The Golden Compass

I needed more Bond. I know that doesn’t start me off with how good/bad the movie was, but it’s what I was left with when the movie was over. It was decent. It could have been better (in that it needed more Daniel Craig/Lord Asriel), but it was a good movie. In general, it was kid friendly. It had that magical/fantastical quality. Just be prepared for the polar bear fight scene. Parents might need to cover younger eyes.

The girl in the movie is beyond just pretty or cute or whatever. She is expressive and intelligent. She is a strong, young female character that little girls can admire. Nicole Kidman is delightfully bad. You know she is going to be a villain as soon as she appears on scene. She is simply too beautiful and elegant to be good. Daniel Craig’s character was rougher, ruder, so of course he was the good guy.

I wasn’t a fan of the ending, though. The final battle was great. It’s after the battle that is the problem. Yes, even if the little star hadn’t gone on about what they had left to do, there were still obvious loose ends. I suppose I just didn’t like the way she listed everything, like an itinerary. It really took something away from the ending.

Juno

I can’t even express how fantastic Juno is! Juno is a quirky, weird, simply strange girl and she’s wonderful. This film was everything and more than I thought it would be. Ellen Page, Jennifer Gardner, Jason Bateman, were all fantastic. So were Juno’s parents, best friend and boyfriend. Juno was thoroughly well cast. Each actor brought their own characters to life, thus making the story more real. I think everyone has to see this movie if they haven’t already. If you’ve seen it, then see it again!

Undead and Unemployed

Oh, poor Betsy. She’s only been Queen of the Undead a few months and already people are trying to killer. Not just living people either, dead ones too! Betsy is all attitude with a large portion of denial. Thankfully, she’s working through that. She’s a regular girl, the last you would think could be the Queen. She is, however, and she is taking her responsibilities (mostly) seriously. MaryJanice Davidson’s second Undead book was as fun as the first and I think it could stand on its own. You don’t need to read Undead and Unwed to understand just how fun and frustrating Betsy Taylor’s life can be.

The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla

Stephen King’s fifth Dark Tower novel was fantastic. Many of its final moments were surreal. Each of the lead characters, including the addition of Pere Callahan, were given strong storylines separate from the goal of the novel. They are gunslingers. They quest for the Tower, but they also do what gunslingers are supposed to do. They help.

I was so happy with Wolves of the Calla. It is a bit longer than the last Dark Tower installment, Wizard and Glass, but it felt shorter. There wasn’t the sense of wordiness I got with the fourth book. There was a story to tell and King told it. I couldn’t wait to keep reading, to know what happened next.

I have to admit that there was one thing that I didn’t like about the book, the illustrations. I don’t know who decided on them, but I don’t feel like they properly represented the story. Of course, each reader pictures Roland and his ka-tet differently in their minds, but if they say a character is supposed to have red hair or another is supposed to have black hair with streaks of grey, I would like that reflected in the drawings placed within the pages of the novel.

Another thing I have to mention (I hope this doesn’t ruin anything for someone who hasn’t read the novel yet) is the ‘shout out’ to Marvel Comics. Marvel, as some people might know, published a Dark Tower graphic novel. It is a story in addition to the seven book series. I haven’t read it yet, but it is sitting on a shelf next to the other novels. As a fan of Marvel and someone who has started to be interested in graphic novels, I’m glad of the match. I’m excited to see what future collaborations will bring.

Dreamgirls

Another movie I was surprised at how much I liked it. I thought Jennifer Hudson was the star of that movie. She was fantastic as Effie. I also thought the filmmakers did a good job at keeping the theatre quality within the film. You could tell it was a theatrical production, but without any detriment to the movie. The only problem I had with the movie was that I felt it was a little long. I don’t know if that was because all the songs were full-length tracks. After awhile, you start wondering when it’ll be over. I think Dreamgirls is definitely worth seeing and I’m a bit sorry it took me so long.

21

This was a movie that I honestly thought I wasn’t going to like. Kevin Spacey and Lawrence Fishbourne are both good actors, but from the previews and what I knew of the storyline, I really had no interest in seeing it. I’m happy to say that I was wrong. I really enjoyed 21. I thought Jim Sturgess was a great choice for the lead character. He played the innocent swept up the in the excitement of a dangerous world so well. I was glad that we picked this movie up.

