this one up from the library because one of the myriad of magazines I receive each month did a blurb recommending it. And it was a cute, sweet read, a quick read, something I could take in bite-sized chunks between the kids' naps and such. Nothing I couldn't put down,

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-91390779419088124512010-06-29T06:13:00.000-04:002010-06-29T06:13:12.240-04:00

My review of Haunt Me Still is available here. If you want a refresher, have a look back at my review of Carrell's first Kate Stanley novel Interred with Their Bones here.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-13761093303018963432010-06-27T19:22:00.000-04:002010-06-27T19:22:51.582-04:00

Featuring the Voice Talents of: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton, Timothy Dalton Directed By: Lee Unkrich Written By: Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich Pixar Animation, 2010 G; 103 minutes 5 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ No one does nostalgia quite like Pixar. The team there--writers, animators,

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-26536372538918007592010-06-23T21:22:00.000-04:002010-06-23T21:22:38.750-04:00

I used to write for the Blogcritics.org site, and I've decided to take it up once again. So here is a link to my most recent article, a review of The Lady in the Tower by Alison Weir.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-64016254942326681452010-06-22T12:24:00.001-04:002010-06-22T12:25:17.309-04:00

Admittedly, this is not a media review, but whatever. I just need to comment on this movement to have peanuts banned from airline flights. Apparently there are a number of people who don't fly because they or their children have acute peanut/tree nut allergies? And they're terrified that being on a plane with people eating peanuts will cause a major health crisis or emergency? A few things come

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-46860902164848746622010-06-06T20:10:00.000-04:002010-06-06T20:10:30.562-04:00

Sarah Addison Allen Bantam, 2010 276 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ I read Allen's Garden Spells some time back and really liked it. So then I tried her second novel The Sugar Queen and couldn't get into it at all. Never finished it. With such a 50-50 history, I wasn't sure what I'd think of The Girl Who Chased the Moon, but decided to give it a shot. In

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-43565171726315360472010-05-24T12:21:00.000-04:002010-05-24T12:21:00.931-04:00

So last night the television series Lost came to a much heralded conclusion. Don't read any more than this if you haven't watched it yet and don't want it ruined for you. Locke and Ben find Desmond--who was rescued from the well by Bernard and Rose, who have kept Vincent as a pet, just in case you wondered what happened to all of them--and are taking him to the center of the island (where the

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-88496044952950894592010-05-21T12:24:00.000-04:002010-05-21T12:24:06.573-04:00

My favorite television show had its season finale last night, so it's time to take stock yet again. Basically the episode set up the coming season as a time jump of one year. This is because [almost] everyone found something else to do for a year--like summer vacation only extended. Brennan agreed to head an anthropological site on the island of Maluku, and Daisy was going with her, leaving

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-58943486079847616262010-05-21T09:05:00.000-04:002010-05-21T09:05:02.917-04:00

Rick Riordan Hyperion, 2010 528 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ So if you've read Riordan's Percy Jackson books about how Percy is really the son of Poseidon, making him a half-god with cool powers, then you can substitute a brother-sister team for Percy and Egyptian gods for the Greek ones, and you've pretty much got The Red Pyramid summed up. Carter Kane

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-37694276269578317882010-05-11T08:53:00.000-04:002010-05-11T08:53:18.672-04:00

Why aren't you people watching this show? If you liked Twin Peaks, or The X-Files, or American Gothic, you should be watching Happy Town. While Lost and FlashForward are good, they tend to be intense. Happy Town has all the dark drama but tempers it with quirk. If you've missed out on the first couple episodes, they're available online. But to summarize: small town haunted by the disappearances

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-26410925202712534752010-05-11T08:41:00.000-04:002010-05-11T08:41:03.874-04:00

Jasper Fforde Viking, 2009 400 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ I love this book. Like all Jasper Fforde's novels, it takes some toe-dipping to get into, but Fforde has earned the patience of his readers. His standard MO is to write completely unintelligible things for the first couple chapters until the reader starts to understand it and it begins to make

