Category: blog

Cloud Atlas – Is It Really That Good?

I pose the question in the title because…well, I really can’t decide for myself. I hate being wishy-washy about giving a critique, but the truth is, I really can’t decide if it’s that good or if it’s just okay. Or if I hate it. I think one of the biggest problems is that some characters/story lines are much more interesting than others so, I didn’t feel that invested in parts of the book.

SPOILERS AHEAD: The author David Mitchell starts the book off with journal entries and then proceeds to introduce his characters in unique ways – one of which is writing in a dialect, that truthfully takes some extra concentrating to read and comprehend.

I highly recommend not to read this book after a long day. Save it for when you have a rainy Sunday and you’re alert.

There are several themes explored in the book – I won’t mention them here, but the central idea is that we’re all connected in some way through time and history. Now, I’ve already stated that this book requires an alert mind to catch everything so, it is quite possible I missed something. But it doesn’t stop me from feeling  a little let down at the end of the book that the connections weren’t more spelled out – that some of the stories feel unfinished.

Perhaps the movie adaptation will fix this problem. The Wachowski siblings (famous for THE MATRIX movies and RUN LOLA RUN) have partnered with Tom Tykwer (director of RUN LOLA RUN) to write and direct the film version. The book has the story weave through time and the personal points of view of each character. The characters are either writing or testifying to someone so the POV remains in first person. This is always a difficult point of view to adapt well to screen. But because Mitchell has his characters explain their emotions and actions to another person it might avoid the constant problem of adapting first person internal conflict to the screen.

I guess I’ll have to just wait and see. In the meantime, what did you think of the book?

The Neighbors – It’s So Wrong, But Jami Gertz Makes It Right

Let me start off this post with a proclamation of my absolute love for Jami Gertz. Ever since she first appeared on SQUARED PEGS and headlined the movie JERSEY GIRL (NOT the atrocious Kevin Smith film, but the cute David Burton Norris picture also starring Dylan McDermott – Netflix it), and starred in THE LOST BOYS I have been a big fan of the Gertz. Although I will admit I didn’t dig her last sitcom STILL STANDING – but that’s another post.

She is the main reason I tuned into the pilot of THE NEIGHBORS (Wednesday nights on ABC at 8:30 EST) and is the only reason I tuned in the next week. The plot is enormously contrived – aliens landing on our planet and for the past ten years have never interacted with humans. Unbelievable. No amount of suspension of disbelief can get me aboard that train. But the comic chops of Jami Gertz really make me pull for this show. Her timing has never been better and she has great chemistry with her alien co-star newcomer Toks Olagundoye and her totally human husband Lenny Venito.

The last episode shows promise of the show’s growth. It spoofed REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY (complete with gold lame dress) with a commentary on how silly it is to be watching television on a telephone. Think about it.

The silliness of this show might be its reason for death. Or it could be its savior. Hard to know. But until the decision is made, I’m going to keep watching and routing for Jami – and waiting until the holiday season to see her in UNDERCOVER CHRISTMAS (filmed in 2003 and usually shown on the Hallmark of Lifetime channels)  – it’s a crap movie, but she makes it shine.

Lena Dunham Doesn’t Deserve a Book Deal

Publishing world please! Show some respect. Not only have you been trolling the Internet for somewhat successful self-published authors so you may pick them up thinking you don’t have to spend a dime in publicity (never mind that those books are mostly crap, riddled with typos, and require no more than 60 IQ points to comprehend), but now you think a young lady, the daughter of very well to do parents, who couldn’t even vote before 2004 is deserving of a 3.7 million dollar book deal so she can write some utter dreck on what she’s learned about life so far? Please! As if she could possibly talk about anything that a young woman in the real world has had to deal with. Perhaps if she sticks to sexually frustrated, weight conscious, can’t bear to be alone (yes, I’m describing her terrible show GIRLS on HBO) women she’s got a chance. But for the publishing world to compare her to Tina Fey? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Let’s get this perfectly clear – Lena Dunham is NOT Tina Fey. She will never be Tina Fey. And as hard as she tries she to depict herself as someone who has come up the ranks as other very talented, funny women have she will never be in that category.

Random House and the other big houses – stop being lazy. Go through your massive slush piles and find other authors that are much more talented, and deserving of being published.

End of rant.

Pitch Perfect is Almost Perfect

Let me tell you – there is nothing like watching a movie in a theater full of middle school girls. There were so many of them to see PITCH PERFECT that a manager had to address the crowd before the movie to remind them to behave or be escorted out. Seriously? Shame nobody knows how to behave in a movie theater anymore, but that’s another post.

Now I was there not only for the a cappella music (by the way – BEST opening of a movie I’ve seen in a while – won’t say anything more in fear of spoiling) that was shown in the trailer, but to see the funny Anna Kendrick (Netflix UP IN THE AIR and see her Oscar nominated performance) and the hilarious Rebel Wilson (most famous for her recent turn in BRIDESMAIDS, but she really shines in BACHERLORETTE – see it OnDemand or in your local theater). Both women were good and made the most out of a very choppy script.

The dialogue was okay. There were some hilarious one liners that I’m sure every 13-year-old in the audience is taking with her and repeating to anyone who will listen in the hall of her school. However there was a lot of innuendo. I’m talking A LOT. Much of it was really explicit and didn’t require an enormous amount of cerebral processing. Obviously there was a huge problem keeping the script and story to a point where it wouldn’t warrant an R rating, and because of that the movie really suffers.

Overall, it was entertaining and fun and will make money. Why you ask? Because every thirteen to seventeen-year-old girl will see it and then see it again. And again. And again.

Absent No Longer

Hello to the four people who read this blog, including my mother! It’s been a long absence, but I have been busy doing a lot of life changing things – way too many to mention in this tiny space. And because I am freakishly private, I wouldn’t really share them anyway. Needless to say, I have stored up a lot to discuss and share. So, get ready, hunker down, there are going to be more posts coming!

 

Stay tuned.