Passage to Dawn

I am so happy with the ending to Passage to Dawn. It is as good a feeling as you can get from a Forgotten Realms novel, I think. As soon as the poem was recited, I knew who the 'tortured soul' was. To me, it was obvious; I was so happy that I was right. The end left me excited to read The Silent Blade.

I'm enjoying the novels on Drizzt by R. A. Salvatore; glad I was introduced to them. Drizzt is such an interesting character, who is surrounded by interesting friends. Each character is strong in their own way. I also have to say that his female characters are wonderful to read. Even his enemies garner some thought. If you want some good stories, with well developed characters, definitely dive into the Legend of Drizzt.

Evil Dead: The Musical

“It’s like the musicals you love, only evil.”

Evil Dead: The Musical is too awesome! It is full of camp, slapstick, blood and gore. It’s hilarious. I barely stopped laughing the whole time. They’ve captured the essence of the characters and blended the first two movies wonderfully. They make fun of the movies, Sam Raimi and themselves. I could not have asked for a better production!

It’s currently playing at the Diesel Playhouse in Toronto. Evil Dead will be there only until September 6th, so get your tickets fast. I saw the show in the middle of the week and it was still pretty packed. There is also a production in California. Where it’s off to next, I’m not sure. You should also check out the Facebook group.

The truth is, I can’t get over how much fun I had at this show!

I have a couple of fun and/or useful links below.
http://www.evildeadthemusical.com/
http://www.dieselplayhouse.com/
http://www.bruce-campbell.com/pilot.asp
http://www.willowstheatre.com/evildeadmedia.htm

Undead and Unwed

Undead and Unwed is like Lestat meets Becky Bloomwood. It’s vampire ‘chick lit’ and very enjoyable. Betsy (Elizabeth) Taylor is the most unlikely vampire queen. She’s definitely no Queen of the Damned. In one week she has to deal with dying, being brought back undead, overthrowing the crazy bad guy and having her ‘stepmonster’ steal her designer shoes. It’s a lot to take, but for a regular girl, she handles it all quite well.

Undead and Unwed is a light, fun read. MaryJanice Davidson creates a world that feels like anyone can fall into. The typical dark and brooding vampire is a joke. Betsy is a regular, though unlucky girl, that now has to drink blood (ew!). The story is a wonderful distraction. If you need a novel or few (this is the first novel in a series) to take to the beach or the cottage, MaryJanice Davidson can supply them for you.

The Dark Knight

Everyone needs to go see The Dark Knight, if you haven't seen it already. It was dark and disturbing. The Dark Knight is an excellent telling of Batman's struggles with himself, his enemies and his city. There were parts where I actually needed to hold Craig's hand; I could see the danger coming. I know Harvey Dent's potential for darkness and I know the Joker's sneaky subterfuge. I was waiting for the betrayal of Gordon's men and wasn't disappointed.

Spoilers

The new suit was fantastic. Christian Bale was fantastic. Heath Ledger was creepy, the most insane version of the joker I think I've ever seen. You could tell from the Joker's final lines that they wanted the possibility of bringing the Joker back in future Batman movies. I loved Two-Face’s face. It was like many of the cartoons and comics I’ve seen. Scary and wonderfully raw; one of my favourite things. The Joker too, the makeup was crazy! Each suit, each costume for all the characters, was so precise and individual, I can’t help but be amazed by it.

Am I gushing yet? I think I might be. The Dark Knight is breaking records and it should. It really is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. You don’t need to have seen Batman Begins or really know anything about Batman to enjoy this movie. It exists for all movies lovers to enjoy.

A New Generation in Crayons

Seriously? Multi-cultural crayons? Is this a marketing ploy or a real chance at integration? I remember colouring with crayons as a kid. Your task is to draw a picture of your family. I find the "flesh" coloured crayon, thinking this doesn't look right. I quickly learned that I would have to seek out the brown crayons. Sadly, however, there was only one shade of brown. Family drawings as a little girl became not the simple activity I'm sure the teachers thought it was. I always finished the drawings, but they were never right and never left me with the intended positive feeling.