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-4771405159771183462010-04-21T14:44:00.001-04:002010-04-21T14:53:47.462-04:00

Mindy Starns Clark Harvest House, 2009 332 pages trade paperback _____________________________________________________ I'm not Cajun. Not technically, anyway, because my family didn't come through Nova Scotia. Instead, in the mid-1700's our ancestors sailed directly from France. Which makes us French Creole, although nowadays people usually think more "mixed blood" when they hear "Creole." We're

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-35569814250541232912010-04-01T09:31:00.001-04:002010-04-01T09:31:51.022-04:00

The title of this post is taken from one of the lines from last night's episode of Modern Family, which is one of the two sitcoms I watch. I wanted to give a sort of encapsulation of my current television preferences, if only to situate readers in a way that allows them to relate to me and the kind of person I am. Here is my current television schedule:   &nbspMONDAY   &nbspHouse (FOX)   &

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-10013350700857081282010-03-12T12:14:00.000-05:002010-03-12T12:14:47.787-05:00

Anne Rice Knopf, 2009 288 pages hard cover _____________________________________________________ I've loved Anne Rice's work for a long time, ever since I checked Interview with the Vampire out from my high school library. And not just her vampire books, though there are more of them than others: I enjoyed The Witching Hour and Servant of the Bones and Feast of All Saints, too. I did try to

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-37748791637381454012010-03-06T22:32:00.000-05:002010-03-06T22:32:30.435-05:00

Starring: Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz Directed By: Quentin Tarantino Written By: Quentin Tarantino Universal Pictures, 2009 R; 153 minutes 5 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ In film school, we were required to view Reservoir Dogs. I hadn't wanted to see it, but I ended up really liking it. Which surprised me, since I generally dislike

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-32257439104162678972010-03-05T12:28:00.001-05:002010-03-05T12:29:27.331-05:00

Stephenie Meyer Little Brown, 2008 564 pages trade paperback _____________________________________________________ Well, one thing makes New Moon markedly better than Twilight, and that's the absence of Edward throughout the entire second act of the story. Otherwise, it's all still pretty bad. New Moon reminds me of fan fiction, only the characters are original to the author. But the main

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-77346554941248765142010-02-16T14:05:00.000-05:002010-02-16T14:05:09.992-05:00

For those who don't know, if you buy a package of Valomilk, you're buying a sort of Reese's cup-like item (two in a pack), wherein the chocolate cups are filled with marshmallow instead of peanut butter. However, a Valomilk is not at all like a marshmallow cup. Which sounds confusing, but I'll do my best to explain. For one thing, Valomilk is not something you can pick up in the typical candy

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-27199276541479130052010-02-12T11:49:00.004-05:002010-02-12T12:02:04.839-05:00

Stephenie Meyer Little Brown, 2006 544 pages trade paperback _____________________________________________________ My intent was to avoid this book--this series of books--for my entire life. But I teach middle schoolers at a summer camp, and when they asked for class suggestions, like a fool I said, "They're into vampires these days. Maybe a pop culture class on vampires?" Tag, you're it! Which

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-5431021867478922252010-01-21T08:44:00.000-05:002010-01-21T08:44:31.897-05:00

We all know I love Bones; I generally count it as my favorite television show. I like the characters--their interactions, their chemistry. The ensemble cast is fantastic. This is not to say, however, that this show doesn't sometimes go off the rails. Why do the Christmas episodes always play out like bad fan fiction, for example? Daring the two leads to kiss? Finding reasons to strip Booth down

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-62503485455190913592010-01-17T10:32:00.000-05:002010-01-17T10:33:05.226-05:00

Voices By: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Jim Cummings, Jenifer Lewis Directed By: Ron Clements & John Musker Written By: Ron Clements, John Musker & Rob Edwards (screenplay) Walt Disney Pictures, 2009 G; 97 minutes 4 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ Disney decided to take a step back with The Princess and the Frog, returning to the

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-73871332212446117322009-12-31T11:15:00.002-05:002011-12-13T21:08:00.240-05:00

