All About Eve (1950) A young woman manages to work her way into the entourage of an aging star. What' begins innocently enough eventually takes on a decidedly different turn as time passes. Long friendships will be challenged before the final act. Margo Channing (Bette Davis) gets it right when she utters the classic movie... Continue Reading →
Review – Sherlock
Sherlock (Seasons 1 and 2) - (2010, 2012) I approach adaptations to the screen of my favorite books with great trepidation. It is so easy to fall short. When you're plowing a field that has been so thoroughly explored as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes (I just reviewed "The Complete Sherlock Holmes" e-book) you... Continue Reading →
Movie Review – Four Brothers, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Four Brothers - (2005) - This was a weekend movie channel discovery. Nothing better to do, saw Mark Wahlberg in the credits and thought "Why not?". The movie is about four troubled boys adopted by their foster mom. She raises them to be honorable if not exactly law abiding. They are family, first, last and... Continue Reading →
Book Review – Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, Time Travelers Strictly Cash and Callahan's Secret
Callahan's Crosstime Saloon (1977), Time Travelers Strictly Cash (1981), Callahan's Secret (1986) by Spider Robinson - There isn't a bar like Mike Callahan's place. But there ought to be. And if there is I would politely request directions. In the tradition of Arthur C. Clarke's "Tales From the White Hart" and L. Sprague DeCamp and... Continue Reading →
Movie Review – An Inconvenient Truth and War Horse
An Inconvenient Truth - (2006) - This is a documentary about things like Global Warming and mankind's impact on the environment. It's also a documentary about Al Gore. The one is really important. I'm not so sure about the other. The movie is based on the book and related public presentations that the former Senator... Continue Reading →
Book Review – I Invented the Modern Age-The Rise of Henry Ford
I Invented the Modern Age - The Rise of Henry Ford by Richard Snow I grew up in a car family. My father's first job out of college was the culmination of a lifelong dream. He went to work for Ford Motor Company in the Body Design Department (A document in the family archives seems... Continue Reading →
Movie Reviews – Catch Up!
Was just sifting back through what I've watched recently and realized I'd missed a bunch of movies back in December. So here are the quick catch up reviews: Moneyball - (2011) - Movie based on the story of Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland A's, and his conversion to a more statistics based method... Continue Reading →
Book Review – The Complete Sherlock Holmes (e-book)
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Volume 1 - This is part of Barnes & Noble's Classic Series which offers great works of the past at low to no cost. I snagged this at one point when it was available for free, I see it's now $3.99. Still a deal if you're a fan or want to... Continue Reading →
Book Review – The Last Temptation of Clarence Odbody
The Last Temptation of Clarence Odbody by John Jughead Pierson (2011) - Pierson is a musician, writer and theater owner. His writing as a playwright are done under the name Ian Pierce. He was also a founding member of the punk band Screeching Weasel. His other book is a semi-factual telling of the history of... Continue Reading →
Movie Review – Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - (2011) - Some movies have wonderful intricate plots. And some don't. This is a movie about people, about character and not about any particularly complex story line. A bunch of old people from England are (mostly) looking for something different and cheap in retirement. They end up in a... Continue Reading →