So now we have these multi-cultural crayons. All sorts of faces can be represented, supposedly. It's strange and funny and great and interesting all at the same time. The Grand and Toy tag line is: An assortment of skin hues that give children a realistic palette for colouring their world. Amazon.com’s product description is: Draw pictures of friends, relatives, and children from around the world with 8 colors: mahogany, apricot, peach, burnt sienna, sepia, tan, black, and white.

I've found some criticism of the black and white crayons being included in the box. (http://flickr.com/photos/hondawang/955690504/) According to Crayola, that's for "blending" which makes sense, right? An artist would agree?

I noticed the crayons while ordering supplies for my workplace. It just happens to have a similar product code to some tabbed dividers I needed. Just the sight of them brought up all these thoughts. What I want to know is: does the advent of these crayons mean that race matters less or more? One thing I know is that in my next drawing, I’d like to represent the many faces of my friends and family.


Below are a few places where you can purchase these crayons. They also have pictures and brief product descriptions.

http://www.crayola.com/products/list.cfm?categories=CRAYONS
http://www.grandandtoy.com/sites/corp/MercadoSearchResult.aspx?FirstPage=1&NewPage=1&search=52-008w&sort=
http://www.amazon.com/Box-8-Multicultural-Crayons-Standard/dp/B000F8V2DQ
http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-58-7801-Multicultural-Washable-Markers/dp/B00021TO54/ref=pd_bxgy_t_img_b/002-9237738-5468049
http://www.nhpr.org/node/15995

Chance/Soon/Silence from Alice Munro’s Runaway

Could you wait around for a man’s wife to die?

Are your parents really who you remember them to be?

Can you predict how your children will turn out?

Chance, Soon and Silence are the second, third and fourth stories in Alice Munro’s Runaway collection. They each centre on the woman, Juliet, at three different stages of her life. In the first, Juliet is in her early twenties, a scholar and in love with a married man. Juliet is surprise by her own actions, but I don’t think I am. In Soon, she visits her parents. It is several years later and I think she is hoping to recapture some sort of feelings from her childhood, but so much has changed. Silence is an unexpected, yet surprising turn for her life. She started surrounded by “silence” and now she ends that way.

Each of Munro’s stories stand on their own. However, setting them in sequence allows some questions to be answered for the reader. It is an interesting way to look at an individual’s life, how things change; that something you would never have considered twenty years ago is so natural now. I do still wonder about Juliet’s daughter and the reasons for her actions. Perhaps in one of the future stories we will get to revisit her.

Runaway

What happened to little Flora? Is Carla going to snap? Is Clark really one of those men that abuses without the physical violence? What will happen to Sylvia? At the end of Runaway, Alice Munro’s first short story in the collection of the same title, I’m left with these questions.

Runaway is a brilliant beginning to the collection. It is thoughtful and interesting. It makes me eager to read the other stories. The ending, though leaving the reader with questions was perfectly crafted. Munro remains one of my favourite short story writers.

The Dark Tower 4: Wizard and Glass

The main character of The Dark Tower series is a brilliant creation. I love Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, the cowboy, the knight. He is representative of a dead age. He is an interesting, multifaceted character. He is described as having the most piercing eyes; eyes to love and to fear. I just don’t think the story of his first love needed to be so long. I was itching to get back to Eddie, Susannah and Jake halfway through that section.

I hate to say this, but Wizard and Glass is probably the weakest of the series so far. I was captivated by the first three novels. I was able to read through them in what felt like no time at all. In the middle of this novel, I had to push myself along for a few chapters. I am itching to read books 5-7, I just hope that I don’t find myself wishing it was a hundred pages shorter.

The Incredible Hulk

The Hulk really was incredible. There was a real connection, not just with the actors playing Bruce Banner and Betty Ross, but with Betty and the Hulk. You get to see the human, the person trapped within Hulk, struggling to take control. Betty really reaches him; she is able to exhibit a control that even Bruce Banner can’t. They make it all seem so real.

