MOVIE - Bridget Jones's Baby

R (2:03)

Wide release 9/16/16

Viewed 11/1/16 at Century Gateway
IMBd:  6.9/10

RT Critic: 76   Audience: 73
Critic's Consensus:  Bridget Jones's Baby might be late on arrival, but fans of the series should still find its third installment a bouncing bundle of joy.

Cag:  4/Liked it a lot

Directed by Sharon Maguire

Working Title

Colin Furth, Patrick Dempsey, Renee Zellweger, Emma Thompson

My comments:  I really didn't expect to like this movie (the trailers I saw led me to that conclusion), but I went anyways, because I LOVE Colin Furth.  So glad I did....it turned out to be very funny, and quite good, actually!

RT/ IMDb Summary:  Oscar (R) winners Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth are joined by Patrick Dempsey for the next chapter of the world's favorite singleton in Bridget Jones's Baby. Directed by Sharon Maguire (Bridget Jones's Diary), the new film in the beloved comedy series based on creator Helen Fielding's heroine finds Bridget unexpectedly expecting. After breaking up with Mark Darcy (Firth), Bridget Jones's (Zellweger) "happily ever after" hasn't quite gone according to plan. Fortysomething and single again, she decides to focus on her job as top news producer and surround herself with old friends and new. For once, Bridget has everything completely under control. What could possibly go wrong? Then her love life takes a turn and Bridget meets a dashing American named Jack (Dempsey), the suitor who is everything Mr. Darcy is not. In an unlikely twist she finds herself pregnant, but with one hitch...she can only be fifty percent sure of the identity of her baby's father.

PICTURE BOOK - I am Rosa Parks by Brad Meltzer

Ordinary People Change the World series
Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulis

2014 Dial Books for Young Readers

HC & paper

40 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 4.42 - 430 ratings

My rating: 5

Endpapers:  Yellow with repeated white bus imprint (pale)

1^st line/s:  "I am Rosa Parks.  Growing up, I was small for my age.  I was sick a lot too, since we didn't have money for a doctor.  But that didn't mean I was weak."

My comments:  This is the second book I've read in this Brad Meltzer biography series for kids.  He does an exceptional job, and the mixture of text and graphic-novel-like speech clouds has been a surefire hit for all the kids I've shared these books with.  This one is more about the civil rights movement including Rosa Parks' huge part in it than her actual life (not a problem) - it's a wonderful overview and starting place for young kids on the roots of the civil right movement!  Real photos of Ms. Parks at the end.

Goodreads:  “Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography – for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Rosa Parks dared to stand up for herself and other African Americans by staying seated, and as a result she helped end public bus segregation and launch the country’s Civil Rights Movement.

PICTURE BOOK - Dorothea's Eyes by Barb Rosenstock

Illustrated by Gerard DuBois

2016 Calkins Creed, Honesdale, PA (an Imprint of Highlights)

HC $16.99

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.11 - 167 ratings

My rating:  4

Endpapers:  large dotted background with the same camera-on-legs repeated over and over

Dedications:  "For my grandfather - BR"
     "For my sister, with love - GD"

1^st line/s:  "Dorothea opens her grey-green eyes.  They are special eyes.  They see what others miss."

My comments:  Nice introduction for kids of the life of Dorothea Lange - what drove her and the type of photos she took.  It touches upon the developing of them, but I wish this had been mentioned, and explained, a bit more to help inform our kids in this digital age.  Although prone to sickness and always dealing with the polio she endured as a child, she is an active photographer in the streets and fields of the Depression.  At the end of the book there is a sampling of six of her photos - including "Migrant Mother."  An afterword, selected bibliography and two-page timeline are added touches at the end of the book.  A great model for researching and teaching.

