Music Monday - The Sound of Music - Crosswalk the Musical

It is a bit of a dreary Monday here, with a cool Southerly blowing about outside.  Luckily there were some tasty leftovers for dinner, so time to relax this evening.  I thought I would show this Crosswalk Musical - The Sound of Music which made me smile.  I have a soft spot for the sound of music.  I grew up knowing one of my aunties had seen it at the cinema over 17 times.  I am not that big a fan, although I realize that now I am older, I probably have seen it that many times.

Into the Gray Zone - Adrian Owen

This is a fascinating book written about neuroscientist Adrian Owen, who works with patients in vegetative states.  His search is to find out if these patients are aware?  Are they trapped in bodies that won't work, but still know who they are and what is happening to them?  For the past couple of decades he has documented his research and tells us about a few of his most memorable patients.  Using new pet scanning and functional MRI techniques, he is able to reach some patients, to find that although they can no longer get their bodies to function, some are able to communicate.

Interesting and amazing stuff to find out what these clever clinicians are working on, and what the future may hold for medical knowledge. 4/5

Middle Aged Lady Movie Night - Paris Can Wait

After a Friday night out - it felt fine to shut the curtains, and eat my gourmet dinner of beans on toast and watch Britains Got some Talent.  Then it was movie time, and what better to lead off my budget evening at home then a $1 movie. 

Paris Can Wait is the story of Anne played by Diane Lane, who is married to a busy movie producer.  In Cannes for the festival, she skips travelling with her husband and accepts a lift from one of his friends, the charming Frenchman Jacques.  Rather than taking her directly to Paris, she becomes frustrated as their journey takes some time as he continually stops for food and wine, and to visit friends.  However, by the end you can see Anne relaxing and enjoying the trip and the company.

How I wanted to be seduced by this movie, but somehow there was a lack of charm and beauty in the movie.  The food scenes felt a little flat and there was a little too little sweet countryside and vistas, and too many shots of motorways and trucks.  Sadly just a 3/5 from me.

The Geurnsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

Well look at me - having a Friday night out in the city (although I was home by 9pm).  One of my friends texted to see if I wanted to go and see this movie, and I was happy to be able to go as I had been looking forward to it.  I had attempted to read the book when it came out in 2008, but hadn't been able to get into it.  However when I saw the trailer for the movie, I knew it was something that would be right up my alley.

This is the story of Juliet Ashton, a young author who begins a correspondence with a pig farmer on Geurnsey Island, who tells her about how they formed their bookclub during the German occupation.  Going to the island she meets the bookclub members and finds her life about to change.

The movie was very charming and sweet and there was nothing I would change.  Filled with Downton Abbey faces,  beautiful rural and village scenery, and shots of wartime London every design detail was perfect.  The clothes, makeup and hairstyles were the right shade of muted and worn and just seemed lived in and made me warm and happy.

There were tears from some of the older ladies around me, although I didn't sniffle it was touching and memorable.  5/5

Eternal Life - Dara Horn

I picked this one up by impulse while walking through the library, and was glad that I did even though I have a huge pile waiting to be read at home.  This novel is the story of Rachel, who living in modern day New York looks back on her life - her long life.  Born 2000 years ago, she makes a sacred pact that will leave her having to leave behind or lose scores of husbands and children, as she is not able to die, but to continually start over and over.

I felt like I was straight into the story  could picture ancient cities and Roman soldiers, could feel the hot desert heat in my head - a sign that I am enjoying the story.  4/5

Ask Me About My Uterus - Abby Normal

Abby Normal  writes about her battle with chronic pain due to problems relating to her endometriosis.  In this memoir she describes her battles to get heard by doctors as she returns again and again with excruciating pain, and finds herself being referred to therapists implying that her illness is in her head.  She did have a bit of a horrible childhood with an anorexic mother who controlled her daughters food intake, limiting her meals and leaving her hungry and ignored. 

At 16 she applied for legal emancipation from her parents. and sought to support herself and earn enough money to attend college.  However her education is interrupted as she finds herself unable to attend due to her medical issues.

I plodded along with the book and while I sympathized with her problems, I didn't come away learning much or being left with much of an impression of the author. 2/5

Hitler, My Neighbor - Edgar Feuchtwanger

The author of this book grew up as a child of a wealthy German Jewish family,  in an expensive apartment in Munich Germany, across the road from Adolf Hitler.  He recalls his childhood and the times he saw his infamous neighbor.

It is quite the story to tell, but it felt a bit manufactured to me.  I certainly can't remember discussions from when I was six years old in such detail.  In such a scary time to be Jewish, the family were lucky to be able to survive intact when so many around them perished.  I would have liked to have known more about the people that surrounded their family at the time. 2/5

A Quiet Place

I was really looking forward to this one, and for once in a long time the movie didn't disapoint.  I like a horror, although I steer clear of the Saw variety of movie, this one was an old fashioned premise.  Right from the start, you know what to be scared of - the monsters  will get you if you make noise.  Rather than getting a slow build up, you are dropped right into 3 months after the monsters have taken over.  Emily Blunt and John Krasinski play mother and father trying to protect their three young children on their rural property. 

