Greetings,
Hey, remember yesterday when I talked about a book inspired by the work Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? Well, today, I am going back to basics, back to where it all started, back to how things looked to the first people to ever lay eyes on Sherlock Holmes, both by way of words and pictures. Now, I normally wouldn't review a book based on the particular packaging, but I kind of have no choice to today with The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes. Also, short review this time, but you'll see why.
Okay, we all know that the Holmes stories are wonderful and have been so for over a hundred years. What you may not know is that a lot of them were published in a magazine called The Strand. That's where people got a good look at Sherlock Holmes. And I do mean "look" because the text of Mr. Doyle was accompanied by the illustrations of Sidney Paget. They are beautiful drawings that added so much to those stories, especially for those readers who have little skill at mind drawings. Yeah, that's what I call them.
Now, I am not a person who buys multiple copies of books I already have because something got a new cover or came out in paperback. No, I'm happy to have one copy and read it until it falls apart. Then, I get a new one. However, if I can find something legit special about a version of something I already have, I'm usually in. In this case, I was thrilled to find a collection of the Holmes stories along with all of those original illustrations. I believe in painting pictures with your imagination by way of words. That's what they're supposed to do, after all. But when a writer and an illustrator can be so in sync, it takes things to a different level. When I looked at these drawings, they are exactly how I pictured Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and all of their side characters and villains. Even though we've had a few live action versions, I always go back to these images. I feel like a lot of the hardcore fans feel the same way.
So, it's hard to review this in a way that hasn't been done before. I mean, what can I say? These stories are amazing. Always have been; always will be. And everyone knows that. But, as I said, finding them put into a collection where we can also have the artwork was major for me. Yes, I happen to think finding great books is major. I can't be the only one. So, I know this review is pretty short, as I warned, but if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes and you find this special edition, get it. You'll be able to see these legendary tales in a whole new way.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
The Sherlockian by Graham Moore - Book Review
Greetings,
So, over the past couple of years, I have gotten really into reading the stories of Sherlock Holmes. I might give credit to my watching the show, Sherlock, but I no longer enjoy that show...because of reasons. Therefore, I will hand credit over to Elementary. I still respect you, Jonny Lee Miller. Anyway, whilst I was browsing through the shelves of my local library, this title, The Sherlockian, stood out to me. At first, I was concerned that it was going to be nothing more than some high end Sherlock fan fiction. Not the case. Actually, this book has less to do with Mr. Holmes and more to do with the man who created him, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So much for "death of the author". Anyway, let's get to this story. Or...stories. Gasp. Yeah, wait for it.
The Sherlockian is a 2010 novel by Graham Moore. It tells the story of a man named Harold White, who is invited into an exclusive group known as The Baker Street Irregulars. They are - let's just say it - Sherlock fanboys. Not that I'm judging. Okay, maybe a little. As luck would have it, Harold is suddenly dropped in the midst of a search for a very sought after possession of Doyle's. At the same time, he tasks himself with also solving the murder of the man who is the top expert on the author. In a way, Harold is forced to turn into Sherlock himself to solve both of these mysteries.
Meanwhile, more than a hundred years earlier...Oh, yeah. This book goes there. Indeed, not only are we following the adventures of Harold White, but also a story about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Which actually comes first, but whatever. For those of you who don't know, in 1893, Doyle made the unexpected and, I think, brave decision to kill off Sherlock Holmes, the character that had become beloved by so many. So beloved, in fact, that people were devastated, some to the point of wearing black arm bands in mourning. Wow, really? And we think the girls distraught about that one guy whose name I don't know leaving One Direction were crazy. Apparently, this behavior is nothing new. Back to Doyle. After eight years of silence on the Holmes front (heh, heh!), he decided to bring the detective back to life. He never told people why he did this, but what he did do during this time was keep a diary. And that is the possession which is being looked for in present day.
So, The Sherlockian jumps back and forth between these two time periods and stories, and it takes some skill to be able to write a book in this manner. Write it well, I mean. Trust me. I've come across some authors who do not have that skill. It does not yield pleasant results. I enjoyed getting into both of the stories as they helped to propel each other farther along. It seems like these two halves of the story, the past and the present, combined for the author to both emulate Doyle a bit, but to also pay homage to his life and work. I've said before that I am not a fan of fan fiction, and like I said a few paragraphs ago, this is not that. However, I feel like this book could be the result of a "fanficcy" idea turned into something that can actually be taken seriously. Talk about a rarity.
I suppose I should take this time to address something that a few of you may be wondering. Do you have to be an avid reader of the Sherlock Holmes stories in order to follow what's going on in this book, references and whatnot? Well, it certainly wouldn't hurt to know a few things, and I assume that the primary, but not the sole, audience to whom this was aimed would be fans of Sherlock Holmes. However, it really isn't necessary. You can just read the book without having to study other books in advance. I mean, this isn't a Marvel movie. Ooh, burn! Still, I would never deter anyone from reading those Holmes stories.
