TV Show: Sherlock (both seasons 1 and 2 - because I'm behind, okay?)
Like/Don't Like: So much to love!
I never reviewed this after the first season but I finally got around the watching the last episode of the second season and I am still heartily in love with the whole thing that I felt like I needed to share it with the world. Although, let's be honest here, you've already seen it right? Right?! So you know what I'm talking about. It's AWESOME! With a side of Holy Cow!
Aren't you so excited that they got it right? Sure, the Robert Downey Jr. movies are highly entertaining, but they're not really Sherlock Holmes. He's just a really beefed up smart guy (listen, I'm not complaining. I'm just speaking the truth.) But this is Sherlock Holmes. Even as a 21st century Sherlock, it's dead on. It has captured his genius and arrogance and condescension and his itty bitty slip of humanity. I love how they have taken his most famous stories - A Study in Scarlett, The Hound of the Baskervilles, etc. - and gave them a modern twist. The stories move quickly and nothing is wasted, just like the books.
Benedict Cumberbatch has that other-worldly look about him, which makes him a great Sherlock because we all know he's an alien. And Martin Freeman has always been the perfect rumpled but stalwart friend - just right for Watson. They made Moriarty sufficiently creepy. Maybe too creepy. Can he be too creepy? And bonus, Rupert Graves is Lestrange. He has aged into quite the silver fox from his days as the floppy-haired Freddie Honeychurch in A Room With A View.
I just saw that there will be a season 3. Let's rejoice!
(Note: season one is streaming on Netflix and you can catch season two on pbs.org. It's worth it. Also, have something or someone to hold onto because it gets a little tense.)
Monday, May 28, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Book: Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Author: Jamie Ford
Like/Don't Like: I wouldn't recommend it
This has been on my radar for a long time now. And I keep thinking that loads of people have recommended it to me. But maybe they were just asking if I had read it and what did I think. Maybe that was it.
Well, here's what I think: meh.
I think it must have been just mentioned rather than recommended because it's about the Japanese Internment and I would never have read a book about that subject unless it had come with high praise. There are few things in American history that make me more incensed than the internment camps. I get all sorts of angry over it. But there's more to the story than just that. There's a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl both living in Seattle during World War II and they fall in love and it keeps jumping back to the Chinese kid as an old man reminiscing about those days. Which isn't a bad story. It was just poorly written. Not even badly written. Just sloppy. And kind of lazy. The author seemed to have used up all of his descriptors by about page 30 and then just kept repeating them. The shift bell at Boeing Field, the "I am Chinese" button the kid wore, his father not speaking to him - all of these things and more just kept coming back. And that made all the other weaknesses in his writing - weaknesses that I probably would have overlooked had it been a stronger story - turn into annoyances.
But my biggest problem was that I didn't really believe the characters. They didn't talk like 12 year olds. They talked like a middle aged guy writing like a 12 year old. They talked like a history teacher. So their relationship seemed phony from the start. But I will say that all of the eye-rolling I did helped with taking my mind off of the injustice that went on in the book.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Pho Century
Restaurant: Pho Century
Location: 1244 W. Foothill, Upland
Like/Don't Like: Yeah, I liked it.
Restaurant Club went Vietnamese tonight and it was pretty tasty. It was just me and Katie so we didn't get to sample as much stuff as I would have liked - and there was a lot to sample from the looks of the menu - but what we had was tasty and the service was great.
K had a steak stir fry that was pretty ordinary except for the garlic butter sauce they fried it in, which was heavenly. And I had the coconut curry soup with chicken and rice noodles. The broth was killer and the noodles were great. I always forget that I don't really like meat in my soup because it is almost always over cooked. This was the case tonight but everything else was so good that I just ate around it. We also tried the cream cheese wontons and an avocado shake, both were great.
The gal who served us was super helpful and explained everything on the menu. And the place was hopping, which is a good sign.
Location: 1244 W. Foothill, Upland
Like/Don't Like: Yeah, I liked it.
Restaurant Club went Vietnamese tonight and it was pretty tasty. It was just me and Katie so we didn't get to sample as much stuff as I would have liked - and there was a lot to sample from the looks of the menu - but what we had was tasty and the service was great.