The movie was evenly paced and kept me feeling tense throughout - which made me happy and I would have to say I enjoyed this horror more than any I can think of in the past decade, hard to fault.  5/5

Voyage Of Time

This one was on a 99c special on Apple ITunes, so I added it to the list.  I thought it might be a nice soothing watch about the beginning of life on earth before I had to head off to my shift today.  So once a few chores were done, I heated up my lunch and sat down to watch.  There were some dreamy beautiful sequences showing earth and the cosmos, but I was somewhat annoyed with the footage of mentally ill street people pushing each other about, annoyed with Cate Blanchett narrating with such a plummy accent and then 20 or so minutes in there was a scene of cattle being slaughted outside a temple I think, anyway all the blood and distressed animals was enough to make me turn the movie off.  So I don't know how it ends.  0/5

This is Going to Hurt - Adam Kay

If you love Greys Anatomy and dream of being  a doctor, the kissing in cupboards, the flirting while operating and the gift of one or two patients a day who all recover than this may not be the book for you.  Adam Kay works in the NHS and his book is a taste of the reality of most working doctors, the frantic shifts, demanding patients and life and death decisions all while looking long long hours with little to no time off and lucky if you can grab a sandwich between patients.

It's not all grim, there is a lot of humor there and the writer has done a great job of pacing the book and keeping us entertained.  It made me wonder how any doctor gets through their training without having a breakdown. 5/5

The Hanged Man - Simon Kernick

My feelings about this book are quite complex.  Part of me enjoys a thriller, where there is danger all around, as the killers may strike at any time.  This is part 2 of The Bone Field series, where we meet DI Ray Mason on the hunt for the killers of 7 young women brutally murdered.  The other part of me dislikes stories where women are hunted and treated as victims, I don't enjoy the violence, and books that give me the feeling that the series may drag on and we may be subjected to many more stories that repeat the same plot over and over for years to come.  The saving grace is that I find the author quite readable and able to keep up an even pace, keeping me wanting to return to the story and I get the feeling that we may be coming to the conclusion to this particular group of nasty criminals. 3/5

A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived - Adam Rutherford

This is a smart, smart book - maybe even too smart for me.  Adam Rutherford explores and tries to explain how genetics explain us now, and the history of all of us. How we are all related to Kings and Queens and our family trees are intertwined and we are essentially all cousins.

As well as a lot of scientific explanations, which essentially went over my head a bit, he did clear up some things.  Talking about race and how inaccurate a description that is nowadays with a lot more of  diversity and intermarriage over the years in most countries.  That most people with European heritage will have Viking blood, that some things that were taught to us in school like having blue eyed kids may not be as simple as once thought, that lots of genetic material may predict eye colour.  Ancestry tests which seem to be all the rage at the moment may not be quite as clear cut as they like to advertise.

An interesting read - for me maybe I would understand it more with some diagrams on a tv show, as it was  a lot to take in in written form. 4/5

Total Cat Mojo - Jackson Galaxy

I have only managed to see a couple of shows that Jackson Galaxy has made about helping people with their cats that have issues.  I have read a couple of his books though, which are always filled with wisdom about living with our feline friends.

This new book is an entertaining read and I learnt a few new facts.   I did disagree when he said that cats usually sleep about 6% of the day.  Not so, the cat I live with she probably is only awake a few hours, but she is getting on a bit.

So most cat owners will understand a lot of the book from being trained by their cat already, but it may be useful to people who haven't lived with a cat before. 4/5

Music Monday - I of the Storm - Of Monsters and Men

I'm LOVING this song and put it on repeat as I walk around.  So haunting and sweet and sad at the same time. 

Coming Soon

This one looks great.  A 33 year old photographer JR and 89 year old film director Agnes  Varda travel around France capturing photos of the people living there.  Everyone in the cinema was saying they wanted to see this one.




The Guernsey Literary + Potato Peel Pie Society was one of those books that I couldn't get into and stopped reading which made me a little annoyed as so many people loved it, but I have given up trying to figure out why some don't appeal to me. 

The moment the trailer came on at the cinema I knew it would be one I would enjoy.  The second world war storyline, great costumes and charming actors all made it look appealing.

Lost in Paris

What  a nice day I had, with lots of sunshine and jobs were conquered around the house. Washing on the line, carpets hoovered and things tidied up.  So there was time to head out and meet a besties for pulled pork tacos and fries.  Then we went to the cinema to see Lost in Paris.  It was my choice, and it did amuse us to look around and realize that we were the youngest in the theatre. 

Written, co-produced and directed by the two main characters in the movie, it tells the story of Canadian librarian Fiona who travels to Paris to track down her elderly aunt Martha.  There after a few mishaps she meets homeless man Cam and he helps join in the search.  There were funny moments, but maybe a bit too slapstick/Mr Bean type elements for me.  I think the older audience were quite confused by this movie and I don't know if anyone will be rushing to see it again.  2/5

We did enjoy the trailers leading up to this movie - they looked great!!