Now, I happen to be a fan of mysteries as well as historical fiction, so I enjoyed The Sherlockian. I even liked reading the author's notes, which is not usually something I recommend, in particular, but I do here. This book may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I'd say to give it a chance. And then go watch Elementary. If, for nothing else, only to see Clyde the Tortoise!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
So, over the past couple of years, I have gotten really into reading the stories of Sherlock Holmes. I might give credit to my watching the show, Sherlock, but I no longer enjoy that show...because of reasons. Therefore, I will hand credit over to Elementary. I still respect you, Jonny Lee Miller. Anyway, whilst I was browsing through the shelves of my local library, this title, The Sherlockian, stood out to me. At first, I was concerned that it was going to be nothing more than some high end Sherlock fan fiction. Not the case. Actually, this book has less to do with Mr. Holmes and more to do with the man who created him, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So much for "death of the author". Anyway, let's get to this story. Or...stories. Gasp. Yeah, wait for it.
The Sherlockian is a 2010 novel by Graham Moore. It tells the story of a man named Harold White, who is invited into an exclusive group known as The Baker Street Irregulars. They are - let's just say it - Sherlock fanboys. Not that I'm judging. Okay, maybe a little. As luck would have it, Harold is suddenly dropped in the midst of a search for a very sought after possession of Doyle's. At the same time, he tasks himself with also solving the murder of the man who is the top expert on the author. In a way, Harold is forced to turn into Sherlock himself to solve both of these mysteries.
Meanwhile, more than a hundred years earlier...Oh, yeah. This book goes there. Indeed, not only are we following the adventures of Harold White, but also a story about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Which actually comes first, but whatever. For those of you who don't know, in 1893, Doyle made the unexpected and, I think, brave decision to kill off Sherlock Holmes, the character that had become beloved by so many. So beloved, in fact, that people were devastated, some to the point of wearing black arm bands in mourning. Wow, really? And we think the girls distraught about that one guy whose name I don't know leaving One Direction were crazy. Apparently, this behavior is nothing new. Back to Doyle. After eight years of silence on the Holmes front (heh, heh!), he decided to bring the detective back to life. He never told people why he did this, but what he did do during this time was keep a diary. And that is the possession which is being looked for in present day.
So, The Sherlockian jumps back and forth between these two time periods and stories, and it takes some skill to be able to write a book in this manner. Write it well, I mean. Trust me. I've come across some authors who do not have that skill. It does not yield pleasant results. I enjoyed getting into both of the stories as they helped to propel each other farther along. It seems like these two halves of the story, the past and the present, combined for the author to both emulate Doyle a bit, but to also pay homage to his life and work. I've said before that I am not a fan of fan fiction, and like I said a few paragraphs ago, this is not that. However, I feel like this book could be the result of a "fanficcy" idea turned into something that can actually be taken seriously. Talk about a rarity.
I suppose I should take this time to address something that a few of you may be wondering. Do you have to be an avid reader of the Sherlock Holmes stories in order to follow what's going on in this book, references and whatnot? Well, it certainly wouldn't hurt to know a few things, and I assume that the primary, but not the sole, audience to whom this was aimed would be fans of Sherlock Holmes. However, it really isn't necessary. You can just read the book without having to study other books in advance. I mean, this isn't a Marvel movie. Ooh, burn! Still, I would never deter anyone from reading those Holmes stories.
Now, I happen to be a fan of mysteries as well as historical fiction, so I enjoyed The Sherlockian. I even liked reading the author's notes, which is not usually something I recommend, in particular, but I do here. This book may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I'd say to give it a chance. And then go watch Elementary. If, for nothing else, only to see Clyde the Tortoise!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
The 1000 Journals Project by Someguy - Book Review
Greetings,
A few years ago, as some of you may recall, I reviewed a documentary called 1000 Journals. It was all about a guy who sent 1000 journals into the world to try and reawaken the creativity of whomever may come across them. It seemed to work quite well, and I gave this documentary much praise. You may go ahead and read that review if you don't believe. I could use the views. Anyway, in that review, I mentioned that the creator of the project, Someguy (yes, that's what he calls himself. I'm fine with that.), decided to put some of what people gave to those journals into one book to be published for all to see. That is the book I will be speaking about today, The 1000 Journals Project.
One of the things I liked about the 1000 Journals documentary was how I got to see so many different people and the way they chose to express themselves artistically, even if they never would classify themselves as artists. The entire project proved that, while not everyone can be the next Rembrandt, we all have the ability to use art to share things about ourselves, if only we are given the motivation to do so. It was so interesting seeing the pages that this huge, diverse group of people from all over the world were putting into these formerly blank books. All the while I was watching, I was thinking how amazing it would be to get some of that art, some of those words and expressions, in a book that I could own. Thankfully, in 2007, that is exactly what happened.
Now, I must warn you that this is not a typical book. As you may have suspected, there is much visual art in it, but that's not to say there is no writing. There is, so you can say that it's not technically a picture book, if you get caught reading it. You can, however, refer to it as an art book. And it happens to be a very interesting one, as well. When you think about it, you are literally reading the journals of other people. You can even say you're reading their diaries if you want to sound more devious and old school. That's how I do it. And frankly, if there's something that makes me like the book even more than the movie, it is the mystery involved. And there is a mystery...so long as you steer clear of the last few pages of the book. Let me explain.
