What I Was Reading in NovemberThe Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Three Cups of Tea by David Oliver Relin and Greg Mortenson
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich
Flight by Sherman Alexie
Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
This was actually a big reading month for me. I finished all these books. The Thief Lord is a young adult novel I read for school. It was "okay," better than the film which I also watched. I listed to The Golden Compass on audio, read by the author and a full cast. It's a wonderful audiobook and just a really interesting book as well. I'm reading the rest of the series, or I shoudl say, listening to the rest of the series in December. Lean Mean Thirteen is the latest in the Stephanie Plum series and as usual it was a pleasant, entertaining light read. Three Cups of Tea made me much more aware of the political situation in Pakistan. I was fascinated by Greg Mortenson's story and I"d encourage others to read it. Sherman Alexie wasn't as magical for me as he was for some people in my book club. I found him only "okay" and the book Flight, which others loved, I found to be "not my cup of tea." Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is a collection of short stories. Some I liked better than others.
What I was Watching in November
On TV
Dancing with the StarsDesperate HousewivesSamantha Who?Big ShotsPrivate Practice
Pushing Daisies
Dirty Sexy Money
Project Runway
Good news: The Bachelor is over. Even better news, Project Runway has begun. It's too soon for me to have favorites... or maybe they are all just too blase to be excited? Who knows. I was satisfied with Dancing with the Stars ending. I wanted Mel B. to win, but I didn't mind that Helio did. Both of them were fab. The writer's strike has slowed down the production of new programs and some have moved into rerun phase but hey, what's new? I just really wish that The New Adventures of Old Christine would get a move on. I've decided that I watch entirely too much uninspired tv, but one show that is quickly growing on me is Dirty Sexy Money. I'm not sure why.
On DVD
Spider-man 3
Knocked Up
Licence to Kill
GoldenEye
License to Wed
The Thief Lord
Shrek the Third
Hands on a Hard Body
Wordplay
A Prairie Home Companion
Waitress
Oceans Thirteen
Bourne Ultimatum
In Theatre
Enchanted
Of the November films I watched none of them really stood out except Wordplay and Waitress. I got a big kick out of Wordplay, a documentary on the New York Times Crossword Puzzle and people who love it. Waitress is the Adrienne Shelly film she made before she was murdered. It's a nice film, funny, sweet, wry, and mouthwatering. It made me want to invent pies. And Keri Russell's names for the pies made them even better.
Hands on a Hard Body was a recommended documentary that was alright but nothing earthshattering. It is about a group of people in an annual radio contest giveaway in which people must keep at least one hand on a vehicle until they are the last one standing and then they win the pick up. A Prairie Home Companion was entirely NOT my kind of film. I thought someone told me they really liked it. Hmmm... Why?
License to Wed was a bit irritating, but I tend to find some Robin Williams films that way in general. Knocked up is one I'd seen and loved in the theatre and so this time I watched it with teh commentary track and laughed my butt off. What a hoot.
Spider-man 3 reminded me that Spiderman is NOT my favorite of the superheroes, is it just me or does he seem like a total whiner? On the contrary, Bond, James Bond is wonderful as played by Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye. And License to Kill was good in that it was the end of my least favorite Bond, Timothy Dalton. I liked nearly everything in GoldenEye but the freaky orgasmic moans of the bad bond girl as she was getting ready to squeeze people to death with her thighs.
As far as sequels go, Shrek 3 was not that great. It wasn't terrible, but I guess I just prefer the first one over all. Bourne Ultimatum was good and it made a nice Thanksgiving viewing. Oceans 13 was later that evening with mom. I hated Oceans 12 and so I was pleased to discover I liked this one better, but again, it is hard to recreate the magic of the first film. I'm not sure they should have tried.
My sole theatre experience this month was the Disney animated/live action film Enchanted starring Amy Adams who was, as usual, enchanting! I got a real kick out of this film and would recommend it to most anyone. Only disappointment for me was the whole dragon sequence toward the ending... it was a bit too much for me. I mean, reality was stretched in this film, but that part really crossed the line for me. tee hee.
What I Was Listening to in November
My new cds:
Kid Rock Rock N Roll Jesus
Feist The Remainder
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's cd Raising Sand
a random sampling from my MP3 player here are my posted shuffles:
Project Runway
Good news: The Bachelor is over. Even better news, Project Runway has begun. It's too soon for me to have favorites... or maybe they are all just too blase to be excited? Who knows. I was satisfied with Dancing with the Stars ending. I wanted Mel B. to win, but I didn't mind that Helio did. Both of them were fab. The writer's strike has slowed down the production of new programs and some have moved into rerun phase but hey, what's new? I just really wish that The New Adventures of Old Christine would get a move on. I've decided that I watch entirely too much uninspired tv, but one show that is quickly growing on me is Dirty Sexy Money. I'm not sure why.