The fight scenes are fantastic. The growth of General Ross’s character actually seems believable. Abomination isn’t just Hulk-like, he’s insane. I’m excited to see what happens to “Mr. Blue.” Liv Tyler is amazing as Betty Ross. Edward Norton is fantastic! He plays the quiet, unassuming Bruce Banner wonderfully. But he can get that, “Hulk” look in his eyes too. A fabulous summer flick!

The Chaos Curse

The Chaos Curse, the final book in The Cleric Quintet leaves you saddened. It was a long and difficult battle. Many fought and many died. The battle allowed the inner truth of many emerge into the light or fade into the darkness. Who could have predicted Dorigen’s end or the Dean’s? Standing in the face of “evil” their choices revealed what lay in their hearts. Something that can be applied to real life. When presented with life and death choices, each having dire consequences, what would you choose? Kierkan Rufo, though he tries to blame Cadderly, makes his choice, but doesn’t take ownership of it. Cadderly blames no one for his choices. He understands circumstance, but he also understands free will. It is Cadderly’s choices which lead to his ultimate end.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

This was an incredible novel. I think I might actually be a better person for reading it. It’s finished and I still can’t put the book down. It was utterly fantastic. It almost made me cry and most books don’t do that. The touching way that Khaled Hosseini described the plight of the characters was captivating. It made me feel so angry and sad that people could be treated that way. Not just the women, the two main characters, Laila and Mariam. I was upset at the way men are raised and recruited into these “jihad” forces.

Not only is the book a look at the personal lives of these characters, but it is also an interesting look at the history of Afghanistan told by an Afghan. I could go on about the characters, what happens to them, the invasions, the bombs. I could talk about how each government changes, in the most basic ways, the way women are treated. I could even talk about the outrage at having men Laila considers warlords, become ministers in government. I won’t though. It’ll give away too much about this story and this story you need to read for yourselves. If there is one book that I put on my “must read” list, it’s this one. Everyone should experience A Thousand Splendid Suns.

*On a side note, after The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini’s first novel, he was appointed a goodwill envoy to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. Check out his website for more information on him and the UN site for the current situation in Afghanistan and refugees around the world.
http://www.khaledhosseini.com/
http://www.unhcr.org/

Ocean’s Thirteen

I loved the first two movies. They were funny, interesting and full of surprises. I found some of that lacking in their latest installment. It was still a clever story with an unexpected end. There is definite growth in each of the characters, most noticeably in Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) and Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia). I also loved the Oprah cameo. Yet, there was no mystery. There was no replaying of the story from the beginning, letting us know about all the secret things that happened; what the group did to fool their opponent. Worst of all, I found it slow paced. I kept waiting for the action to pop, but it didn’t happen. As much as I love the actors in this movie, I found Ocean’s Thirteen did not compare to its predecessors.

Little Miss Sunshine

What a fantastic film! It’s another of those movies I wished I saw sooner. The entire cast was amazing. There were several serious situations that were made, not necessarily lighthearted, but less dark and overwhelming. More than anything, I think it was about a [very dysfunctional] family coming together. The entire film built up to the end; to little Olive in her pageant and her final performance on stage. As much as the story was fraught with problems, it really does make you feel good once you reach the end.

The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands

This is the third installment of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. I have to say, I’ve enjoyed it every bit as much as the first two. Roland, Eddie, Susannah and Jake have come from different wheres and whens to create their own “fellowship.” There is a really love, familial bond, that has been created among these four strangers. Though one thing remains their ultimate goal, The Dark Tower and each would leave the other behind if it meant reaching this final destination.

The Holiday

I sat down and watched The Holiday this weekend. Sometimes you’re just in the mood for and unthinking romantic comedy. I’m a fan of Kate Winslet and I like Jack Black and Jude Law. I thought it was an interesting mix of personalities. I didn’t think Jack Black and Kate Winslet would ever play opposite each other, but in The Holiday they were a cute couple. In general, a cute movie. Not “super-cute” as some people have heard me say, but cute. The characters go through neat, predictable, personal changes, become more available to a “real” relationship and in the end, it’s happy. It’s a happy movie. I think the moral of the story is that if you can’t find love in your own country, go visit another! (Hahaha!)