K had a steak stir fry that was pretty ordinary except for the garlic butter sauce they fried it in, which was heavenly. And I had the coconut curry soup with chicken and rice noodles. The broth was killer and the noodles were great. I always forget that I don't really like meat in my soup because it is almost always over cooked. This was the case tonight but everything else was so good that I just ate around it. We also tried the cream cheese wontons and an avocado shake, both were great.
The gal who served us was super helpful and explained everything on the menu. And the place was hopping, which is a good sign.
Wonderstruck
Book: Wonderstruck
Author: Brian Selznik
Like/Don't Like: Loved.
This is by the same author as The Invention of Hugo Cabert and it is done in the same style of prose and pictures. If you haven't read that one yet you must. Trust your friend. I think it's such a beautiful way to tell a story.
This story was simpler than Hugo's but it still captured my attention from the very beginning. It follows two children, Ben who is living in Minnesota in the 70s and Rose who lives in New York in the 20s and both end up spending a lot of time at the NY Natural History Museum. You know that their stories will connect somehow but it's still very nice getting to that point.
I love how simple the stories are. The pictures aren't anything magnificent but he has a gift of putting little details in each one that are delightful. And I think it's great that he uses real places and events to build a story around.
I made the mistake of starting this at around 11 at night, thinking that I would read a few pages and finish it the next day. By 1 (yes, it does move that quickly) I was done and enchanted.
Author: Brian Selznik
Like/Don't Like: Loved.
This is by the same author as The Invention of Hugo Cabert and it is done in the same style of prose and pictures. If you haven't read that one yet you must. Trust your friend. I think it's such a beautiful way to tell a story.
This story was simpler than Hugo's but it still captured my attention from the very beginning. It follows two children, Ben who is living in Minnesota in the 70s and Rose who lives in New York in the 20s and both end up spending a lot of time at the NY Natural History Museum. You know that their stories will connect somehow but it's still very nice getting to that point.
I love how simple the stories are. The pictures aren't anything magnificent but he has a gift of putting little details in each one that are delightful. And I think it's great that he uses real places and events to build a story around.
I made the mistake of starting this at around 11 at night, thinking that I would read a few pages and finish it the next day. By 1 (yes, it does move that quickly) I was done and enchanted.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Hunger Games
Movie: The Hunger Games
Like/Don't Like: Liked, once my heart started again.
Here's a fact: I do not see movies that are intense or violent or give me a heart attack. I don't like to be in suspense, I don't like to be scared. I don't like watching people running from danger or people killing or being killed.
If I did not love the Hunger Games trilogy so much I would never have gone to see this movie. It would not have even been on my radar because I cover my eyes or change the channel when even commercials for these types of movies come on. And truthfully, it came to a point where I didn't even need to see this movie. The book was more than enough. I would get excited when I would watch the trailer, but that was mostly because it would remind me how much I loved the book. It is well documented here how much I loved it. I mean, you should have all been in my room in the hours that followed my finishing Mockingjay to witness the absolute mess I had become. Strike that, you would have needed a dinghy to float out, I was crying so much. I had a very real and emotional experience with those books.
So really, it was my curiosity that got me to watch the movie. I was hopeful that because Suzanne Collins was so closely involved in its making that it would have the same heart that the books did. And I am relieved to say that it came close-ish.
First off, as a stand alone movie it was pretty great. It is very faithful to the book but it managed to have it's own identity. I think anyone who hasn't read the book wouldn't feel like they've missed out on anything (although, let's be honest and a little judgy here, they're missing out on a lot.) I note this first because most problems I had with the movie had to do with what was missing, but I'll get to that later. On to the things that worked for me.
I LOVED the reaping scenes. Holy cats! Did you just feel like you had a ton of bricks on your chest through the whole thing. All those kids dressed in their shabby best, silently standing there, waiting. It was so quiet...all except for my weeping.
Speaking of sound, I thought that the music was perfection. Especially the lack of music. There were so many moments when any other musical director would have jammed them full of strings and horns. But the music was pretty sparse and when it was played it was dead on. And then I saw that T Bone Burnett was behind it and it all made sense.
One of my biggest apprehensions about seeing the movie was the violence. I have a pretty vivid imagination but when I read a book I can control the images that descriptions will conjure. I can also shut a book or skip a paragraph. But I can only close my eyes in a movie and sometimes that is not enough. I am, above all, a delicate flower. So yes, this was more violence than I care for but I was grateful that their desire to make money (thus getting it a PG-13 rating) overcame their desire to be sensational.
