2009, Autobiographical, Book Review, Science

My Stroke of Insight (2009)

Leave a comment

Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D wrote this New York Times bestseller after 8 years of recovery from a stroke. At the age of 37 she experienced an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) which accounts for only 2 percent of all hemorrhagic strokes. Prior to the stroke she was a trained and published neuroanatomist who was working in the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital in Belmont. Among other tasks, she collected brains.

What makes this book unique is that as a trained neuroanatomist she was able to describe in minute and personal detail the experience of having such a stroke. She could literally watch her brain systems shut down, one by one. She was alone in her apartment when the stroke occurred. Just how she managed to call for help is a suspense short story in its own right.

Initially the book explains the science of the brain for the reader. It then covers the stroke experience. Following that it describes her treatment (and more importantly, her mistreatment) by hospital staff. From that experience she is able to offer suggestions for how to treat stroke victims. The hero in the story is her mother who immediately came to live with her and devised years of patient painstaking day-by-day care.

Despite the fact that the book is repetitive and preachy (the author is a bit full of herself), it offers a fascinating insight indeed into the horror of a stroke.

1996, Book Review, FamousDetective, Mystery, Novel, Sexual Episodes

The Terracotta Dog (1996)

Leave a comment

Andrea Camilleri is a Sicilian author who in fact writes in an Italian that has a sprinkling of Sicilian phrases and grammar that is sufficient enough to make it a real pain for yours truly to translate. He has created another famous detective Inspector Salvo Montalbano, a fractious Sicilian detective in the police force of Vigàta, an imaginary Sicilan town. Of course, the Mafia play a big role as does Sicilian cooking. You can read more about Andrea Camilleri in Wikipedia.

“The Terracotta Dog” is number 2 in a series of 16 Montalbano novels. The last two have not been translated into English. This is my first Montalbano and again I am hooked and will read more. In this particular novel in addition to a main plot, there are side episodes, discussion of food, sex scenes, and problems with personal relationships.

Book Review, FamousDetective, Mystery, Novel

Before The Frost (2002)

Leave a comment

Kurt Wallander is a fictional police detective created by Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell. “Before The Frost” is the tenth Wallander book to be translated into English. You can read more in Wikipedia. Moreover, Kenneth Branagh has made 3 TV adaptations, one of which is shown regularly on public television.

“Before the Frost” is a bit different in that it features not only the aging Kurt Wallander but also his daughter Linda who is about to enter the police force as a young rookie. Religious fanaticism is the central theme (a flavor somewhat like “The DaVInci Code” but MUCH better written).

I’m hooked, so I will probably read the entire Wallander series.

1999, Drama, Feel Good For All, Persian

Children of Heaven (1999)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Play Preview A delightful Iranian movie about a boy who accidentally loses his sister’s shoes and must share his own sneakers with her in a sort of relay while each attends school at different times during the day. Finally, the boy enters a much-publicized foot race, hoping to place third. The prize: a new pair of sneakers. Directed by respected filmmaker Majid Majidi, Children of Heaven is just that — heavenly.

Do not confuse this film with Children of Men which is a good Clive Owen film, but dark and somewhat depressing.

You can believe the NetFlix rave about “Childen of Heaven”! This film with Persian soundtrack and English subtitles is a gem. It is also one of those rare films suitable for all ages. Definitely a feel-good that should not be missed.

2006, Drama, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Violent

Children of Men (2006)

1 Comment

From NetFlix:

Play Preview Alfonso Cuaron directs this film version of P.D. James’s classic dystopian novel (and Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay), a futuristic drama set in a world in which humans have lost the ability to reproduce and subsequently face certain extinction. Things change when a single woman mysteriously becomes pregnant, prompting a conflicted government bureaucrat (Clive Owen) and his ex-wife (Julianne Moore) to join forces to protect her. Michael Caine co-stars.

I am a Clive Owen fan. However, his films really run the gamut from serious or derpressing to just plan stupid fun as in Shoot Em’ Up. (If you love trash, don’t miss this impossible shoot fest!)

“Children of Men” offers suspense, quasi sci-fi, and a depressing vision of the future. I can’t give away the ending, but it’s not a typical Hollywood ending. This film is worth seeing.

2006, 2007, 2008, Acceptable Trash, Gay theme, Love Story, Nudity, Sci-Fi, TV Series, Violent

Torchwood (2006)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

In this series that spun off from “Doctor Who,” policewoman Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) stumbles upon a secret organization known as Torchwood, a clandestine group led by the mysterious Capt. Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) that monitors alien activity on Earth. Cooper soon joins Harkness, tech expert Toshiko Sato (Naoko Mori) and medic Owen Harper (Burn Gorman) in their quest to protect Earth from invasion.

OK all you kids out there, if you liked either “Doctor Who” or “Lost” or “X-Files” and are into a lot of sex (and some violence) this is a TV series for you. You don’t have to know anything about “Doctor Who”, you just need to have that mindset. Certain characters are straight and others are gay and some few seem not to have made up their minds just yet. Start with Season One and work your way through Season Two and Season Three.

Season One

Nothing more than acceptable trash, this TV series can still be fun to watch. To give you a taste of the kind of nonsense involved, consider: An alien has come to Earth in search of orgasmic energy (yes, that is correct). This alien enters the body of a young woman who then serially attracts male sex partners. But as each young man reaches climax he turns into a small pile of dust. In time there is a trail of small piles of dust. Heard enough ?

As I recall, the last disk (7?) of Season One is not episodes, but rather extra commentary. You might not want to waste a rental on this last disc.

