All This and Superpowers Too: Reading, Watching, Listening..... January & February in Review

What I Was Reading in January & February
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler

I haven't been reading much lately.... I read The Lovely Bones for a student book club in early January and then read Assassination Vacation for February's book club. I am still in the process of finishing the book. I started Farewell, My Lovely (a book I got for Christmas from my brother) but I had to put it down in order to read my book club choice. My hope is to finish both soon. I am enjoying them immensely.

What I was watching in January & February

On TV
Grey's Anatomy
Two and a Half Men
Studio 60
Brothers and Sisters
Desperate Housewives
Lost
The Office
Reruns of Will and Grace
The Oscars

On DVR
The Karate Kid
Saved!
Raising Helen
13 Going on 30

My TV watching remains static. I regularly watch a variety of TV shows and am thrilled that Lost is back on the air. Occasionally I get sucked into some TV movies and watch bits and pieces or in the case of the listed DVR films I saw, I watched the entire thing. The Karate Kid is a classic and it's hard not to love Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in this one. In 13 Going on 30, I loved the Thriller dance sequence. The Oscars were fairly predictable and I have to admit I didn't find any of the best picture options to be exceptional.

On DVD
Neil Young Heart of Gold
Shut Up and Sing!
Jesus Camp
Marie Antoinette
The Departed
Babel
Half Nelson
Flags of Our Fathers
Flightplan
Take the Lead
The White Countess
Running with Scissors
Girl in the Cafe
Factotum
Ushpizin
Band of Outsiders

Well, I've already responded to the documentaries I watched in February in this post, but I could say a few words about the Neil Young one. It was fun to see this concert movie, to listen to his music from his Heart of Gold CD and to see the behind the scenes bits of preparing to peform. I loved the devotion his band members and friends have toward him; it was a touching concert.

Marie Antoinette and Girl in the Cafe were my two favorite films in January and February. I loved the beautiful costumes and the portrayal of Marie Antoinette by Kirsten Dunst. I thought it was great fun and it made me want to read more about her and her place in history. Girl in the Cafe starred two wonderful actors: Bill Nighy and Kelly MacDonald (she has a kick-butt accent!) Her demure attitude and seemingly shy, meek and mild approach to life was wonderfully overturned at the G8 Summit she attends with Nighy in this film.

I watched Flags of our Fathers, Half Nelson, Babel, and The Departed because they were Academy Award nominated films (as were Jesus Camp and Marie Antoinette). I thought Babel blew. I liked Half Nelson well enough. Flags of our Fathers was actually pretty good for a war movie (don't typically like those much at all). The Departed, which won for "Best Picture" was okay. I wasn't thrilled with the ending and overall thought the film was FAR too bloody. Jack Nicholson was terrific

and I sort of liked the shrink but I didn't think Marky Mark's performance was best supporting actor quality (I guess the Academy agreed).

Flightplan was pretty decent as far as "thrillers" go. I enjoyed Take the Lead; of course, it is a dancing movie. I didn't realize it was based on the life of the man who started those dance competitions in New York Public Schools... I already watched a documentary on that one: Mad Hot Ballroom. The White Countess was okay. Running With Scissors was better than the book but I still didn't enj

oy it. Factotum is a film in which Matt Dillon plays the title role. He does a great job of capturing the main character in this adaptation of a Charles Bukowski novel. It was depressing, though.

I watched two foreign films at home in February. One was Ushpizin, an Israeli film set in modern day Israel depicting the lives an two ultra-orthodox couple during the Succoth holiday. It was fascinating. The other was a French New Wave film by Jean Luc Godard, Bande à Part (1964). I liked Breathless better but this one was pretty good too. I LOVED the little dance number in the film when they do "The Madison."

At the Theatre
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen
Night at the Museum
Music and Lyrics

I watched Night at the Museum when I was babysitting and I thought it was a great film for kids. Very entertaining. Music and Lyrics is sweet in typical Hugh Grant form. He is funny... with his understated remarks. Is it just me or does Drew Barrymore always look like she's dressed badly in her movies? I've noticed this before.

I did enjoy The Queen and Pan's Labyrinth but I didn't love either of them. Helen Mirren did a great job as the Queen and it was interesting to get a glimpse into their world. Pan's Labyrinth, a foreign film nominated for an Oscar in a number of categories was enchanting but very bloody and a little creepy too. This film had the best score of the nomiated choices at the Oscars. Also Ivana Baquero, the actress from Pan's Labyrinth, was perfect for the role.

What I was listening to in January & February:
Lucinda Williams West
The Midwestern Podcast
Dixie Chicks Taking the Long Way
And my Midwestern Position Volume 2 (a lovely gift from Sara)