Reading
* The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.
This bestselling YA novel about young cancer patients is so
well-researched and fleshed-out that I was certain it was
autobiographical (which it isn't). That in itself is an
accomplishment. Though I'm usually not fond of YA novels, this one I
liked a lot. The story is moving and the writing is at its finest. A
beautiful, touching novel that is not to be missed. The Fault In Our
Stars is now in development to be a Hollywood movie. Looking at the
cast (Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort), we might end up with a
Disney-style flick that would be an insult to the intelligence of the
novel. Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman. I
first came into contact with Hilary Grossman when I posted a photo of
her cat, Alex, on Traveling Cats. When she informed me two months
later that she had written a memoir about how she convinced her
commitment-phobic boyfriend to commit with the help of his family and
friends, I couldn't help but feel curious. However, I did have some
reserve. You see, Hilary is a blogger, and most bloggers don't make
good writers. Still, Hilary surprised me from page one. Dangled Carat
is cute, honest, sexy, and highly addictive. Every woman who has ever
felt self-conscious in a relationship will love this book. Also,
don't be fooled by the term 'memoir', because Dangled Carat reads
like a novel, with lots of dialogue and action-reaction scenes. If
you are interested in winning an autographed copy as
well as a $25 Victoria Secret gift card, and a Sandi Rose CD, then scroll
down to the bottom of this post to see all the ways in which you can
participate. Available at: Amazon / B&N
* A Big Little Life: A Memoir Of A Joyful Dog Named Trixie by Dean Koontz.
Though A Big Little Life is basically a memoir of author Dean Koontz'
Golden Retriever, Trixie, it can also be read as Dean's
autobiography. I learned many interesting facts about the author,
such as how his wife, Gerda, supported him financially for several
years, even when his breakthrough took much longer than expected. A
Big Little Life works because Dean has such a sweet and generous
personality, and because his love for Trixie leaps off the page. Fun
fact: Even before I read it, A Big Little Life played an important
part in my decision to write the memoirs of my cat, Avalon. I doubted
I could add a cat story to my bibliography of supernatural thrillers,
but if Dean Koontz could do it, so can I. Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Cat Getting Out Of A Bag And Other
Stories by Jeffrey Brown. I immediately fell in love with this book
containing black and white drawings about cats in recognizable
situations. Great as a gift. Available at Amazon / B&N
Watching
* Shadow People. Considering the amount of reactions on my shadow people post, I guess most of you will be interested in this creepy movie based on the true story of a radio host's encounter with these supernatural creatures. While Shadow People was far from flawless and mostly by-the-numbers, I did enjoy it quite a bit, especially the creepy atmosphere and the juxtaposition of real-life footage and filmed rendition. Not an outstanding horror film, but definitely worth a watch. Available at Amazon / B&N
* And Soon The Darkness. Two American
girls embark on a hiking trip through France and come into contact
with a serial killer. The film from 1970 has earned cult status. Not sure why,
because it lacks in suspense and story. Available at: Amazon
* Jennifer's Body. A beautiful teenager
(Megan Fox) returns from the dead as an incubus, and starts eating
all the boys from school. I expected Jennifer's Body to be a
disaster, but it is actually better written than most horror movies
(the screenwriter is Diablo Cody, from Juno), and it never fails to
entertain. The silly humor and one-liners ruin most of the movie's
potential though. Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Piranhaconda. An anaconda with the
head of a piranha eats all the humans that cross its path. Impossible
to expect a masterpiece with such a premise. Still, it's a fun flick,
similar to many others in the giant animal genre.
* Say Anything. This film has nothing
of the eighties kitsch that characterizes many other romantic movies
of the era. The director opts for a realistic approach, but because
the characters' reactions are phony and the story superficial, Say
Anything misses to either touch or entertain. Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Mannequin. A mannequin (Kim Cattrall)
comes to life by night and falls in love with her creator (Andrew
McCarthy). This slapstick was one of my favorite movies as a
teenager. Though I still know the movie by heart, I actually forgot
how silly Mannequin really is. Only to be watched out of nostalgia. Available at: Amazon / B&N
*Disconnect. The film follows a group
of people who feel emotionally disconnected despite being non-stop
connected through technologies. The film starts out strong and knows
how to build momentum. Unfortunately, the resolution is predictable
and overly dramatic. Overall a likeable film despite its
shortcomings. Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Murderer / The Yellow Sea. Violent
and intelligent Korean movie in the vein of Old Boy and The Chaser. A
cab driver meets a hitman who promises to repay his debt, just for
one hit. When he arrives at the scene, however, someone else is
already doing the job for him. What follows is a chase in which both
the hitman and the murdered guy's acquaintances are on his heels.
Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Wavelength. Rather cool sci-fi movie
from 1983 in which a young couple helps three aliens (read: bald
children) escape from a laboratory. The story is paper thin, and the
actors surprisingly bad. The B-movie atmosphere and Tangerine Dream's
music, however, make Wavelength a fun genre treat. Available at: Amazon
* Wrong Turn part four: Bloody
Beginnings. An abandoned hospital. A snow storm. Cannibals. There are
worse subjects for a horror movie. This fourth installment of the
Wrong Turn series was a fun and gruesome watch with lots of blood,
torture and decapitations. But some things just can't be forgiven,
such as the cannibals' fake-looking make-up, and the ridiculous humor that includes a cannibal choking on a piece of
human flesh. I mean, really? Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Dexter season eight. The very last season of Dexter was exactly what it should be: compelling, unpredictable, dramatic, and touching. Loved this series from start to finish. A favorite. Available at: Amazon / B&N
* Under The Dome. Yay, it's finished.
No more cardboard characters, silly plot twists, and pink stars. Do I
get a certificate for sitting through this? Available at: Amazon / B&N
Listening to
Some of the CDs I've been listening to lately are: Angelo Badalamenti's musical score for The Stendhal Syndrome (my favorite soundtrack ever), Anastasis by Dead Can Dance, The Dusted Sessions by Date Palms, and Engravings by Forest Swords.
Also went to concerts of Piano Interrupted (a lot like Einaudi; mostly engaging, sometimes boring),
Bersarin Quartett (even better than their concert a few months ago) and Julianna Barwick (angelic, monotonous) at the Feeërieën in Brussels.
What have you been reading,
watching and listening to lately?