Season Two

Every review I read says that Season Two is better and I agree. Some episodes are stupid. But for the most part the plots are clever and varied. More interesting is that mixed in with all the nonsense are valid situations applicable to real life. For example, the fiancee of one couple has to keep her membership in Torchwood secret from her boy friend. He feels neglected, etc. etc. Sound familiar ?

Torchwood actually kills its characters permanently. The joke (ahem, important feature), however, is that Jack Harkness is condemned to live forever young. Many episodes kill him in all sorts of diabolical ways and he just keeps coming back for more. You really don’t believe I am saying this, right ?

Besides, when have you ever been to a wedding in which the bride is unfortunately pregnant with an alien whose mother alien is at the wedding in disguise waiting to nab the baby alien ?

Season Three

Season Three is one long multi-part story “Children of the Earth”. Aliens have come to earth. These aliens truly can destroy the earth at their whim. We are defenseless. The aliens demand that we give them ten percent of all the children of the earth (never mind why – you have to watch the show). What do you suppose the British politicians do in such a desperate situation ? What would you do ?

——————————————————————————-

No one over the mental age of, say, 16 need apply. So why on earth am I watching this garbage ? That’s easy …

I LOVE TRASH !

2000, Book, Drama, Drugs, Independent, Love Story, Novel, Nudity, Redemption, Sexual Episodes, Unusual

Jesus’ Son (2000)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, director Alison MacLean’s reflective drama follows FH (Billy Crudup), a well-meaning drug addict who stumbles backward into redemption. When his longtime love (Samantha Morton) leaves, FH follows her but meets and falls for the older Mira (Holly Hunter) along the way. Amid his life’s wreckage, a near-fatal car crash and a chance to save a child’s life force FH to examine his existence and its meaning.

Believe it or not, this film (which has the feel of an independent film) won some awards. I first read the book because it was recommended in the NY Times as an older book which you might as well get at your local library. I can only guess that the book made a splash in an epoch in which it was a novelty to write about drug-addled losers. The book travels from episode to episode while the druggies do outrageous things. Maybe I am getting too old for such nonsense.

Following the book fairly closely, the film is also like some otherworld travelog. But I was never bored (“OK, now what ?”). Still, think twice before you start this trip.

2009, Acceptable Trash, Chick Flick, Drama, Love Story

He’s Just Not That Into You (2009)

1 Comment

From NetFlix:

Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson lead an all-star ensemble cast of characters dealing with the pitfalls of love and human interaction in this big-screen adaptation of Greg Behrendt’s best-selling book. Set in Baltimore, director Ken Kwapis’s film moves swiftly between a host of storylines brought to life by a stellar lineup of actors that also includes Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck, Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long.

Wife Kathy asked me to get this film from NetFlix. I’d call it a Chick-Flick despite the fact that we both enjoyed it. Part of the attraction was wanting to know how the various relationships worked out. As you would expect some ended happily and some ended very sadly.

For me Ginnifer Goodwin was a new face. Bradley Cooper is someone I have seen alot but whose name I did not know. Some of those well-known actors are starting to look older.

In summary I found the film a tad scary because it shows the perils of dating and relationships in the culture of the early 21st centry.

2007, Could Be Sad, DO NOT MISS, Drama, French, Love Story, Not Feel Good, War

A Secret (2007)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Claude Miller directs this engrossing drama about a Jewish boy in post-World War II Paris who stumbles upon a mysterious toy in the attic, exposing his family’s secret dark past and how it survived Nazi atrocities. Can the child grasp the devastating truth, or will it drive him deeper into his personal fantasy world? Cécile De France, Julie Depardieu, Ludivine Sagnier, Patrick Bruel and Mathieu Amalric star.

Some historical background might help:

Pierre Laval (28 June 1883 – 15 October 1945) was a French politician. He served four times as President of the council of ministers of the Third Republic, twice consecutively. Following France’s Armistice with Germany in 1940, he served twice in the Vichy Regime as head of government. After the Liberation (1945), he was arrested, found guilty of high treason, and executed by firing squad. Because his actions and motives have been the subject of controversy, over twelve biographies have been written about him.

President Laval becomes important in the very end of this marvelous but sad French film. But keep in mind that during World War II the French were just as anti-semitic and treated the French Jews in the same manner as the Germans (I purposely do not say “Nazis”). Thus what begins as a happy well-adjusted French (but unfortunately Jewish) family ends as a family fleeing persecution at the hands of the French.

But that is just the background framework around the real story which is one of love, lust, and guilt. I give nothing away by telling you that on his wedding day (before the wedding) the athletic groom (gymnast) is introduced to the brother of his bride-to-be. That brother has an amazingly beautiful and athletic wife, a champion diver. Immediately the groom is more than strongly attracted to that sister-in-law, but the wedding proceeds. The rest of the story is why you want to watch this well-acted, beautifully photographed French film (with subtitles).

I consider this film a “don’t miss”.

2002, Drama, Feel Good For All, Independent, Spanish

Intimate Stories (2002)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

A charming and affecting tale charting the fortunes of three small town heroes pursuing their dreams, Carlos Sorin’s “Historias Minimas” offers further evidence of the current riches to be found in Argentine cinema. Awarded a special jury prize at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, it’s a deceptively simple yet delightful road movie concerned with three disparate characters heading for the Argentine city of San Julian.

Very much like an independent film. Quiet, unassuming, full of kind people being friendly to one another, the farthest thing from a car-chase film you could ever imagine. I could never live in so desolate a country where reaching the next important city could mean driving 200 miles. The highway (without Massachusetts potholes) stretches on forever in the midst of nothing. An elderly man makes that journey in the hopes of finding his former dog Badface. There is sadness associated with this search and I can say no more.

Soothing, but nothing special. It made me feel good that there are such nice, simple people (even if it just a movie). Subtitles in English are available.