Iron Man

I hope I don’t give anything away

Everyone needs to go see Iron Man! It was fantastic! You don’t even notice the time go by. Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow were awesome. I think they did an amazing job with casting. Robert Downey Jr. really captures Tony Stark’s philandering ways. He’s charming and extremely intelligent and it was translated wonderfully on screen. The only thing, regarding the cast, I wasn’t totally for was making Jarvis into a computer. He’s supposed to be the loyal butler. He takes care of Stark and eventually of the Avengers mansion as well. I suppose they’ll integrate that into the story whenever they get around to doing an Avengers movie. Maybe they didn’t want it to be too similar to Batman. Still, Iron Man is a hot, must see, action movie.

That’s another thing, to me, it’s an action movie. I loved every bit of it. The effects were amazing, the explosions were big, but it’s not a “comic book movie” the way Spiderman was. There are terrorists and men on fire and death scenes. Iron Man kills several terrorists who are holding people hostage. In the theatre, there were a lot of kids. There were kids, who I think, were too young to watch this movie. It’s violent, not all throughout, there’s a fair bit of humour to offset it, but I’m not sure I would take an seven-year-old to see this. It’s rated PG-13 and I would take that rating seriously.

But for all of you old enough to watch tanks blow up, Iron Man is a must see.

The Undomestic Goddess

There’s no other way to begin this, except to say that The Undomestic Goddess was thoroughly entertaining. Sophie Kinsella has given us another character to love. Unlike the outrageous Becky Bloomwood, we have the indomitable Samantha Sweeting. Samantha is very responsible and career focused. Shopping is likely the last thing on this young woman’s mind. What happens to her is not her fault. She copes with the situation as best she can. Though she has a mini-breakdown, becoming The Undomestic Goddess is the best thing for her.

At first, one might get the impression that Sophie Kinsella (aka Madeleine Wickham) is advocating the domestic side of women versus the career driven. As funny and wonderfully entertaining as this novel is, at the heart of it, I think, is the search for balance. There are men and women both, who become obsessed by career. Samantha was only 29 and she was obsessed by work. She’s never had a real relationship and hadn’t been on a vacation in seven years. As Iris, the wise matron said, you only get your youth once. Do you really want to waste it in office buildings? Do you want to be the sort of person who doesn’t even bother to look out the window?

I think career is important. You need goals and a way to support yourself. Yet, you need to make sure that it’s something that’s going to make you happy in the long term. Fine, you want to be a lawyer, be “a full equity partner,” but you need to be sure that in this lies your happiness and future. Samantha never thought beyond making partner. She never though beyond work. In the end, she discovered that she wanted to look out windows and have weekends off. She wanted balance.

The Fallen Fortress

We continue to follow the adventures of young Cadderly in R. A. Salvatore’s The Fallen Fortress. You can see that the trials that this young man goes through are shaping who he is. While he is continually forced to things which go against his nature, his moral compass remains in check. He fears the growing responsibility, but accepts it anyway. Cadderly understands his role in stopping a potential war.

One thing I like about all of Salvatore’s books, which is displayed clearly in this one, is his depiction of female characters. They are strong and intelligent. They hold their own against any man. In The Fallen Fortress this is exemplified by Danica and Dorigen. Dorigen is as formidable an adversary as the villains in the previous novels. She holds the fear of the troops under her. Danica is a powerful warrior. She excels at hand-to-hand combat. Though she is Cadderly’s love and traditionally, the woman stays at home, he has too much respect for her and her abilities. I am glad to see that in these novels, typically read by men, the women are portrayed in a position of strength.

Weight

Weight was an interesting retelling of the Atlas and Heracles myth. Jeanette Winterson evokes real sympathy for the plight of Atlas. Did he really deserve his fate? Or was he a victim of circumstance? Of the gods’ whim? Heracles isn’t the benevolent hero that many think. He is crass and selfish. Some may think that he deserves his fate.

Though they each are descended from gods, they are not gods. Are they even immortal? They are not infallible. Each makes mistakes. Are they victims of circumstance? Do they really have free will? The “weight” that Atlas carries, is it merely symbolic? I think it is the weight of his worries, his concern for the earth, his daughters, his overgrown garden. To put aside the weight on your shoulders and walk away, the freedom.