Goodreads:  After a childhood bout of polio left her with a limp, all Dorothea Lange wanted to do was disappear. But this desire not to be seen helped her learn how to blend into the background and observe others acutely. With a passion for the artistic life, and in spite of her family’s disapproval, Dorothea pursued her dream to become a photographer and focused her lens on the previously unseen victims of the Great Depression. This poetic biography tells the emotional story of Lange’s evolution as one of the founders of documentary photography. It includes a gallery of Lange’s photographs, and an author’s note, timeline, and bibliography.

59. The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

listened to on Audible
2016, Katherine Tegen Books
344 pgs.
YA CRF (older YA)
Finished 11/1/16
Goodreads rating:  4/27 - 1470 ratings
My rating:  4 (As brilliant as it is, somehow I can't quite give it a 5. Not sure why...)

My comments:  To be quite truthful, I'm not exactly sure what to think of this book or how to rate it.  I knew from the beginning it would not have a "good" ending.  It's a book about rape and abuse and discusses sex and sexuality unsparingly.  The story is told in three very distinct, reliable voices.  It's a heartbreaking book.
         These are the words of Emily May, a Goodreads reviewer who I really enjoy (although we don't always agree).  This is exactly what I was thinking, so why put it in my own words?

     BRUTAL. That's how I would describe this book. It sits there all unassuming with its cute yellow cover and pictures of animals, but underneath it has some serious fangs. Rather like the female of the species, I suppose.
     Quick warning: this book may not be suitable to those sensitive to rape and/or animal cruelty. Make no mistake, it's a nasty book. At times it's absolutely disgustingly awful. But it's a very sharp and effective look at sexual assault and rape culture too. And somehow so fucking funny. Well, maybe if you have a sadistic sense of humour, which it turns out I do.
     I don't even know how to adequately explain it. The Female of the Species is told from the perspective of three different characters - Alex, whose sister was raped and murdered; Jack, the popular guy who desperately wants to get to know Alex; and Peekay, the preacher's kid whose ex-boyfriend ditched her for the beautiful Branley, and who now works at the animal shelter with Alex.

Goodreads synopsis:  Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.
          While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.
         But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.
         So does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.
         Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

Postcards Received Tuesday, 11-1-16

634.  Russia

Best Wishes for you!

635.  Greetings from New Hampshire

Hello!  Glad I can send you a card.  Hard to believe that it's close to the end of the year already. 

Enjoy, Kimba

636.  Hong Kong

Hello!  I am Yoghurt from Hong Kong.  Hope you enjoy this card.  It is as big as my iPad.  It is Autumn here.  The temperature startsw to go down.  It's great to have a sleep in this weather!  But not for those students or workers who have to wake up early~

637.  Jawa Timur,  Indonesia

Hello, Greetings to you.   Hope you'll be elated by this card.

638.  Greetings from Slovakia

Hello Chris!  I'm sending kind greetings from Slovakia, small country oin the heart of Europe.  

Best wishes!  Alena

MOVIE - Inferno

PG-13 (2:02)

Wide release 10/27/16

Viewed Roadhouse on Halloween with Cyra!

RT Critic:  20  Audience:  43
Critic's Consensus:  Senselessly frantic and altogether shallow, Inferno sends the Robert Langdon trilogy spiraling to a convoluted new low.

Cag:  3/Liked it once I started understanding what was going on....but not great

Directed by Ron Howard

Sony Pictures

Based on the book by Dan Brown

Tom Hanks, Ben Foster, Felicity Jones

My comments:  For the first third of the movie I was totally and completely confused, as I imagine anyone watching this would be, unless perhaps they'd read the book.  There were three or four different factions of people working against?? with?? each other and major flashbacks.  As it slowly started making sense I enjoyed it more.  You had to really pay attention, and it would help if one had a tiny sense of 

RT/ IMDb Summary:  Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon in director Ron Howard and screenwriter David Koepp's adaptation of author Dan Brown's bestselling novel Inferno, which finds Langdon using Dante's The Divine Comedy as a tool in the race to prevent a devastating global pandemic. 

