The Host - movie

Dangrdafne review

Yes, I am very late to watching this movie... but for me, it was worth the wait.

I really loved this movie. It probably is not the norm but what can I say, I’m an odd duck.

First I love Saoirse Ronan, so I was happy from the get go. Since she is the main character of the movie, I knew I would see her in almost every scene and I happily did. I loved her divided mind and felt she played the two roles very well.

Second at the heart of the movie it was all about family. I love stories about family: fighting for it, creating it, learning to live with others and all the love that comes from family.

I also liked the trope of a good alien and having to win people over. Humans are complex and crazy creatures and this movie showed that in all its glory. I loved watching Wanda learn that and figure out how that works for her. I also loved that it was the woman who were fighting for the human race. Not that it is surprising but I felt stronger for having watched them fight for us.

And of course there was a love story but not the one you think. In case, you haven’t seen it I will leave it for you to learn. It was good to see a bad guy learn to be good and learn to love and how different life can be if you open your mind and learn to trust and love.

I’m glad there is a happy ending because I really wasn’t sure what would happen but I can’t get over the fact that basically the movie boiled down to my mantra of “Because Nice Matters.” If we can all just get along... then we can all just get along.

4 paws

Tully - movie review

Dangrdafne review

On the plane to Poland, LOT Polish Airlines offers lots of free movies, TV and music. I was excited for the movies even though I knew I should have been sleeping.

I chose Tully as I had heard it was a very good movie and it helps that I like Charlize Theron.

Easily put is you have to go all the way through the movie to truly appreciate the movie. I really can’t say too much as I would hate to spoil it for those who want to watch the movie.

I will say I did not like the movie until I saw the ending of the movie, then I really liked the movie. Charlize gives an amazing performance and I am sure there are many mothers out there who feel like she does. I know I was exhausted just watching her at times.

The best part of the movie is that it is just a story. A well told story. And one that you don’t know what it is until you get to the end.

I recommend the movie but if you had to choose between this one and Atomic Blonde, also with Charlize, I would tell you to get Atomic Blonde.

3 paws

Six Comics

In my comics group, someone shared this idea: Pick five comics (could be six series or graphic novels) that best describe your taste. As usual, I have trouble following instructions. I have chosen six comics that best reflect the themes I enjoy in comics, or fiction in general.

Those eight themes are:

• Strangeness and outcasts
• Capable protagonists who may or may not be damaged
• Big science fiction and mystery
• Adventure and exploration
• Themes of family and friendship
• Meta, mind-bending ideas about ideas 
• Celebrating the past while bringing new light to old tropes
• And the occasional simian star

The representative comics are, in clockwise order starting in the top left: Doom Patrol, Motor Girl, Drifter, Starman, The Unwritten, and Fantastic Four.

Citizen Wayne

So, before Marvel and Brian Michael Bendis went all exclusive, Bendis did a story for DC Comics. It was a short Batman Elseworlds story printed in THE BATMAN CHRONICLES #21 (June 2000). This must have come out during a lull in my collecting habits, because I don't recall the cover, and I certainly don't recall any of the contents.

 The Batman Chronicles Vol. 1 Issue 21

Now, the artist on that 2000 story was one Michael Gaydos. Yes! The very same person who co-created Jessica Jones with Bendis, also co-created Bendis' new character, Pearl. And he did the pencils on the first DC/Jinxworld issue of PEARL, a book that also includes that previously Batman story, "Citizen Wayne," as back material.

And "Citizen Wayne" is a solid bit of black and white storytelling. And, yes, it's a nod to the great Orson Welles' seminal film. I'm not sure I can adequately encourage you to go get your own copy of this, so I'll just share Bendis' intro to the story and its first page:

Intro to "Citizen Wayne" as reprinted in PEARL #1

Friday 80s Flashback for August 31, 2018

[Black N Blue] -- The 80s spawned a very strange creature: The Hair Metal genre (also called Glam Metal). I've previously written that this genre was possibly the result of controlled efforts to crossbreed Heavy Metal (for its energy and intensity) with Pop Rock (for its relative safety and accessibility). And it was responsible for a boat load of record sales in the 80s. In August 1986, one of those records was Nasty Nasty, the third studio release by Black N Blue. This record is spirited. It's aggressive. And ... it's not for everyone. I have to throw that "not for everyone" caveat out there just in case I'm the only one who still relies in an inner 13-year-old to rate hard rock from this period. Oh! And here's an interesting note: KISS bassist Gene Simmons produced this album. Anyway, Nasty Nasty didn't make a dent. And there was only one single, but it didn't really chart. In fact, I'm pretty sure it quickly ended up in the discount bin. And, yet, I still have mad love for this album. Then as well as now. So, what tracks have I chosen to share with you? Read and hear more after the break. 

Friday 80s Flashback for August 24, 2018

[When Corey was a Young Man Running] -- You know Corey Hart as the guy who wears his "Sunglasses at Night." And you know he's a man who'll "Never Surrender." But do you know what he did after those seminal 80s songs? Did you know he released three more 80s albums (counting his 1990 release). Well, yes, there was life for Mr. Hart even after the U.S. record buying public dropped him like shiny new day on the day after Christmas. In fact, in his native Canada, he remained a top 40 artist more or less through the late 90s. His 1986 release, Fields of Fire, earned him several nods at the 1987 Juno Awards. And this week in 1988, Hart released his fourth studio album, Young Man Running. Although you might never have heard of it, this record featured some of Hart's most mature songwriting to date. The record did chart in the US, and it spawned a top 40 single, it quickly faded and is all but forgotten here, with no other singles charting. But in Canada, the first three singles hit the top 40, with the first one even peaking at #2. It's a pleasant album featuring a variety of genres. So, if you'd like a taste of it, and I recommend that you do, you can read and hear more after the jump.   

Lilac Girls - book review

Dangrdafne review

Tomorrow I head to Poland for my adventure. My Mother had read this book and told me I should read it before going on the trip. Since I always listen to my Mother, I read the book... in 2 days and loved the book.

It is a very rough read at times as it is about the Holocaust... but it is about so much MORE than that.

It is three distinct narrators, Kasia a Polish teen, Herta a German doctor and Caroline an American. Each chapter is from one of their points of view. It is a very different way to write and out a novel together but after 20 or so chapters I feel into the groove and could almost tell who was speaking without seeing their name on the chapter title.

I want to tell you all about the book but you really need to read it yourself to capture the beauty of it all. Even the Holocaust horrors. It is a quite disturbing write up at times but it is required so that you can appreciate the strength, the heart and the magic of these women.

If you are Polish or if you care about the women of the Holocaust or if you are intrigued by a true story about history that is rarely known, then I recommend this book and even if you think you are none of these things... I recommend this book.

4 paws