With the documentary, you see many of those people as they are putting things into the journal, or you can see pictures of what they did whilst they talk about it and themselves. With the book, you don't know who did what. As I said, so long as you keep out of the end of the book. Because that's where they list names and match them with the pages. But I suggest you stay away, only if you want to keep said mystery alive. That way you can continue really not knowing these people. Again, it is like finding a stranger's journal and taking a very detailed glance into their head and heart, their life and soul. I believe that makes it far more intriguing. It could be anyone in the world who put those words, those images onto those pages. It could even be someone who you know, or used to know. It could be someone you may know in your future. That is fascinating to me, and it lets the creativity of the original idea become even more of a legacy than even Someguy intended. But you can look at the names if you want. I can"t tell you what to do.
So, I really do suggest that you check out The 1000 Journals Project, the book, as well as the movie, if you can. Or if you're more of a movie person. I like to think that those movie people will see it and not be able to help getting a hold of the book as well. Now that is a testament to the power of creativity.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
A few years ago, as some of you may recall, I reviewed a documentary called 1000 Journals. It was all about a guy who sent 1000 journals into the world to try and reawaken the creativity of whomever may come across them. It seemed to work quite well, and I gave this documentary much praise. You may go ahead and read that review if you don't believe. I could use the views. Anyway, in that review, I mentioned that the creator of the project, Someguy (yes, that's what he calls himself. I'm fine with that.), decided to put some of what people gave to those journals into one book to be published for all to see. That is the book I will be speaking about today, The 1000 Journals Project.
One of the things I liked about the 1000 Journals documentary was how I got to see so many different people and the way they chose to express themselves artistically, even if they never would classify themselves as artists. The entire project proved that, while not everyone can be the next Rembrandt, we all have the ability to use art to share things about ourselves, if only we are given the motivation to do so. It was so interesting seeing the pages that this huge, diverse group of people from all over the world were putting into these formerly blank books. All the while I was watching, I was thinking how amazing it would be to get some of that art, some of those words and expressions, in a book that I could own. Thankfully, in 2007, that is exactly what happened.
Now, I must warn you that this is not a typical book. As you may have suspected, there is much visual art in it, but that's not to say there is no writing. There is, so you can say that it's not technically a picture book, if you get caught reading it. You can, however, refer to it as an art book. And it happens to be a very interesting one, as well. When you think about it, you are literally reading the journals of other people. You can even say you're reading their diaries if you want to sound more devious and old school. That's how I do it. And frankly, if there's something that makes me like the book even more than the movie, it is the mystery involved. And there is a mystery...so long as you steer clear of the last few pages of the book. Let me explain.
With the documentary, you see many of those people as they are putting things into the journal, or you can see pictures of what they did whilst they talk about it and themselves. With the book, you don't know who did what. As I said, so long as you keep out of the end of the book. Because that's where they list names and match them with the pages. But I suggest you stay away, only if you want to keep said mystery alive. That way you can continue really not knowing these people. Again, it is like finding a stranger's journal and taking a very detailed glance into their head and heart, their life and soul. I believe that makes it far more intriguing. It could be anyone in the world who put those words, those images onto those pages. It could even be someone who you know, or used to know. It could be someone you may know in your future. That is fascinating to me, and it lets the creativity of the original idea become even more of a legacy than even Someguy intended. But you can look at the names if you want. I can"t tell you what to do.
So, I really do suggest that you check out The 1000 Journals Project, the book, as well as the movie, if you can. Or if you're more of a movie person. I like to think that those movie people will see it and not be able to help getting a hold of the book as well. Now that is a testament to the power of creativity.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, October 5, 2015
Ugly Stick by Joy Givens - Book Review
Greetings,
I've noticed something of a stigma attached to the world of YA fiction, particularly, when it comes to adults. I've heard people say that if someone writes YA books, it's probably because they aren't good enough or smart enough to write for grownups. To say nothing of the adults who choose to read those books. Now, if we are speaking of Twilight and Stephenie Meyer and her middle-aged minions, that might be true, and that also goes for most of her copycats. However, I don't believe this theory generally. I think there is much intelligence flowing through the genre of YA, and when I find a book that proves it, I am happy to share it with others. And last month, I had the pleasure of discovering one - Ugly Stick by Joy Givens.
Okay, before I begin, I must give a disclaimer. The reason that I found this book is because I had a table at a book festival to sell my wares, and I happened to meet a lovely, fellow author named Joy Givens. We had a chance to talk quite a bit and even traded copies of our books with each other. I certainly enjoyed her company, and we've had a few exchanges by way of social media. Bottom line, I really like this person. However, I would never let that cloud my judgement as a critic. It never matters to me how much I like someone. If they do something of which I am not a fan, I will say so. I mean, come on. I'm planning to marry Tom Hiddleston one day, but that won't stop me from saying that I don't like The Avengers. Yeah...And Stalker/Creepy Fan Mode off. Anywho, I know that this blog is pretty unofficial, but despite what many people have said over the past couple of years, especially on Twitter, I happen to think that journalistic integrity is a thing that should exist. So, let's begin, shall we?