Now, for things I thought could be better. My biggest problem was that I really missed Katniss. The whole book is from her perspective. And there are pages and pages of just her thoughts about her family and Peeta and Gale and the games and being a pawn for the Capitol to play with. So much of the conflict is in her head and most of that is gone in the movie. I get that it's hard to translate that, but I still missed it.
I also would have loved to have seen the reaction of the citizen's of the Capitol throughout the game. I thought it was great that they showed the behind-the scenes stuff of the gamekeepers but it would have been effective to show just what the games mean to the people they make it for.
And on a personal note: when that mutt jumped out of the bushes at Peeta I actually screamed, which was a first for me. I have never screamed in a movie before. Mostly because I don't ever go to movies that would scare me. But I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
Sweet Land of Liberty, this is the longest review. So I'll just end with this. I liked it. I thought it was thrilling and I was so happy that it met whatever low expectations I had and then some. And finally, Stanley Tucci could spend the rest of his career doing nothing but staring into a camera and reciting the periodic table of elements and I would still pay full price to see him.
Like/Don't Like: Liked, once my heart started again.
Here's a fact: I do not see movies that are intense or violent or give me a heart attack. I don't like to be in suspense, I don't like to be scared. I don't like watching people running from danger or people killing or being killed.
If I did not love the Hunger Games trilogy so much I would never have gone to see this movie. It would not have even been on my radar because I cover my eyes or change the channel when even commercials for these types of movies come on. And truthfully, it came to a point where I didn't even need to see this movie. The book was more than enough. I would get excited when I would watch the trailer, but that was mostly because it would remind me how much I loved the book. It is well documented here how much I loved it. I mean, you should have all been in my room in the hours that followed my finishing Mockingjay to witness the absolute mess I had become. Strike that, you would have needed a dinghy to float out, I was crying so much. I had a very real and emotional experience with those books.
So really, it was my curiosity that got me to watch the movie. I was hopeful that because Suzanne Collins was so closely involved in its making that it would have the same heart that the books did. And I am relieved to say that it came close-ish.
First off, as a stand alone movie it was pretty great. It is very faithful to the book but it managed to have it's own identity. I think anyone who hasn't read the book wouldn't feel like they've missed out on anything (although, let's be honest and a little judgy here, they're missing out on a lot.) I note this first because most problems I had with the movie had to do with what was missing, but I'll get to that later. On to the things that worked for me.
I LOVED the reaping scenes. Holy cats! Did you just feel like you had a ton of bricks on your chest through the whole thing. All those kids dressed in their shabby best, silently standing there, waiting. It was so quiet...all except for my weeping.
Speaking of sound, I thought that the music was perfection. Especially the lack of music. There were so many moments when any other musical director would have jammed them full of strings and horns. But the music was pretty sparse and when it was played it was dead on. And then I saw that T Bone Burnett was behind it and it all made sense.
One of my biggest apprehensions about seeing the movie was the violence. I have a pretty vivid imagination but when I read a book I can control the images that descriptions will conjure. I can also shut a book or skip a paragraph. But I can only close my eyes in a movie and sometimes that is not enough. I am, above all, a delicate flower. So yes, this was more violence than I care for but I was grateful that their desire to make money (thus getting it a PG-13 rating) overcame their desire to be sensational.
Now, for things I thought could be better. My biggest problem was that I really missed Katniss. The whole book is from her perspective. And there are pages and pages of just her thoughts about her family and Peeta and Gale and the games and being a pawn for the Capitol to play with. So much of the conflict is in her head and most of that is gone in the movie. I get that it's hard to translate that, but I still missed it.
I also would have loved to have seen the reaction of the citizen's of the Capitol throughout the game. I thought it was great that they showed the behind-the scenes stuff of the gamekeepers but it would have been effective to show just what the games mean to the people they make it for.
And on a personal note: when that mutt jumped out of the bushes at Peeta I actually screamed, which was a first for me. I have never screamed in a movie before. Mostly because I don't ever go to movies that would scare me. But I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
Sweet Land of Liberty, this is the longest review. So I'll just end with this. I liked it. I thought it was thrilling and I was so happy that it met whatever low expectations I had and then some. And finally, Stanley Tucci could spend the rest of his career doing nothing but staring into a camera and reciting the periodic table of elements and I would still pay full price to see him.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Mirror, Mirror
Movie: Mirror, Mirror
Like/Don't Like: It was cute.
