Wednesday Is a Good Day for Music too!!

OpShop - One Day

Kiwi band, beautiful song. Always makes me sad because they have moving ads on tv using this tune.

Monday Music Night

Vicky Cristina Barcelona - dvd

Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Dvd (2008)

As usual, I intended to go and see this one, but it came out in the middle of summer here when it was hot and the evenings begged to be spent sitting by the beach, out for a walk or with a lazy dinner in the backyard. I often feel guilty, if I waste a warm evening by hiding in the cinema. Movies are for cloudy or rainy days, especially this spring when sunshine has been so hard to find.

So, essentially two girlfriends arrive to spend 8 weeks in Barcelona, staying with friends. Vicky is engaged and spending time on her studies and her bestie, Cristina is searching for love. Early on in their stay they meet the charismatic, handsome and sexy artist Juan Antonio, both becoming obsessed with him.

Directed by Woody Allen, the movie is filled with witty conversation, and I enjoyed the summer holiday feel of the movie, with the beautiful scenery and gorgeous co-stars. As with most Woody Allen movies, I somehow felt the ending was a bit blunt, I wanted a resolution, a conclusion. I felt jilted and a bit shortchanged, so it has to be a 3/5, when it could have been pushing a four.

Quantum of Solace - Dvd

Quantum of Solace - Dvd (2009)

Not sure if I understood the story in this one, or was there a story? There were a lot of explosions, car chases and shooting. And, ohhhh Daniel Craig scowling in a suit, that was distracting. Glad I didn't pay movie prices for this one, it was nice to sit on the couch with my bag of chips and watch him rescue anorexic foreign models from danger. 2/5

Time of My Life - Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi

Time of My Life - Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi (2009)

Since seeing Dirty Dancing in 1987 with a good friend, and crying at the end, I can't help but have a soft spot for Patrick Swayze. He could play a tough guy, but he could dance too!!! What teenage girl could resist? Well you all know his life story, the cancer and how it ends, so there aren't too many surprises in this book, except maybe the depth of his love for his wife and his dedication to his job.

A 3/5 for this swift read. I am sure it will be in many a girls christmas stocking this year.

Flashforward - Robert J Sawyer

Flashforward - Robert J. Sawyer (1999)

I know, an old book, and Sci-fi too. Flashforward is the story about a group of scientists in Switzerland who are testing their new proton atom collider thing, when everyone in the world suffers from a 2 minute blackout. During this blackout, everyone catches a glimpse of their life, 21 years in the future. Once the 2 minutes are over, millions around the world are dead, due to cars and planes crashing, collapsing and injuring themselves or others, so there are large repercussions. Many never experience what the future holds for them, as they are asleep and are unable to remember their dreams. Futures in business will be won or lost due to visions of hovercars, new presidents and companies all seen in the two minute glimpse.

We also get to see how this vision affects the scientists who caused in, and how their lives are changed. So this book, has been made into a new tv series, although I think everyone experiences a flashforward of not so far in the future. I don't know if it is any good, and I'm not going to hunt down opinions on the web. Maybe this time I will wait, and see for myself.

I liked that the book was not a sci-fi brick, and was a quick couple of days read. It also made me think about a few things and I think I learnt another couple of nerd facts. 3/5

Makes Me Smile - Music Monday

Michael Buble - this always makes me smile. I need it this Monday.

The Book of Fires - Jane Borodale

The Book of Fires - Jane Borodale (2009)

Historical fiction is one of those genres that I cling to and even though it has its ups and downs you know that you will always come away appreciating the luxuries of modern life that we take for granted.

Seventeen year old Agnes Trussel, finds herself pregnant and knows that she cannot stay on the farm or face a life with the man who she slept with. A chance find allows her the opportunity to escape to London, where she arrives not knowing where to go.

Finding a job by chance, she becomes the assistant to Mr Blacklock who makes fireworks. In his workshop she helps him, gradually learning most of his secrets and dreaming of making fireworks in vivid colours. As her knowledge increases, she realises that hiding her pregnancy is becoming more and more difficult.

I actually was surprised at the ending, it was not what I expected, and that for me made it a more memorable book. 3/5

Walking in Light - Kelvin Cruikshank

Walking in Light - Kelvin Cruikshank (2009)

Kelvin appears with other psychics on NZ tvs Sensing Murder show, which with family permission looks into what happened to many famous unsolved cases. I am sure it has helped many families and raised the profice of psychics in NZ.

An interesting book about his childhood and growing up realizing from an early age that he could see things others couldn't, Kelvin struggled with his growing abilities. In his mid twenties it caused a meltdown and he really seemed to lose himself, before finding himself on a different journey of helping people.

Midway through the book, I could feel the turmoil of his life and could sense that there was a lot more that couldn't be written down.

3/5

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Confessions of a Shopaholic - Dvd (2009)

Oh my, if I wasn't laid low after a severe attack of the food poisoning kind, I would have reached over and stopped this awful, hideous, bad dvd and tossed it away.

Honestly, I have read the books, which have a certain kind of charm about them, but the movie well it made it all so terribly wrong. Firstly you just want to slap her, even with her bouncy sweet hair. Pay your rent first, crazy to be renting from your friend and not be able to pay her when you have buy a $800 pair of shoes. Most of her outfits were fugly too. There wasn't one worth ooohing and ahhhing over.

Possibly the producers missed their moment with this one. They should have bought it out in 2005, not in the middle of a recession, where most people want the Good Life, not Gucci.

It could have been saved, however if it had a witty script. It it had some sort of charm, but alas it was pure Hollywood rubbish, written by 12 year olds who think that Legally Blonde and Clueless are high drama.

1/5