Ugly Stick is a 2013 novel telling the story of April Somerfield, a fifteen-year-old girl who has very few fans out in the world and none in the mirror. Yes, she is quite unhappy with herself, being a shy outcast who is far from a beauty queen. What makes things harder is that her family has always been full of beautiful, successful women, and April is certain that she will never be able to carry on that tradition.
So, you may be thinking ahead, assuming that she might have been adopted or was switched at birth, and that is what the story is about. Well, now that's just boring. No, as it happens, the titular "ugly stick" could be more than just part of an infamous expression. It might just be an actual thing. And no, I am not giving spoilers. This is all on the back of the book, because this is merely the setup to lead us into the journey of this young girl. And that journey ends up being quite a fascinating and enjoyable one. Frankly, this is a tale I have never heard before. That's right, folks! I am pretty darn sure that we have...AN ORIGINAL IDEA! And for some reason, that causes the celebratory Price is Right theme to play in my head.
Now, though I admit that this is a new idea, you might be wondering if the author uses any of the tropes we tend to find in YA fiction. Of course, she does. But using tropes doesn't make anyone a bad writer; using them in the wrong way does. Fortunately, that is not the case here, and it particularly does not apply to the types of characters about whom she writes. Yes, we have the loyal best friend, the mean girl and the cute boy our protagonists sets her sights on, but they are all written so well and so uniquely, with a few personal twists of their own, that they don't just feel like lifeless props to push the main character to her next activity. They are there, they are in her life, but the story is hers. Even the boy. Yes, imagine that. Someone writing about a teenage girl liking a boy and having it be just one of those things that she goes through, rather than giving a message of "Life begins at man". You know? The way that some other writers do with their female "characters". Oh, and speaking of the word "character"...
I am happy to say that our protagonist, April, is, in fact, an actual character. She has a distinct personality and special qualities about her, whilst still managing to be relatable, particularly to readers in the same age bracket. It's almost as though you don't have to make your lead character a blank slate in order for people to identify with her. In short, she is something of an anti-Bella Swan. Sorry, I had to bring up the "T" word again, but I can't think of a better example. Seriously, what Joy Givens has proven is that one can create a character that the audience can connect with without making her nothing more than an empty skin suit for people to slip on in order to fantasize themselves into the story. I know that sounded weird, but I think I've made my point.
So, let me wrap this up by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even being someone who does not often delve into the world of YA. As I said, if a book is written well, with an interesting, unique and original story and ideas, I'm always willing to take a look. Therefore, I recommend Ugly Stick to anyone who simply likes good books, but I especially recommend it to anyone who might be the age of the protagonist here. In fact, if you're a parent of said type of person, I say let your youngsters read this. It says a lot of good things about family and honesty and how we look at ourselves and others. It has wonderful life lessons, really for all ages, and I'm happy to spread the word about a book that can do that.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I've noticed something of a stigma attached to the world of YA fiction, particularly, when it comes to adults. I've heard people say that if someone writes YA books, it's probably because they aren't good enough or smart enough to write for grownups. To say nothing of the adults who choose to read those books. Now, if we are speaking of Twilight and Stephenie Meyer and her middle-aged minions, that might be true, and that also goes for most of her copycats. However, I don't believe this theory generally. I think there is much intelligence flowing through the genre of YA, and when I find a book that proves it, I am happy to share it with others. And last month, I had the pleasure of discovering one - Ugly Stick by Joy Givens.
Okay, before I begin, I must give a disclaimer. The reason that I found this book is because I had a table at a book festival to sell my wares, and I happened to meet a lovely, fellow author named Joy Givens. We had a chance to talk quite a bit and even traded copies of our books with each other. I certainly enjoyed her company, and we've had a few exchanges by way of social media. Bottom line, I really like this person. However, I would never let that cloud my judgement as a critic. It never matters to me how much I like someone. If they do something of which I am not a fan, I will say so. I mean, come on. I'm planning to marry Tom Hiddleston one day, but that won't stop me from saying that I don't like The Avengers. Yeah...And Stalker/Creepy Fan Mode off. Anywho, I know that this blog is pretty unofficial, but despite what many people have said over the past couple of years, especially on Twitter, I happen to think that journalistic integrity is a thing that should exist. So, let's begin, shall we?
Ugly Stick is a 2013 novel telling the story of April Somerfield, a fifteen-year-old girl who has very few fans out in the world and none in the mirror. Yes, she is quite unhappy with herself, being a shy outcast who is far from a beauty queen. What makes things harder is that her family has always been full of beautiful, successful women, and April is certain that she will never be able to carry on that tradition.
So, you may be thinking ahead, assuming that she might have been adopted or was switched at birth, and that is what the story is about. Well, now that's just boring. No, as it happens, the titular "ugly stick" could be more than just part of an infamous expression. It might just be an actual thing. And no, I am not giving spoilers. This is all on the back of the book, because this is merely the setup to lead us into the journey of this young girl. And that journey ends up being quite a fascinating and enjoyable one. Frankly, this is a tale I have never heard before. That's right, folks! I am pretty darn sure that we have...AN ORIGINAL IDEA! And for some reason, that causes the celebratory Price is Right theme to play in my head.