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong Directed By: Guy Ritchie Written By: Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham & Simon Kinberg (based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) Lin Pictures, 2009 PG-13; 128 minutes 4.5 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ Okay, well, I've been a Sherlock Holmes fan all my life. And

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-28056884484003961652009-12-24T13:54:00.001-05:002009-12-24T13:55:15.332-05:00

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham Directed By: Todd Phillips Written By: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore Warner Bros., 2009 R; 100 minutes 2.5 stars (out of 5) _______________________________________________________ Picked this one up On Demand (and in HD to boot); it wasn't as funny as I thought it would be, given all the hype about it. Simple enough

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-77162946191260122002009-12-17T09:38:00.000-05:002009-12-17T09:38:47.119-05:00

I am currently reading Stephen King's latest, a rather large tome titled Under the Dome (full review to come, though I'll say I'm enjoying it). But as I considered the subject matter--a town finds itself isolated by an invisible force field--I found myself looking back at other of King's works and thinking that "under the dome" is the situation in pretty much any compelling narration, isn't it?

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-26690419502854505402009-11-29T16:42:00.000-05:002009-11-29T16:42:50.193-05:00

Written as an open letter to Rob here.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-786471109389253772009-11-24T21:20:00.001-05:002009-11-24T21:21:16.081-05:00

Starring: Ray Romano, Scott Bakula, Andre Braugher TNT, Mondays at 10:00 PM _______________________________________________________ Let's be clear from the start. I'm probably not the target audience for this show. For one thing, I'm a woman, and I think (though I'm not 100% sure) this show is for men. My best guess is that it's kind of a Sex and the City for men, but I don't know that for sure

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-41834876031109707682009-11-19T20:22:00.002-05:002009-11-19T20:22:53.664-05:00

Jonathan Tropper Dutton, 2009 340 pages hardback _____________________________________________________ You know how people all have to slow down and stare when they pass a wreck on the highway? That's what reading this book was like. The story is of Judd Foxman. His father has just died, and he's been asked to come to the family home and sit shiva (that's a Jewish ritual) with his mother and

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-2927060371257085902009-11-11T11:45:00.001-05:002009-11-20T08:53:13.262-05:00

Nick Hornby Riverhead, 2009 416 pages hardback _____________________________________________________ At 416 pages, it would seem that Juliet, Naked is a long book, but it's not really. Not long in that it takes long to read, anyway. The trim size is small, and the print isn't, and besides all that, it's practically impossible to put down. In Hornby's best since About a Boy, the author melds

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-39789266545466175132009-10-24T23:04:00.002-04:002009-10-24T23:08:58.006-04:00

Jay KinneyHarperOne, 2009280 pagestrade paperback_____________________________________________________I grew up with the notion--whether absorbed subconsciously or told outright I don't remember--that Masons were bad. They were sinister in some unspecific way; they were a cult. This is what I grew up believing (and somehow that translated in my juvenile brain as Ben Franklin being a bad, bad man-

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-53150249262206746942009-09-16T10:25:00.001-04:002009-09-16T10:27:04.151-04:00

Small hiatus as I recently had emergency surgery. Good news is I have a stack of books to read and review, so stay tuned!

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-43076652548832624642009-07-21T09:45:00.000-04:002009-07-21T09:48:25.083-04:00

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Jim BroadbentDirected By: David YatesWritten By: Steve Kloves (from the novel by J.K. Rowling)Warner Bros., 2008PG; 153 minutes2.5 stars (out of 5)_______________________________________________________SPOILERS! DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT PLOT DETAILS REVEALED TO YOU!My initial impression of the sixth Harry

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-8697919441644616832009-07-19T20:24:00.000-04:002009-07-19T20:25:25.403-04:00

Steve LuxenbergHyperion, 2009402 pageshardcover_____________________________________________________In Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret, Steve Luxenberg delves into the divide between the knowable and the unknowable--that is, the space between what can be discovered by dogged detective work, and what can only be guessed at because the answers to some questions die along with the