PICTURE BOOK - I am Lucille Ball by Brad Meltzer

Ordinary People Change the World Series
Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulous

2015, Penguin Random House

40 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.37 - 223 ratings

My rating: 5 stars

Endpapers: Washed out red with white "stamps" of old fashioned tv camera

1^st line/s:  "I am Lucille Ball.  When I was a little girl, my mother tried to dress me in ribbons and bows.  But I was different from other girls.  My idea of fun was horsing around with my dad."

My comments:  Told in the first person, this telling of Lucy's childhood, perseverance, and positivity is inspiring!  It includes actual historical facts - giving young kids access to information that is rarely rendered at their level.  I really applaud this biography for young 'uns.  Top notch!
     It looks like this is the beginning of a series, all with the same author and illustrator.  Bravo!

Goodreads:  “Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography—for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Lucille Ball could make any situation funny. By making people around the world laugh, she proved that humor can take on anything.
          This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream.

Other books in the series:

Helen Keller

Jane Goodall

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jackie Robinson

Amelia Earhart

George Washington

Rosa Parks

Albert Einstein

Abraham Lincoln

Jim Henson

Sacagawea

Postcards Received on Halloween 2016 - Really Good Ones!

627.  Inge Look (Finnish artist) - sent from GERMANY

Hope you like this card.  Life in ......(I can't understand what she's written here)..I have 2 grandchildren.  Angelika

628.  Greetings from Germany

Many greetings from germany.  I am 37 years old and I like to play accordian in my free time.  I also like to write letters, meet my friends, travel.  All the best, Bianca

629.  Bremen, Germany

Best wishes from Bremen, Germany!  My name is Birkit and I like to travel and I love reading, too!  In the moment I read the books from Chris Colfer, I like them!  Have a nice day and Happy Postcrossing.  Birkit

630.  Scotland

Scotland has a land area of about 79,000 sq. km., with a total coastline of nearly 12,000 km.  There are some 800 islands, with almost 600 of them lying off the west coast, over 30,000 freshwater lochs and 6600 river systems.  Scotland's population of 5.3 million live in approximately 3% of the total land area.

Hello Chris!  My name is Keith and I send you a map card of my home country of Scotland.  It is beautiful here.  Keith.

631.  Tokyo, JAPAN

Greetings to arizona, 9578 KM away from Nagaya City, Japan!  Hope you'll like this Gtotochi card of Tokyo (sushi).  Japan may be best know for sushi.  Alshams

632.  Nordstrasse (North Street?) from Germany

My name is Kerstin, I am 37 years old and live in Germany.  I work in the office of a big recycling company.  In my spare time I write letters and postcards, read, hear music, and meet friends.  Blessed be, Kerstin

633.  Hamburg, Germany

Hello Chris!  Greetings:)  This is one of my newest cards, a fun map of the city centre of Hamburg.  I was born in Hamburg almost 48 years ago and now I live one driving hour north from there.  Twice a week I'm going to evening school, Mondays to learn to play piano and on Wednesdays to learn the Russian language.  I've just started and like it very much!  Momentarily I read books written by Ken Bruen from Ireland about former policeman who now works as a private detective, he has a drug problem.

Bye bye, Kirsten

PICTURE BOOK - Mr. Wayne's Masterpiece by Patricia Polacco

Illustrated by the author

2014, G.P. Putnam's Sons

HC $17.99 Borrowed from TPPL

40 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 4.16  (234 ratings)

My rating: 4

Endpapers: Solid Red

Dedication:  In loving memory of Thomas Wayne and Joseph Tranchina

Preface:  "It was another September.  All new classes, and a teacher I already knew I was going to live - my English teacher, Mr. Tranchina.  He was funny and really cool!  He woke something up in me.  By the third week I was reading like a crazy person -- more than I ever had -- and writing, poems and stories and essays.
     But then one day he asked us to read an essay on our families in front of the whole class."