Now, though I admit that this is a new idea, you might be wondering if the author uses any of the tropes we tend to find in YA fiction. Of course, she does. But using tropes doesn't make anyone a bad writer; using them in the wrong way does. Fortunately, that is not the case here, and it particularly does not apply to the types of characters about whom she writes. Yes, we have the loyal best friend, the mean girl and the cute boy our protagonists sets her sights on, but they are all written so well and so uniquely, with a few personal twists of their own, that they don't just feel like lifeless props to push the main character to her next activity. They are there, they are in her life, but the story is hers. Even the boy. Yes, imagine that. Someone writing about a teenage girl liking a boy and having it be just one of those things that she goes through, rather than giving a message of "Life begins at man". You know? The way that some other writers do with their female "characters". Oh, and speaking of the word "character"...
I am happy to say that our protagonist, April, is, in fact, an actual character. She has a distinct personality and special qualities about her, whilst still managing to be relatable, particularly to readers in the same age bracket. It's almost as though you don't have to make your lead character a blank slate in order for people to identify with her. In short, she is something of an anti-Bella Swan. Sorry, I had to bring up the "T" word again, but I can't think of a better example. Seriously, what Joy Givens has proven is that one can create a character that the audience can connect with without making her nothing more than an empty skin suit for people to slip on in order to fantasize themselves into the story. I know that sounded weird, but I think I've made my point.
So, let me wrap this up by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even being someone who does not often delve into the world of YA. As I said, if a book is written well, with an interesting, unique and original story and ideas, I'm always willing to take a look. Therefore, I recommend Ugly Stick to anyone who simply likes good books, but I especially recommend it to anyone who might be the age of the protagonist here. In fact, if you're a parent of said type of person, I say let your youngsters read this. It says a lot of good things about family and honesty and how we look at ourselves and others. It has wonderful life lessons, really for all ages, and I'm happy to spread the word about a book that can do that.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, September 10, 2015
I'm Not There - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
Have you ever seen a trailer and thought, "That movie looks interesting...and confusing". I have, several times, and I used to let that deter me from seeing the film. Fortunately, I started to take some chances and see movies that I would not have otherwise, and it led me to some really amazing cinema. Such was the case with what I'll be talking about today, I'm Not There.
I'm Not There is a 2007 film that kinda sorta tells the story of Bob Dylan through his music and by way of six different characters that represent different aspects of his personality and/or life. And - surprise! - it is told in a nonlinear fashion, because, of course it is. Confused yet? Good. It doesn't even matter. See, as I mentioned before, some films that seem confusing are actually quite easy to follow. This is one of them. But let me give a quick synopsis of those six characters, the actors that portray them and what they do. Ready? Okay.
First, we have Arthur Rimbaud played by Ben Whishaw. His scenes consist of him participating in something of an interrogation where he gives what I would call very poetic answers. A lot Dylan's quotes from interviews were used for this part. Second, there's Woody Guthrie (not his real name) played by Marcus Carl Franklin. He's an 11-year-old boy who is basically a drifter obsessed with, you guessed it, Woody Guthrie, as was Dylan in his youth. Then, we have Jack Rollins/Father John played by Christian Bale. Now, even though he has two different names, he is still only one person. I think. Look, I just don't want to be wrong about saying there are only six characters. Anywho, he represents Dylan both during his time as a folk singer and also his time after becoming a born again Christian. And, yes, it was super awesome seeing Christian Bale as a preacher. Next, we have Robbie Clark played by Heath Ledger. His character is an actor who portrays the aforementioned Jack Rollins. This part also tells the story of him and his wife and their tumultuous relationship, which parallels the marriage of Dylan and his first wife, Sara. (Blood on the Tracks, baby! Sorry.) After that, there's Jude Quinn played by Cate Blanchett. Yes, she's a woman playing a man, and, contrary to some other actors playing the opposite gender and my totally not buying it, she was rather brilliant here. Brilliant enough to be robbed of the Oscar, but what do I know? Anyway, Jude Quinn is Dylan as he makes his way into playing electric and therefore, alienated his "fans". I say "fans" because, if you truly admire an artist, you will let them grow. Finally, we have a character known as Billy the Kid played by Richard Gere. This is a reference to when Dylan had a role in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. I also heard this theory that it might be referring to when Dylan kind of ran away to do the Basement Tapes, but who knows? And that is the basic layout for the movie. Sorry if I was long-winded.
Now, of course, these six actors are the foundation, but they had much help in filling out the whole thing. And they got some great people to support them. We get Bruce Greenwood, David Cross, Kris Kristofferson, and the late, great Ritchie Havens. Even people of whom I am not a fan were kind of okay in this, like Michelle Williams, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Julianne Moore. Yeah, I just conceded on that. I told you I can be honest, no matter how painful it is.
Bottom line, this is a very well put together film. And I think all things considered, with the structure and all, it could have been a hot mess in less capable hands. But, thankfully, it just ended up being thought-provoking and interesting. Now, you may be wondering if Bob Dylan fans will love this or hate this. Of course, it could go either way. Things like this usually do. But speaking as an admirer of his myself, I believe that this was a very creative and artistic way to explore all the facets of his life and career. And at no time did I feel like it was being disrespectful to him at all. That would be a major plus.