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-86119190267354912362009-07-16T08:35:00.000-04:002009-07-16T08:35:26.880-04:00

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-37572586726480600332009-07-11T23:00:00.000-04:002009-07-11T23:02:26.867-04:00

Rob ThomasAtlantic, 2009_____________________________________________________While I enjoyed perhaps 2/3 of the tracks on Thomas' first solo album Something to Be . . . (2005), I find that I like all the songs on cradlesong--rather in the same way I tend to like all the songs on matchbox twenty albums as well. Additionally, while I found some of the juxtapositions of songs on StB rather jarring,

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-65708454444490789222009-06-28T09:54:00.000-04:002009-06-28T09:55:01.565-04:00

Ann B. RossViking, 2009352 pageshardcover_____________________________________________________The latest in a long line of "Miss Julia" titles by Ross is one of the better ones. In Miss Julia Delivers the Goods, our Miss Julia handles both a personal crisis and a major mystery with her usual dynamic flair. First up: longtime companion Hazel Marie falls ill with sweeping consequences--and besides

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-78184229845212426252009-06-28T09:40:00.002-04:002009-06-28T09:55:19.764-04:00

Mark Sloan, M.D.Ballantine Books, 2009370 pageshardcover_____________________________________________________I don't know if the fact that I'm pregnant is what caused me to pick this one off the library's "new releases" shelf, but I'm glad I did. Sloan's straight-forward style of writing, infused with anecdotes and moderate (often wry) humor, takes what could otherwise be a dry subject and turns

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-10545600272165195042009-05-15T14:56:00.000-04:002009-05-15T14:57:17.856-04:00

Let me preface this by saying that I started getting sick on Wednesday afternoon, and the way I was feeling may have colored my opinions. On the flip side, since I wasn't attending any big Lost party as so many others did, I'm also inclined to believe that mob mentality may have caused a concentrated amount of enthusiasm to build in Lost fans in general.I was underwhelmed by the Lost finale.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-45462738662021618132009-04-26T21:24:00.000-04:002009-04-26T21:24:51.685-04:00

Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi DenchDirected By: Marc ForsterWritten By: Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis & Robert WadeMGM, 2008PG-13; 106 minutes3.5 stars (out of 5)_______________________________________________________Let me begin by saying that the first James Bond movie I ever saw was The Living Daylights. And I liked it, at the time, and the following License to Kill.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-28950108846306536822009-04-26T20:45:00.000-04:002009-04-26T20:45:47.789-04:00

Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Billy Connolly, Amanda PeetDirected By: Chris CarterWritten By: Frank Spotnitz & Chris Carter20th Century Fox, 2008PG-13; 104 minutes2.5 stars (out of 5)_______________________________________________________I was as big an X-Files fan as any when the drama first began airing on FOX back in the early 1990s. And, oh, I had the biggest crush on David

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-3854292154867081972009-04-26T20:18:00.000-04:002009-04-26T20:18:58.222-04:00

Starring: Seth Rogan, James Franco, Gary Cole, Rosie PerezDirected By: David Gordon GreenWritten By: Seth Rogan & Evan Goldberg [story by Judd Apatow, Seth Rogan & Evan Goldberg]R; 111 minutes4 stars (out of 5)_______________________________________________________I can't say I'm any fan of the kind of comedy that Rogan and Apatow are best known for; I liked Knocked Up but didn't see in it the

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-25311730483357226162009-04-23T12:56:00.000-04:002009-04-23T12:57:15.527-04:00

Deeanne GistBethany House, 2007330 pagestrade paperback_____________________________________________________I failed to notice when I picked this up off the library shelf that it was a Bethany House book. I have no problem with that, but I do think it's interesting how the style of writing in "Christian" books is (to me, at least) very distinct. I started reading this one, and not more than a

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-5728860011252373832009-04-21T18:53:00.000-04:002009-04-21T18:53:16.841-04:00

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-43823463890365548882009-04-13T22:45:00.002-04:002009-04-13T22:47:29.484-04:00