1^st line/s:  "My worst nightmare had come true when, after a few days of school, Mr. Tranchina asked me to read my essay out loud."

My comments:  I wonder if Patricia Polacco has journals she kept from her childhood and young adult years?  Her memories seem so strong!  However, even with a flickering memory, a clever writer can embellish the remembered details and craft a story...and Polacco is the master of this.  So many of her wonderful picture books are based on her own memories, and here's another.  
     I love the idea that PEOPLE can be masterpieces, which is the premise of this story - taking a very shy girl and teaching her how to come out of herself on stage, and ultimately speaking in front of a very large crowd.
     This is a great model for teaching writing to kids, AND for kids with stage fright.

Goodreads:  In this inspiring true story, beloved artist Patricia Polacco conquers her fear of public speaking, allowing her to discover her remarkable voice. A wonderful companion to Thank You, Mr. Falker and The Art of Miss Chew, it celebrates the lifelong impact of a great teacher.
        Speaking in front of an audience terrifies Trisha. Ending up in Mr. Wayne’s drama class is the last thing she wants! But Mr. Wayne gives her a backstage role painting scenery for the winter play. As she paints, she listens to the cast rehearse, memorizing their lines without even realizing it. Then, days before opening night, the lead actress suddenly moves away, and Trisha is the only other person who knows her part. Will the play have to be canceled? It won’t be an easy road—when Trisha tries to recite the lines in front of the cast, nothing comes out! But Mr. Wayne won’t let her give up, and with his coaching, Trisha is able to become one of his true masterpieces.

MOVIE - Masterminds

PG-13 (1:30)

Wide release 9/29/16

Viewed Sunday, 10/20/16 at Century Gateway

RT Critic: 32   Audience:  46
Critic's Consensus:  Masterminds' great cast and stranger-than-fiction true story are largely wasted on a scattershot comedy with a handful of funny moments and far too much wackiness.

Cag:  3.5 Great fun!

Directed by  Jared Hess

Relativity Media
Based on a true story, believe it or not!

Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis

My comments:  This flick was a freaking riot - a funny, farcical movie!  Just plain stupid and fun...over-the-top, non-stop laughs with nothing drawn out or overdone, time flew by.  How they could do all they did without cracking up constantly is beyond me!  It siad at the beginning this this was based on a true story, and a bit of research proves that is true, which is really hard to believe!  At the end they showed photos of Galifianakis and Wilson with their "real" counterparts.  Crazy!

RT/ IMDb Summary:  In this action comedy based on true events, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite; Nacho Libre), David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people's money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime. Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash...only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. With the bandits blowing the millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities, evade a hilarious hit man, Mike McKinney (Jason Sudeikis), and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most.

Postcard Received Friday, 10/28/16

626.  Yekaterinburg, Russia

"Sevastyanov's House is a historic mansion built in Neo-Gothic style; presently the building serves as the Executive Mansion for the President of Russia in Yekaterinburg."

Hello!  My name is Irina.  I live in Yekaterinburg and I work as an analyst at the factory.  I love to listen to music - the Ural rock, Finnish nutal.  There is a middle of autumn in the Urals now.  Today was +3 degrees C.  Forecast for tomorrow is snow.  I love the winter and New year - it is my favorite holiday.  I wish you a lot of beautiful postcards, and good friends!

MOVIE - The Dressmaker

R (1:58)

Limited release 9/22/16

Viewed 10/27/16 at the Loft (tripped on the top step and my soda drenched my pizza slice.  I really do not like the upstairs theater!)

RT Critic: 54   Audience:  69
Critic's Consensus:  The Dressmaker boasts a strong central performance by Kate Winslet and a captivating array of narrative weirdness -- all of which may or may not be a comfortable fit with viewers.