Jeanette Winterson’s short novel (it was barely over 150 pages) makes you think about all these questions, while providing a fantastic story. I think this, like The Penlopliad not only makes you question the interpretation of the myth, but the life around you. I’ve enjoyed these two books in the myth series; I can’t wait to read more. I’m also thinking about picking up another of Winterson’s books. I’m eager to see what comes next.

Foucault's Pendulum

I heard so much about Umberto Eco’sFoucault’s Pendulum over my academic years, when the opportunity arose to read it, I couldn’t wait. I found it rich with philosophy, supposition and dark creativity. I also found it very long. It has taken me 8 weeks to read the entire novel, versus my usual 1-2. It was a long search though Templars, Rosicrucians and Assassins to find the end; to find the meaning behind the story.

Foucault Pendulum in Paris

I’m not even sure if I’ve done that. What is the meaning behind Foucault’s Pendulum and the journey the characters take? Why is the Pendulum so important to the Plan they create? Maybe if I understood Gnosticism, Sephirot and Hermetism, I would understand more of this novel. Maybe.

Really, what I want to say is that this book is fucked. It’s brilliant and crazy and wonderful. I absolutely have to read it again. Not just because it was good, but because I’m sure I’ve missed things. It will be like a film you see for the second time and notice all sorts of new things. I’m not sure I was fully ready to read Umberto Eco’s great work. Or perhaps I was only ready to read it for the first time.

Image Via Wikimedia Commons

HelpLine: My fonts are too big

I just found this page really helpful with my problem of why my internet explorer fonts were suddenly so big. I don't know how they got changed in the first place, but at least I easily found how to change it back (option 3).

HelpLine: My fonts are too big

Anti-Integration/Pro-Segragation Video from The University of the Free State, South Africa

I can barely concentrate enough to write about this video. I’m so angry that things like this still go on in our world. It’s disgusting. As much as the University of the Free State and the individuals belonging to the Reitz hostel try to downplay this, it has become impossible not to garner unwanted media attention. Especially with YouTube and Facebook, blogs across the world, good luck.

At the University in the Free State, young [white] men from the Reitz residence made a video “initiating” the black cleaners coming to work at their hostel. I learned about the situation in an article in the Toronto Star. (A link is posted below.) The video really speaks for itself, though it’s in the South African (Afrikaans) language. A picture is worth a thousand words. It has made its way across the internet, of course. (The YouTube link is posted below.)

In this “information age” something like this can’t be kept quiet. Thank goodness! It is more than necessary that we know what is happening. I know what racism feels like. I know what it’s like to be thought of as less than everyone else around you because of how you were born, something you have no control over. I know what it’s like, even though you have all kinds of schooling, diverse friends and a wonderful family, to be thought that your opinion doesn’t matter; that you don’t matter and nothing you can say will make a difference.

I usually don’t like to talk about these things. They hurt me. But I feel as though it’s more than an obligation, it is my moral duty to help these voices be heard. I believe that we are all equal, that skin colour doesn’t play a part in the person you can be. But I also know that this belief isn’t held by everyone. That you can be denied a job because you aren’t white or Christian. That, as shown in the video, you can be made to drink urine and forced to participate in a video that is a protest against integration.

No matter what these people do, segregation won’t last forever. Slowly, the whole world will be made to see that every person, no matter their colour on the outside, is the same within. The global fight may not be won in my generation, but as saddened as I am to see videos like this, it is fortunate that it affects so many people, of all races, in such a strong way.

My blood is as red as yours.


You Tube Linkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8N-h8anSuE

Toronto Star Articlehttp://www.thestar.com/article/345955

You Tube Posted Response to the Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNjJpxWaseE

University of the Free State Websitehttp://www.uovs.ac.za/

An Italian Straw Hat

An Italian Straw Hat is a ballet (yes, a ballet) running at the Four Seasons in Toronto. It was the funniest ballet I’ve ever seen. If you want to try out ballet and you’re not sure about it, go see An Italian Straw Hat. The characters are interesting and hilarious. The music is beautiful and energetic. There are love triangles and all kinds of suggestive positioning. It opens with a woman sitting on a man’s face!! I’d love to see it again.