So, I say if you do love Bob Dylan, check out I'm Not There, if you haven't already. Actually, if you've never known much about him and are interested, I recommend it even more. Even though it's technically a fictional account of his life, it might intrigue you to know more. I mean, I already knew a lot and it even did that for me. That is not easy to do. Congrats, movie.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Have you ever seen a trailer and thought, "That movie looks interesting...and confusing". I have, several times, and I used to let that deter me from seeing the film. Fortunately, I started to take some chances and see movies that I would not have otherwise, and it led me to some really amazing cinema. Such was the case with what I'll be talking about today, I'm Not There.
I'm Not There is a 2007 film that kinda sorta tells the story of Bob Dylan through his music and by way of six different characters that represent different aspects of his personality and/or life. And - surprise! - it is told in a nonlinear fashion, because, of course it is. Confused yet? Good. It doesn't even matter. See, as I mentioned before, some films that seem confusing are actually quite easy to follow. This is one of them. But let me give a quick synopsis of those six characters, the actors that portray them and what they do. Ready? Okay.
First, we have Arthur Rimbaud played by Ben Whishaw. His scenes consist of him participating in something of an interrogation where he gives what I would call very poetic answers. A lot Dylan's quotes from interviews were used for this part. Second, there's Woody Guthrie (not his real name) played by Marcus Carl Franklin. He's an 11-year-old boy who is basically a drifter obsessed with, you guessed it, Woody Guthrie, as was Dylan in his youth. Then, we have Jack Rollins/Father John played by Christian Bale. Now, even though he has two different names, he is still only one person. I think. Look, I just don't want to be wrong about saying there are only six characters. Anywho, he represents Dylan both during his time as a folk singer and also his time after becoming a born again Christian. And, yes, it was super awesome seeing Christian Bale as a preacher. Next, we have Robbie Clark played by Heath Ledger. His character is an actor who portrays the aforementioned Jack Rollins. This part also tells the story of him and his wife and their tumultuous relationship, which parallels the marriage of Dylan and his first wife, Sara. (Blood on the Tracks, baby! Sorry.) After that, there's Jude Quinn played by Cate Blanchett. Yes, she's a woman playing a man, and, contrary to some other actors playing the opposite gender and my totally not buying it, she was rather brilliant here. Brilliant enough to be robbed of the Oscar, but what do I know? Anyway, Jude Quinn is Dylan as he makes his way into playing electric and therefore, alienated his "fans". I say "fans" because, if you truly admire an artist, you will let them grow. Finally, we have a character known as Billy the Kid played by Richard Gere. This is a reference to when Dylan had a role in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. I also heard this theory that it might be referring to when Dylan kind of ran away to do the Basement Tapes, but who knows? And that is the basic layout for the movie. Sorry if I was long-winded.
Now, of course, these six actors are the foundation, but they had much help in filling out the whole thing. And they got some great people to support them. We get Bruce Greenwood, David Cross, Kris Kristofferson, and the late, great Ritchie Havens. Even people of whom I am not a fan were kind of okay in this, like Michelle Williams, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Julianne Moore. Yeah, I just conceded on that. I told you I can be honest, no matter how painful it is.
Bottom line, this is a very well put together film. And I think all things considered, with the structure and all, it could have been a hot mess in less capable hands. But, thankfully, it just ended up being thought-provoking and interesting. Now, you may be wondering if Bob Dylan fans will love this or hate this. Of course, it could go either way. Things like this usually do. But speaking as an admirer of his myself, I believe that this was a very creative and artistic way to explore all the facets of his life and career. And at no time did I feel like it was being disrespectful to him at all. That would be a major plus.
So, I say if you do love Bob Dylan, check out I'm Not There, if you haven't already. Actually, if you've never known much about him and are interested, I recommend it even more. Even though it's technically a fictional account of his life, it might intrigue you to know more. I mean, I already knew a lot and it even did that for me. That is not easy to do. Congrats, movie.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Snowpiercer - Movie Review
Greetings,
Why do great movies constantly get shelved or swept under the rug whilst movies that are, at best, "meh" are the ones making all the money? I don't know. I guess with enough advertising/indoctrination you can convince enough people to see those sub par ones. Which means it's up to us to spread the word about stellar pieces of art that aren't appreciated nearly as much as they should be. That's why I've chosen to talk about Snowpiercer. Spoilers: It's good. It's very good.
Snowpiercer is a 2013 sci-fi South Korean film that is based on a French graphic novel called Le Transperceniege by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette. Calm down! Calm down, people who hate reading. This is not a heavily subtitles film. In fact, it's pretty much all English. Bless your ethnocentric little souls, it's in English. Actually, this is the English language debut of director, Bong Joon-ho, who also wrote the screenplay along with Kelly Masterson.
Anyway, it's all about an ice age that occurs after an idea to end global warming goes terribly wrong. Most of the life on Earth is gone, and those who are left live on a constantly moving train, which continually pierces the snow that has covered the planet. Hey! I just got the title! Much like it was in the world they once lived in, the passengers are subject to class separation, with the "lesser" humans shoved in the back, cold and hungry, and the more "valuable" people living in a state of luxury. I wonder if some of the people in the train aren't happy about that and intend to make changes. Yes, that might be what happens. And that is all I'm going to say, because this is one of those films where the plot is the journey and the struggle of the people within it, and you must go along for the ride, if you will.