Now available from the Rob Thomas camp, a ringtone of his first single from the upcoming Cradlesong album:The official ringtone for "Her Diamonds" is now on sale exclusively from Rob. Text DIAMONDS to 33133 to get the ringtone.Each ringtone costs $2.49. To opt out text STOP to 33133. This is a la carte, transactional service. No recurring subscription charges are involved. No Credit Card

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-26834652630568924802009-04-04T22:50:00.001-04:002009-04-04T22:50:59.422-04:00

Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Ari Graynor, Alexis DzienaDirected By: Peter SollettWritten By: Lorne Scafaria (from the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan)Sony/Columbia, 2008PG-13; 90 minutes5 stars (out of 5)_______________________________________________________Those who miss those 80s teen life films by John Hughes, and those who enjoy Cameron Crowe--especially when he's

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-81017166089720331942009-04-01T14:49:00.002-04:002009-04-01T14:59:31.350-04:00

Just heard a VERY short advance clip of Rob Thomas' first single from Cradlesong--the entire song and accompanying video is due out mid-April. Still, it sounds promising, very groovy. The entire album is slated to drop at the end of June.And no, none of this is an April Fools joke.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-33913283315987541252009-03-30T09:22:00.001-04:002009-03-30T09:23:44.044-04:00

Maggie MarrCrown Publishers, 2008260 pageshardcover_____________________________________________________The fun in reading Maggie Marr's Hollywood Girls Club and now its sequel Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club is that Marr brings the Hollywood system and lifestyle into vivid reality in a most entertaining way. And no wonder--Marr is herself a writer and producer in L.A. She uses her knowledge,

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-72222473368714735102009-03-24T20:33:00.001-04:002009-03-24T20:34:33.406-04:00

C.W. GortnerBallantine, 2006368 pageshardcover_____________________________________________________Disclosure: I read a lot of historical fiction. Love the stuff. From Regency romances to the based-in-real-life, it's one of my favorite genres. In particular I can recommend Judith Tarr's books set in ancient Egypt and Alison Weir's books set in Tudor England.I can also recommend The Last Queen.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-2307721206623818792009-03-18T10:54:00.000-04:002009-03-18T10:54:22.975-04:00

Patricia HarmanBeacon Press, 2008290 pageshardcover_____________________________________________________Perhaps not the best thing for a pregnant woman to read, although the stories are, for the most part, heartwarming--it's just that some are sad, too, and with all my hormones already in an uproar, this book moved me to tears two or three times.Still and all, there's nothing graphic in this book

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-49617399920702445252009-03-11T15:00:00.001-04:002009-03-11T15:01:26.366-04:00

Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick WilsonDirected By: Zack SnyderWritten By: David Hayter & Alex TseWarner Brothers, 2009R; 162 minutes2 stars (out of 5)_______________________________________________________Fans of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons graphic novel (or comic books, if you picked them up before they were collected) will

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-21979773197445504852009-03-03T09:17:00.000-05:002009-03-03T09:18:08.051-05:00

drop date: June 30atlantic records________________________________________________Although Thomas' initial intention was to write an album full of Latinesque music à la Paul Simon's Rhythm of the Saints, he admits that what was coming out of him didn't all fit that bill. Various tracks have been labeled "Tom Pettyish" and "in the vein of INXS." While that second one gives me pause, the first

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-44299176498246531992009-02-25T14:00:00.000-05:002009-02-25T14:01:24.935-05:00

Or not necessarily a "remake" but a new movie based on Hasbro's boardgame. Why? The 1985 film was incredible; what need is there for anything more? Or different? The script was tight and perfect (particularly in its humor), the cast had all possible chemistry. And yet Gore Verbinski (of Pirates of the Caribbean distinction) has been asked to make another Clue. This is just an utter waste of time,

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-66379741532421040192009-02-23T13:35:00.000-05:002009-02-23T13:35:34.202-05:00