Cag: Hated it and loved it: AVERAGE = 3

Directed by  Jocelyn Moorhouse

Amazon Studios & Broad Green Pictures

Based on the book by

Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Judy Davis

My comments:  The first half of this film was wonderful...but I HATED what they did to (spoiler!) Liam Hemsworth.  I know that it drew the plot along....thank goodness it didn't happen at the end of the film....but it sure set my spirits L-O-W!!!  The ending made up for it, but I was never able to pop up above the surface again.

RT/ IMDb Summary:  The Dressmaker tells the story of the beautiful and talented Tilly Dunnage (Academy Award winner Kate Winslet). After years working as a dressmaker in exclusive Parisian fashion houses, Tilly returns home to a town in the Australian outback to reconcile with her eccentric mother Molly (Academy Award nominee Judy Davis). She also falls in love with the pure-hearted Teddy (Liam Hemsworth), and armed with her sewing machine and haute couture style, Tilly transforms the women of the town, exacting sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.

Postcards Received Monday, 10/24/16

623.  Los Angeles, California

Hello Chris, Greetings from Los Angeles!  I live in Los Angeles, but I moved from Hawaii.  Living in different of new place is kind of challenging but we can experience so many things.  Best wishes for your moving!

Happy Postcard-Uniting!  Lynn

624.  Greetings from Malaysia

Hello, my name is REgine and my nickname is green tea.  As I love to drink green tea very much since I was 13 during secondary school.  I am now 21, studying graphic design courses in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.  I've just finished my internship program in holiday tours ! ! ! ! !

625.  Florida

Hi Chris,

I thought it was funny when I got your name to send to.  I read the things you like and I could be reading about myself.  Then I see your birthday and nearly fell off my chair.  LOL.  It's the same as mine.

Happy Postcrossing!  Alda

I then sent her this message:

Hi Alda, I loved receiving your card....I love that we have the same birthday! Would you send me your mailing information so that I can send you a card? I'm dying to know where in Florida you live...when I lived in Maine we used to drive down on February vacations....

My very best, 

Chris.

MOVIE - Denial

PG-13 (1:50)

Limited release 9/30/16

Viewed 10/24/16 with Sheila (& others?)
IMBd: 6.3/10

RT Critic: 81   Audience:  75
Critic's Consensus:  If Denialdoesn't quite do its incredible story complete justice, it comes close enough to offer a satisfying, impactful drama -- and another powerful performance from Rachel Weisz.

Cag: 4/liked it a lot

Directed by Mick Jackson

Participant Media

Based on a true story

Rachel Wiesz, Tom Wilkerson

My comments:  Saw this with Sheila and had a bit of a talk about it afterwards.  Learned a lot about the British justice/legal system, lots of things are different from the US.  Hard to believe that people actually either believe that the Holocaust never happened or want to totally erase it from history.

RT/ IMDb Summary:  Based on the acclaimed book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier, DENIAL recounts Deborah E. Lipstadt's (Academy Award (R) winner Rachel Weisz) legal battle for historical truth against David Irving (Cannes Award winner Timothy Spall), who accused her of libel when she declared him a Holocaust denier. In the English legal system, the burden of proof is on the accused, therefore it was up to Lipstadt and her legal team to prove the essential truth that the Holocaust occurred.

Postcards Received Saturday, 10/22/16

621.  Wuzhen, CHINA

Lang Peng, by beauty for passers - by to provide a shelter from the rain, a good place to rest

Hello Reader Chris,

My name is Summer, and I live in Foshan, the city famous for Kung Fu.  I am a college student majoring in tourism management, and I like travelling around.  Last month, I had a trip in Szchuan.

Best wishes!

622.  Taiwanese Student in Germany

Hello Chris,

I am Anny from Taiwan but now being an exchange student in Germany.  I hve been to the USA several times!  I love the people there and especially when I visited the "Badlands," with their cute groundhogs and also beautiful scenery!

     Now I am in Germany and can't wait to explore the beauty and culture here!!  Hope this postcard finds you well.  Happy Day!