On DVD
Spider-man 3
Knocked Up
Licence to Kill
GoldenEye
License to Wed
The Thief Lord
Shrek the Third
Hands on a Hard Body
Wordplay
A Prairie Home Companion
Waitress
Oceans Thirteen
Bourne Ultimatum
In Theatre
Enchanted
Of the November films I watched none of them really stood out except Wordplay and Waitress. I got a big kick out of Wordplay, a documentary on the New York Times Crossword Puzzle and people who love it. Waitress is the Adrienne Shelly film she made before she was murdered. It's a nice film, funny, sweet, wry, and mouthwatering. It made me want to invent pies. And Keri Russell's names for the pies made them even better.Hands on a Hard Body was a recommended documentary that was alright but nothing earthshattering. It is about a group of people in an annual radio contest giveaway in which people must keep at least one hand on a vehicle until they are the last one standing and then they win the pick up. A Prairie Home Companion was entirely NOT my kind of film. I thought someone told me they really liked it. Hmmm... Why?
License to Wed was a bit irritating, but I tend to find some Robin Williams films that way in general. Knocked up is one I'd seen and loved in the theatre and so this time I watched it with teh commentary track and laughed my butt off. What a hoot.
Spider-man 3 reminded me that Spiderman is NOT my favorite of the superheroes, is it just me or does he seem like a total whiner? On the contrary, Bond, James Bond is wonderful as played by Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye. And License to Kill was good in that it was the end of my least favorite Bond, Timothy Dalton. I liked nearly everything in GoldenEye but the freaky orgasmic moans of the bad bond girl as she was getting ready to squeeze people to death with her thighs.
As far as sequels go, Shrek 3 was not that great. It wasn't terrible, but I guess I just prefer the first one over all. Bourne Ultimatum was good and it made a nice Thanksgiving viewing. Oceans 13 was later that evening with mom. I hated Oceans 12 and so I was pleased to discover I liked this one better, but again, it is hard to recreate the magic of the first film. I'm not sure they should have tried.
My sole theatre experience this month was the Disney animated/live action film Enchanted starring Amy Adams who was, as usual, enchanting! I got a real kick out of this film and would recommend it to most anyone. Only disappointment for me was the whole dragon sequence toward the ending... it was a bit too much for me. I mean, reality was stretched in this film, but that part really crossed the line for me. tee hee.What I Was Listening to in November
My new cds:
Kid Rock Rock N Roll Jesus
Feist The Remainder
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's cd Raising Sand
a random sampling from my MP3 player here are my posted shuffles:
Nov 5Amen by Kid Rock
I Only Want to Be With You by Dusty Springfield
Just One Time by Connie Smith
Physical by Olivia Newton-John
These Days by Nico
In the Ghetto by Elvis Presley
Just Like a Pill by Pink
Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones
Rocket Man by Elton John
Just Like a Pill by Pink
Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones
Rocket Man by Elton John
2 comments:
As always, once again, it was quite fascinating to see the rather long list of books, movies, TV shows, and other media from the month just passed, which struck you as being "only okay;" which weren't "as magical for me as... for some people in my book club;" that you found to be "not my cup of tea;" or about which you noted, "none of them really stood out." These monthly lists of yours always save me countless hours of time that might have been wasted on pursuing mediocre to poor efforts in the world of entertainment. For that much-- and I'm sure I speak for all your many devoted readers when I say-- I am eternally grateful! .... :-)
Actually I feel like there is something wrong with me that I didn't like Sherman Alexie as well as others in my group did. I mean, Judy RAVED about Flight... I did sort of like some of the stories in Lone Ranger/Tonto book, but even then... I wasn't totally gripped. There was a Toni Morrison poetic prose to his stories but when it came to a narrative I could follow, I struggled.
As far as movies go, I do believe that I've been wrecked in some way so that what other people might enjoy I am not likely to. My "it was okay" attitude toward something could easily still be appreciative... it's just not the new "love of my life." Out of the150 films I watched in 2007, I can think of 15 that I truly "loved" and I'm sure a whole list of ones I thought were "good" or "okay" but ended up not being my absolute favorites if I had to narrow it down. I guess I'll have to do that post sometime soon, eh? I would guess that my level of love as in "it's okay" might actually equal your "it's terrific"... as you seem to like everything and I tend toward the other direction. Apathy or something. I know I simply watch too many films, but it's like I'm searching for the one rare film like "Me & You, and Everyone We Know" or "Junebug", for example that sort of stick with you for a good long time.
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