Okay, so I saw a Julia Roberts movie before I saw the Hunger Games. Don't judge me people.
And I have to say, that as far as Julia Roberts is concerned, she should stick with being the bad guy. Because we already know that she thinks we're dumb. Right? She doesn't like us at all. So being a meanie totally works for her. And I actually kind of liked her in this, which is a first for me.
It's a spin on Snow White, complete with seven dwarfs and a handsome prince. It was cheesy and predictable, slow in some parts and had a really bizarre Bollywood dance sequence during the end credits. And yet, I was entertained.
Like/Don't Like: It was cute.
Okay, so I saw a Julia Roberts movie before I saw the Hunger Games. Don't judge me people.
And I have to say, that as far as Julia Roberts is concerned, she should stick with being the bad guy. Because we already know that she thinks we're dumb. Right? She doesn't like us at all. So being a meanie totally works for her. And I actually kind of liked her in this, which is a first for me.
It's a spin on Snow White, complete with seven dwarfs and a handsome prince. It was cheesy and predictable, slow in some parts and had a really bizarre Bollywood dance sequence during the end credits. And yet, I was entertained.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Euro Cafe
Restaurant: Euro Cafe
Location: 546 E. Baseline, Claremont, CA 91711
Like/Don't Like: LOVED! So good.
I'm sure everyone in Claremont already knows about this place as Claremontians have the tendency to know everything about everything. So I'm not sure if I should be a little miffed that my Claremont friends have never mentioned it. Whatever, they can make it up to me by meeting me at Bert & Rocky's and buying me ice cream.
Anyway, this place is great. It's billed as Portuguese/Italian so there's a lot of pasta and panini and linguica. The Restaurant Club met up and order a bunch of different things and sampled each other's dishes and everything tasted amazing and very fresh. The cheese on the sandwiches tasted like it was made that day. All the meat was super tender and the pastries were excellent.
The best part was that when we walked in I happened to mention to someone that it was our first time and right as we were sitting down this little old Portuguese man came over and started chatting with us. He was the owner, Joey, and kept stopping by, first with a complimentary appetizer of house-made linguica (delicious) and garlic bread. And then he would stop over to see how the food was. He complimented Heather on her choice of Bife a Portuguesa and decided that she needed a glass of wine to go with it so brought one out to her. And then for me for finding the place. We didn't have the heart to tell him none of us drank. But you know it's a good place when they bring you free food and wine just for giving them a try. On his last stop Joey brought us business cards and showed us a CD he made of him sing Portuguese songs and told us that on the last Saturday of the month he puts on a show there. Dinner and a show? Best place ever.
Location: 546 E. Baseline, Claremont, CA 91711
Like/Don't Like: LOVED! So good.
I'm sure everyone in Claremont already knows about this place as Claremontians have the tendency to know everything about everything. So I'm not sure if I should be a little miffed that my Claremont friends have never mentioned it. Whatever, they can make it up to me by meeting me at Bert & Rocky's and buying me ice cream.
Anyway, this place is great. It's billed as Portuguese/Italian so there's a lot of pasta and panini and linguica. The Restaurant Club met up and order a bunch of different things and sampled each other's dishes and everything tasted amazing and very fresh. The cheese on the sandwiches tasted like it was made that day. All the meat was super tender and the pastries were excellent.
The best part was that when we walked in I happened to mention to someone that it was our first time and right as we were sitting down this little old Portuguese man came over and started chatting with us. He was the owner, Joey, and kept stopping by, first with a complimentary appetizer of house-made linguica (delicious) and garlic bread. And then he would stop over to see how the food was. He complimented Heather on her choice of Bife a Portuguesa and decided that she needed a glass of wine to go with it so brought one out to her. And then for me for finding the place. We didn't have the heart to tell him none of us drank. But you know it's a good place when they bring you free food and wine just for giving them a try. On his last stop Joey brought us business cards and showed us a CD he made of him sing Portuguese songs and told us that on the last Saturday of the month he puts on a show there. Dinner and a show? Best place ever.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)