Host: Hugh JackmanNetwork: ABCAir Date: February 21, 2009____________________________________________________Not wanting to get grease and other unseemlies on my laptop, I took notes in a notebook while watching . . . and eating chicken wings and fries (our awards show tradition). We started with the E! pre-show:6:36 Why is Kevin Kline here, exactly? (Turned out he was presenting via the new

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-50330412431480704402009-02-19T08:50:00.002-05:002009-02-19T09:36:31.718-05:00

You know, I took a class in college called Parageography--the geography of imaginary places. As in Narnia and Middle Earth and Oz, or even the places Odysseus (aka Ulysses) visited when trying to get home from the Trojan war. Part of the class required us to create our own imaginary places. Mine was an island called AElit. It was an island no one could find. The back story was that an Englishman

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-74072831207291740572009-02-18T20:43:00.001-05:002009-02-18T20:45:04.138-05:00

Carly and Michael are dressed for a Goth wedding. And Ryan Seacrest shall officiate.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-20195950082454989452009-02-18T12:17:00.000-05:002009-02-19T08:51:37.345-05:00

Just one thing I want to say about last week's Lost: everyone is saying that Locke's turning the frozen donkey wheel will have stopped the time flashes. Oookay, then why exactly do they need the Oceanic 6 to return? I thought they were required to stop the skipping record. Did I miss something? Misunderstand something?

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-28299098393613463712009-02-15T19:12:00.000-05:002009-02-15T19:12:27.943-05:00

I subscribed to Cookie a couple years ago, just out of curiosity. I got one of those cheap offers in the mail, and the colorful letters announcing the magazine's title made it look fun. As it turns out, however . . . Not so much. I let the subscription lapse, but then my husband got a free subscription with some other purchase, and now it is again turning up in my mailbox each month.Oh, Cookie is

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-90216350183833537682009-02-13T22:04:00.002-05:002009-03-28T20:28:11.073-04:00

Starring: Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix, Fran KranzFOX, Fridays at 9:00 PM_______________________________________________________Like so many other television sci-fi cultists out there, I like Joss Whedon. I loved Buffy, Angel, and Firefly. So now I'm trying Dollhouse, despite my lack of love for Eliza Dushku. (And right now they're playing Lady GaGa's "Let's Dance," so points deducted for that, too

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-39437041528886552332009-02-12T15:04:00.000-05:002009-02-19T08:51:37.345-05:00

First up, AI. I just want to say that Tatiana del Toro needs to go. People that annoying aren't entertaining. They're JUST annoying. I don't want to meet them in real life, and I certainly don't want to have to endure them when trying to unwind in front of the TV.Meanwhile, Joanna Pacitti--just shown last night making it to the top 36--is now ousted after being deemed "ineligible." You think? It

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-43942377849003372072009-02-01T21:53:00.001-05:002009-02-01T21:54:15.963-05:00

I'm enjoying the dancing football players. Too bad Monsters vs. Aliens looks stupid. But I do like Sobe. I used to drink that white flavor; I don't remember what it was called, but it was yummy.I've also really liked the Sprint "run the world" ads. The delivery guys at the school, the roadies at the airport = friggin' awesome.Stop with the Heroes commercials, though. I really don't want to see

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-1085469665498527382009-02-01T19:54:00.000-05:002009-02-01T20:26:03.347-05:00

Warning: Live blogging tonight. This means I'm going stream-of-consciousness. I cannot be held responsible for the odd turnings of my mind prior to my stopping to consider them. What I mean is, I'm typing before I really think here. Just whatever comes out. Forewarned is forearmed and all that. I don't care about the game. I'm just interested n the ads. Thus far, we've seen a decent trailer for

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-6196917820760079942009-01-22T09:35:00.001-05:002009-02-19T08:51:37.346-05:00

Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Terry O'Quinn, Michael Emerson, Elizabeth Mitchell, Josh HollowayABC, Wednesdays at 9:00____________________________________________________Time travel is often the bane of televisual storytelling. It almost never works. This is because of all the paradoxes created when dealing with time travel. The only show I can say consistently and logically dealt with

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-80141312301408675372009-01-21T12:24:00.005-05:002009-12-17T09:39:48.119-05:00

Stephen King Scribner, 2008 367 pages hardcover _____________________________________________________ First things first, a disclaimer. Or, really, full disclosure (as they say in the legal profession, don't they?). My love for Stephen King's work began when I was very young--too young to read his books. I was about eight years old, and my father always had battered SK paperbacks in the house.