When it comes down to it, that's what I think this movie is about. It's about people who are fighting with all their might for their worth to be seen, for their lives to be appreciated and for their right to exist as human beings. It's almost like something that is ultimately an action film can have a whole lot of depth to it, and not just be a toy commercial. Who knew? At the heart of this, beneath all the bells and whistles, so to speak, is just a good story. And THAT should always be the foundation of any movie. It isn't always, but when it is, I am happy.
Of course, this wonderful story was helped along by the amazing cast that they assembled. At the helm, we have Chris Evans. And may I just say to Mr. Evans, should he ever read this...ahem...HOLY CRAP, DO MORE STUFF LIKE THIS MOVIE!!!!! Sorry, didn't mean to shout, but not every film he has done has been worthy of his talent. THIS is worthy of his talent. Seriously, Chris, pick stuff like this always. Besides him, we get Tilda Swinton, looking unrecognizable. I just knew it was her by the stellar acting. Also, there's Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ed Harris and my man, John Hurt. In addition to them, we are introduced to South Korean actors Song Kang-ho and Go Ah-sung. I had never heard of them before, but I'm glad I did through this movie. Everybody here was just about perfect.
You know what? I am going to take back something I've said before, possibly on this blog, certainly in real life. I, along with many other people, are just plain tired of all the redundancy of Hollywood. What with all the remakes and reboots and franchises, it's easy for us to believe that there is nothing new being thought of out there. But there is. There are original ideas being created in the minds of writers and film makers. And, yes, I know this is an adaptation, but the book gave us a literary new idea, which was transferred to a cinematic new idea, so it all counts as original. Problem is, as I mentioned, all the attention goes to those big budget, familiarly themed movies, whether they're good or not, because people will gravitate toward things they recognize. It's just the easy way to live. But I would rather do a little work to find things like Snowpiercer. Maybe if we ALL try a bit harder to find them, maybe if people, who have the power to do so, do a little extra sifting through that slush pile, we can turn the tide and get more excellent films like this one. Now go watch it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Why do great movies constantly get shelved or swept under the rug whilst movies that are, at best, "meh" are the ones making all the money? I don't know. I guess with enough advertising/indoctrination you can convince enough people to see those sub par ones. Which means it's up to us to spread the word about stellar pieces of art that aren't appreciated nearly as much as they should be. That's why I've chosen to talk about Snowpiercer. Spoilers: It's good. It's very good.
Snowpiercer is a 2013 sci-fi South Korean film that is based on a French graphic novel called Le Transperceniege by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette. Calm down! Calm down, people who hate reading. This is not a heavily subtitles film. In fact, it's pretty much all English. Bless your ethnocentric little souls, it's in English. Actually, this is the English language debut of director, Bong Joon-ho, who also wrote the screenplay along with Kelly Masterson.
Anyway, it's all about an ice age that occurs after an idea to end global warming goes terribly wrong. Most of the life on Earth is gone, and those who are left live on a constantly moving train, which continually pierces the snow that has covered the planet. Hey! I just got the title! Much like it was in the world they once lived in, the passengers are subject to class separation, with the "lesser" humans shoved in the back, cold and hungry, and the more "valuable" people living in a state of luxury. I wonder if some of the people in the train aren't happy about that and intend to make changes. Yes, that might be what happens. And that is all I'm going to say, because this is one of those films where the plot is the journey and the struggle of the people within it, and you must go along for the ride, if you will.
When it comes down to it, that's what I think this movie is about. It's about people who are fighting with all their might for their worth to be seen, for their lives to be appreciated and for their right to exist as human beings. It's almost like something that is ultimately an action film can have a whole lot of depth to it, and not just be a toy commercial. Who knew? At the heart of this, beneath all the bells and whistles, so to speak, is just a good story. And THAT should always be the foundation of any movie. It isn't always, but when it is, I am happy.
Of course, this wonderful story was helped along by the amazing cast that they assembled. At the helm, we have Chris Evans. And may I just say to Mr. Evans, should he ever read this...ahem...HOLY CRAP, DO MORE STUFF LIKE THIS MOVIE!!!!! Sorry, didn't mean to shout, but not every film he has done has been worthy of his talent. THIS is worthy of his talent. Seriously, Chris, pick stuff like this always. Besides him, we get Tilda Swinton, looking unrecognizable. I just knew it was her by the stellar acting. Also, there's Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ed Harris and my man, John Hurt. In addition to them, we are introduced to South Korean actors Song Kang-ho and Go Ah-sung. I had never heard of them before, but I'm glad I did through this movie. Everybody here was just about perfect.