Home Again

I hadn't heard about this movie until it popped up on itunes as being a recent hit.  I like Reece Witherspoon, she is smart and cute and I like that an actress over 40 is still getting roles.  She comes across as bright, smart and educated in any interview that I have seen with her, and I love that she has her own book club, and produces the sort of movies that Hollywood ignores but celebrate women's stories.

In this movie she plays a 40 year old mother of two, who after becoming separated from husband returns to her fathers old home in LA.  Out celebrating her birthday she meets three charming and handsome young men who are penniless, but trying to survive in Hollywood and make their own movie.  So they move into the guest room and  lots of uncomfortable situations ensue.

While I enjoyed some elements about this movie - it had potential but somehow missed the mark.  To me it seemed a bit forced and relied a little too much on Reeces charms , and also was a little confused with it seemingly trying to be a drama and a comedy without really mastering either.  I am always slightly amused when we are expected to feel for the main character who is portrayed to be a little down on their luck, yet like Reece they drive a nice car, live in a million dollar plus home and seem to not actually hold down a real job.  Then the 3 boys trying to get their movie made don't have any sort of job, when you would be expecting them to at least be tending bar or selling shoes to make a buck.

A nice little watch but more suited for Sunday afternoon than Saturday night.  3/5

My Year With Helen

My Year with Helen is a documentary about Helen Clark a New Zealander who served as our Prime Minister from 1999-2008.  Since leaving politics here she has worked at the United Nations as an Administrator in the United Nations Development Programme. This movie follows her in 2016 as she  attempts to become the first woman elected to be the Secretary General of the United Nations, a position that has only been filled by men since its establishment in 1945. 

It is an interesting movie in looking at all the political maneuvering occurring in New York, the schmoozing necessary to gain favor made me wonder if this quiet Kiwi woman would be suited to the role, she always seems to have paved her own way and I was surprised to see her in so much lipstick!

The most touching part of the movie, was Helen at home.  When she arrives back in Auckland from New York, she spends her evenings cooking meals for her 94 year old father.  Filling up his freezer with stews and curries so that he has meals to eat while she is away.  Bless. 

So I can't imagine that there would be too much interest outside NZ for this one.  It was sold out at the film festival when it was first viewed last year.  I watched it online through itunes where it was a 99c special.  3/5

The Best Death - Sarah Winch

Sarah Winch is a nurse and ethisist with 30 years experience in caring for patients.  Nothing though could prepare her for when her husband was diagnosed with terminal renal cancer.  He died just four months from being diagnosed, and Sarah shares her experiences navigating the Australian health system.  This book provides sensible advice for anyone facing a terminal diagnosis, and would be helpful for family or friends wanting to know how to help or assist their loved ones in the later part of their lives. 4/5

The Diary of a Bookseller - Shaun Bythell

I guess the dream of many a booklover is to run a little bookstore in a quiet town, but with the rise of the mega stores, online reading downloading and Amazon we all know that times are changed.  In this book we meet Shaun Bythell, who writes about the second hand bookstore that he owns in Wigtown Scotland.  We get to meet his employees, the customers and hear about the books they buy and sell as he writes about a year in his life.  4/5

Music Monday - Lovesong - The Cure

So I'm going old school here this Monday.  I listened to my Cure tapes nonstop on my Sony Walkman when I was 15 years old.  Over and over, and I still have a soft spot for some of the songs.  I have never seen them live though, I kept missing out each time they have toured over the decades.

Middle Aged Movie Night - The Boss

Holy moly this is one mess of a movie.  I like Melissa McCarthy usually but this is almost unwatchable.  It seems full of cheap gags and trying to be edgy by having mums swear and fight, but it is seems forced.

Melissa's character was a motivational speaker who after embezzlement charges goes to prison.  On her release she finds herself homeless, and goes to her ex employees home.  She then hatches a plan to sell cookies to rival the local guide troop.  Cue the fighting and cursing.

I did spend most of the time wondering why the main character had to have turtle neck jumpers worn up to her ears  - so not flattering.

So a mediocre 1/5 from me.

The Family Next Door - Sally Hepworth

We get to meet a few of the neighbors of a quiet Melbourne suburb where everything looks perfect and everyone looks happy, but of course things are about to change when the mysterious new single Isabelle moves in next door.  Now friendships and relationships seem in danger as we get to peek behind the curtains.

I enjoyed the book, it had echoes of Liane Moriatry  and her stories.  I did find the shifting narratives of each chapter slightly confusing - it must be my middle aged lady brain, as sometimes I had to double check whose story I was reading.   4/5

It's All Relative - A.J. Jacobs

Author A.J. Jacobs looks into his own family tree and tells us stories about his own grand and great grandparents and how they ended up in America.  He also looks into how the internet has opened up the whole genealogy field, and that new sites seek to link all of family trees together to show us how we are all related. 

He also tries to break a world record by inviting all his family and people on his tree to the worlds biggest family reunion - which always seems like it will be a bit hard to organize in only a year.   I wanted to like it more as it is an interesting topic, but I felt a bit ho hum about the book.  3/5

Music Monday - Done - Frazey Ford

This is on the walk to work playlist.  It lifts me up and makes me walk a bit faster - which is good as I often dawdle in the morning getting ready for walk.