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-70062592758277490162009-01-18T09:54:00.001-05:002009-01-18T15:53:08.128-05:00

Starring: Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, David Arquette, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth ShueDirected By: Andrew FlemingWritten By: Pam Brady & Andrew FlemingFocus Features, 2008R; 92 minutes2 stars (out of 5)_______________________________________________________As we were watching this, my husband said to me, "This is one of the most bizarre movies I've ever seen." That's really something, coming from

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-18741976961775661962009-01-15T13:40:00.002-05:002009-01-15T13:41:36.950-05:00

Cathi Hanauer, Ed.William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2002275 pageshardcover (library)____________________________________________________This book is a collection of essays in which, as the book's subtitle puts it, "26 women tell the truth about sex, solitude, work, motherhood, and marriage." I don't know about whether these essays tell THE truth, but they do tell SOME truths.In the way of essay

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-9093096268734507722009-01-14T20:40:00.000-05:002009-01-14T20:40:00.661-05:00

Yes, I'm watching this useless bit of clap-trap television. I have every year, despite my promises to myself that I won't. I always think, I'll just watch the train wreck auditions. But then I end up staying for the entire season. (The exception was the season that featured Jordan Sparks. I so couldn't stand her that I quit watching mid-season.)Season 8 started yesterday evening with a visit to

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-7630274927859602282009-01-13T09:34:00.001-05:002009-01-18T09:55:00.638-05:00

Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Cherry Jones, James Morrison, Anne Wersching, Jeffrey Nordling, Carlos Bernard, Janeane GarofaloFOX, Mondays at 9:00____________________________________________________So I spent a lot of the four hours of this trying to figure out where I'd seen the guy who plays FBI techie Sean Hillinger. Who is that guy? I kept asking myself. This is one of the downfalls of being a

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-2096935360682306062009-01-09T09:41:00.001-05:002009-01-09T09:42:11.777-05:00

Starring: Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Patrick Dempsey, T.R. KnightABC, Thursdays at 9:00________________________________________________________My husband has asked me a number of times, "Why do you still watch this show?" And the answer is: I don't know. Patrick Dempsey? He's compelling (to look at, anyway), but not compelling enough, really, to be the sole reason to sit through an

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-21452594182646391982009-01-07T09:50:00.000-05:002009-01-07T09:50:56.859-05:00

Jennifer Lee CarrellPlume, 2007405 pagestrade paperback______________________________________________________In a nutshell, Interred with Their Bones is basically The Da Vinci Code for Shakespeare aficionados--and mostly better written than Dan Brown.I received this book as a Christmas gift. My husband was looking for something that wasn't on my wish list, something I wouldn't expect to receive,

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-78359665919045644692009-01-06T09:28:00.009-05:002009-01-18T09:56:44.651-05:00

Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason BatemanDirected by: Peter BergWritten by: Vincent Ngo & Vince GilliganColumbia Pictures, 2008PG-13; 92 minutes2.5 stars (out of 5)__________________________________________________________This movie has the distinction of being the first movie I've seen this year. Too bad that's about the only thing distinctive about it.Without giving too much away,

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-277997708778225874.post-40242006937969127872009-01-05T22:02:00.000-05:002009-01-05T22:02:41.200-05:00

I used to write for Blogcritics. Then I got busy with life and kids and career. Now I find myself unemployed (though with more kids than before), and I have time again, sort of, to read and watch DVDs, so here I am.I have a BS from UT Austin in Radio-Television-Film. While there I focused on critical and cultural media studies. Also on screenwriting. And I've worked on movie sets. Then I went and

Mandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13464393340517511305noreply@blogger.com