You know what? I am going to take back something I've said before, possibly on this blog, certainly in real life. I, along with many other people, are just plain tired of all the redundancy of Hollywood. What with all the remakes and reboots and franchises, it's easy for us to believe that there is nothing new being thought of out there. But there is. There are original ideas being created in the minds of writers and film makers. And, yes, I know this is an adaptation, but the book gave us a literary new idea, which was transferred to a cinematic new idea, so it all counts as original. Problem is, as I mentioned, all the attention goes to those big budget, familiarly themed movies, whether they're good or not, because people will gravitate toward things they recognize. It's just the easy way to live. But I would rather do a little work to find things like Snowpiercer. Maybe if we ALL try a bit harder to find them, maybe if people, who have the power to do so, do a little extra sifting through that slush pile, we can turn the tide and get more excellent films like this one. Now go watch it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Consenses: The Story - Documentary Review
Greetings,
I'm going to do something a little different today. Normally, when I review a documentary, it's one that has been released in the theaters or on DVD or some other widespread way, and they are usually feature film length. Not the case today. This documentary is less than an hour long and found on a website that I follow called Consenses. Hence, the title. But, perhaps, I should give some back story first.
If there's one thing I love about social media, it's the way that like-minded people can find each other quite easily. Okay, I know that has potential to be a bad thing, too, but we'll stay positive today. Now I had never heard of Consenses, until they started following me on Twitter. I'm pretty sure they found me because I started following Sally Taylor. What's the connection? Well, as it happens, Sally Taylor is the one who founded Consenses. And I'm so glad that she did.
Consenses, if you don't already know, is something that was created to connect artists to each other, and this documentary tells the story of how it came to be and about some of the people who have taken part in it. It's something of a game of artistic "Telephone" where one person shares a piece of their own art and it inspires another person to interpret it by way of another medium and another of the senses, and then it goes on to another person and another person, until the whole thing somehow manages to come full circle. Sally actually uses this fable called "The Elephant and the Blind Men" to show the spirit of what she's trying to accomplish with this. How some things, even the whole world, can only make sense when we come together and see what others are experiencing, so we can build their entire existence. It's almost as though bringing things forth by way of our individual perceptions can create a whole new life.
I have to say it is so refreshing to see everyone connect the intricate way we were all made with the intricate way that everything was made through art, so that we can make, with our own hands, even more beauty. I feel like the world through the eyes of artists is like clouds through the eyes of children. A million eyes can look at the same thing, but come up with a million different interpretations of what that can be. Now, I happen to be one of those strange people who believes in absolutes, but I also believe that some things are open for interpretation. Art is number one on that list. In fact, I think it is our duty in life to show everyone how many ways and how many angles that can be used to expose every facet of every thing we encounter each day of our lives. And through Consenses, so many amazing artists have been able to do that, hand in hand with their fellow creators.
Okay, I see now that I have gone off on a bit of a tangent, maybe more reviewing the project than the documentary, and I apologize for that. Getting back to the task at hand, I will say that this short film is a wonderful account of what the project is and the gifted people who are holding it together, pushing it forward and giving it life. I sincerely feel honored to be connected to it any way that I can be. If you're interested in this, you can go to consenses.org, watch this documentary and find out for yourself about the fantastic things that are happening.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I'm going to do something a little different today. Normally, when I review a documentary, it's one that has been released in the theaters or on DVD or some other widespread way, and they are usually feature film length. Not the case today. This documentary is less than an hour long and found on a website that I follow called Consenses. Hence, the title. But, perhaps, I should give some back story first.
If there's one thing I love about social media, it's the way that like-minded people can find each other quite easily. Okay, I know that has potential to be a bad thing, too, but we'll stay positive today. Now I had never heard of Consenses, until they started following me on Twitter. I'm pretty sure they found me because I started following Sally Taylor. What's the connection? Well, as it happens, Sally Taylor is the one who founded Consenses. And I'm so glad that she did.
Consenses, if you don't already know, is something that was created to connect artists to each other, and this documentary tells the story of how it came to be and about some of the people who have taken part in it. It's something of a game of artistic "Telephone" where one person shares a piece of their own art and it inspires another person to interpret it by way of another medium and another of the senses, and then it goes on to another person and another person, until the whole thing somehow manages to come full circle. Sally actually uses this fable called "The Elephant and the Blind Men" to show the spirit of what she's trying to accomplish with this. How some things, even the whole world, can only make sense when we come together and see what others are experiencing, so we can build their entire existence. It's almost as though bringing things forth by way of our individual perceptions can create a whole new life.
I have to say it is so refreshing to see everyone connect the intricate way we were all made with the intricate way that everything was made through art, so that we can make, with our own hands, even more beauty. I feel like the world through the eyes of artists is like clouds through the eyes of children. A million eyes can look at the same thing, but come up with a million different interpretations of what that can be. Now, I happen to be one of those strange people who believes in absolutes, but I also believe that some things are open for interpretation. Art is number one on that list. In fact, I think it is our duty in life to show everyone how many ways and how many angles that can be used to expose every facet of every thing we encounter each day of our lives. And through Consenses, so many amazing artists have been able to do that, hand in hand with their fellow creators.
Okay, I see now that I have gone off on a bit of a tangent, maybe more reviewing the project than the documentary, and I apologize for that. Getting back to the task at hand, I will say that this short film is a wonderful account of what the project is and the gifted people who are holding it together, pushing it forward and giving it life. I sincerely feel honored to be connected to it any way that I can be. If you're interested in this, you can go to consenses.org, watch this documentary and find out for yourself about the fantastic things that are happening.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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