Paddington 2

Saturday night on the couch seemed a good time to watch a movie.  Paddington 2 was a sweet choice for this middle aged lady viewer.  It was a 99c special, but one I did enjoy more than expected and maybe more than the original movie.  In this story Paddington is looking for a present for his Aunt Lucy.  He comes across a special present that he is sure that she will love, but this means he has to go and earn some money.  I won't give away the whole story, part of the charm is not knowing everything about the story.

A worthy 4/5 for kids and grown ups alike. 

The Post

I saved this one up to sit and watch on a Friday night in as us middle aged ladies are prone to doing.  Meryl Streep plays Katherine Graham the owner/publisher of The Washington Post,who seems to be a lone woman surrounded by men who try to influence her decisions as she takes the company public to raise funds.  Tom Hanks is playing executive editor Ben Bragdikian who is trying to beat the New York Times to a scoop story about Top Secret information leaked about the US Governments involvement in the Vietnam War. 

It is a pretty intense drama, and I knew a little about the story before viewing the movie but I must admit to finding it pretty heavy going.  While all the characters are watchable and I have a soft spot for Meryl and Tom I found myself a bit challenge watching it.  I guess it is a part of American political history that doesn't really resonate with me.  The good thing was that I was a bit concerned about falling asleep tonight, and this has made me feel quite sleepy.  2/5

Do Not Become Alarmed - Maile Meloy

Liv and Nora are close cousins, who take their husbands and children away on a cruise.  When a day trip turns disastrous, everyone is forced to question their relationships and question everything.  The children find themselves having to think quickly to survive, while the parents are falling apart.

 At times I really enjoyed this book, and can easily see it as a movie that plays late on a weekday night, and at other  moments I became a bit frustrated as it seemed to skip over areas that I think weren't covered.  Maybe it just pays to not think too deeply and just go with the flow of the story. 3/5

Music Monday - Walk This Way - Jimmy Fallon, Aerosmith & The Roots

Om my goodness I really like this one, I know I say that with every song, but really these guys are so happy doing this song.  I love that they use school instruments, nothing fancy. 

Song For Rosaleen - Pip Desmond

Pip Desmond is a Wellington author who has has written this memoir about her mother.  From  a young doctors wife to a mother of six, Rosaleen Desmond had always had a busy and active life.  As she grew older she helped to care for her husband as he had a brain tumor, helped her children with their families and volunteered for many local organizations.  In her mid seventies, the family begin to notice that their mother is beginning to struggle with her memory and day to day tasks.

It is at times a pretty confronting read, as Pip and her siblings try to help their mother as her memory loss continues, and they try to keep her safe and looked after.  From living in a large family home with difficult access, they get her to a smaller home closer to family, then to a studio apartment at a care home.  I did like the stories about the family growing up, and this is just another part of the story, and an experience that many  of us will go through with our own parents. 4/5

Music Monday - A Heartbreak - Angus & Julia Stone

I am so in love with this song.  I haven't listened to a lot of music lately, more podcasts too and from work.  I did download  some songs this week to freshen up my playlists.  It must be the springtime,  and a few more days out in the sun need some more tunes.

The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan has to be one of my favorite authors, writing stories about Chinese American families that are just beautiful.  It is hard to believe that this 1993 movie adaption of her novel The Joy Luck Club is  now  25 years old, but when I watched it this afternoon I still found it engaging and warm, and I think I treasured more the stories of mothers and daughters.  I also recognized that for many of us now, the stories about what people endured during the second world war belong to our grandparents generations, few of whom now survive, and these first hand stories are being lost.

So it still made me a little teary listening to the women tell their stories, to think of 15 year old girls being sent off to be married, to a mother being forced to leave her twin baby girls on the side of the road, to a mother having her son dragged away from just after giving birth.  4/5

Wonder

After weeks of illness I am trying to get back into the rhythm of things that make me happy, good books, movies, candles, good food, walks and all the things that I enjoy.  Tonight I splurged a whole 99c on this movie from Apple itunes to watch.  I remember seeing the ads and had the vague feeling that I got the book out from the library when they got it, but didn't get into it after a couple of pages so I sent it back.  Therefore I didn't have high hopes for the movie, or any idea of the story.

Sometimes it is nice to be pleasantly surprised and in a whole lot of ways.  Julia Roberts was sweet and natural in the role of mother, with a nice relaxed hairstyle and wardrobe.  Is it weird that I would like her to be my mother too, even though we are the same age?  I wasn't put off by Owen Wilson, who usually annoys me in any comedies I have seen him in.  He seems as he ages that he suits the more light dramatic roles.  Have you noticed that nothing changes about him in any role he plays?  Always the same haircut, similar clothes - like he just rocks up and plays himself.

Anyway the story is about Augie a young man with a facial deformity, who after being home schooled heads off to start middle school.  He is nervous and scared of being bullied, but has to step into school alone and try to find his way, find friends and make his way through each day.  A story about courage and friendship that although is more of a family movie is still sweet for all ages.  4/5

The Lido - Libby Page

Sweet and delightful come to mind when I think of this book.  It is the story of Kate who is 26, and living a lonely life as a journalist at a local Brixton newspaper.  She is offered the story of writing about the local outdoor swimming pool The Lido, which the council is considering selling to a big corporation.  She meets 86 year old Rosemary, who swims outside each day and shares her stories and her friendship with Kate.

Although a simple story in its premise, I liked the story about friendship and connection and about enjoying your life no matter what your age is.  I lived near Brixton many years ago, and can picture the parks and houses and this book reminded of lovely London summers.  4/5

The Death of Mrs Westaway - Ruth Ware

Hal is struggling to make things meet, working as a tarot card reader in Brighton she returns alone each night to her cold small flat, and is trying to hide from the landlord.  She opens a formal letter to let her know that she has been given an inheritance and must go to the Cornwall family home to find out what she gets. 

I don't know about this one, I felt it plodded along and promised thrills and mystery but somehow failed to deliver and I was a bit bored. 3/5