review

Books!

So.  I promised to review the books I took on holiday …

Uncle_fred

Uncle Fred in the Springtime, by P.G. Wodehouse.  If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – you can’t go wrong with P.G. Wodehouse.  Unless, of course, you are not enamored with British humor; in which case, you will want to back slowly away – pity.  P.G. Wodehouse is most known for his Jeeves and Wooster stories, as well as those of Blandings Castle and Uncle Fred.  Uncle Fred in the Sprintime combines characters from all three – making it especially fun for Wodehouse fans.  It’s a light, easy read – perfect for a lazy summer afternoon. 

Here’s the story:  Pongo Twistleon and his Uncle Fred pay a visit to Blandings Castle as Sir Roderick Glossip and his secretary.  Polly Pott – daughter to private investigator Mustard Pott – joins them in the role of Sir Roderick’s daughter.  Their lofty goal is to prevent the Duke of Dunstable from stealing the Empress of Blandings – Lord Emsworth’s prize pig – and right the wrongs of young lovers.  Love lost, mistaken identities, Persian Monarchs, mickeys-slipped-in-drinks, egg-throwing, and whistling of The Bonny Bonny Banks of Lock Lomand add to the mayhem – and the hilarity.  You have only to sit back and see how Uncle Fred proves, “there are no limits, literally none, to what I can achieve in the sprintime.” 

Ilium, by Dan Simmons.  Yeah, I’ve got nothin’ for ya.  But don’t hold it against Dan Simmons.  This was all me.  Most of the time available to read was in Gothenburg.  Our hotel was on the water.  We’d open the window and settle in for a long evening’s read.  And there lies the rub – I would start to read the book, then I would hear the water lapping against the pier, the seagulls, and all I could think was Hornblower.  As in, Horatio Hornblower.  It was the PERFECT setting to re-read a book from the series.  Why, oh why, didn’t I bring one?  I was actually a bit pouty about the whole scenario.   Pitiful, but there it is.  I will say that the few pages I managed to read seemed well written.  But that would be the height of my review.  At this time.

Up (2009)

Rating:  PG

Genre:  Animation / Family

Verdict:  A triumph!

The gist:  Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) has always dreamed of grand adventure – of discovering the lost lands of South America.  But at 78 it seems all is lost.  Then he fools everyone; one morning he unfurls thousands of balloons and he and his house soar up and away from the sadness and disappointment below.  But he hasn’t left it all behind.  He has a stowaway – 8-year-old Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai).  All Russell wants is to earn his “Assisting the Elderly” badge.  Together, they encounter a pack of talking dogs, an evil adventurer, a rare bird named kevin – and discover the greatest adventure of all. 

My take:  How is it an annimated film can mirror life so realistically?  I don’t know either, but Up proves it to be true.  The animation is, of course, spectacular in detail – but more than that, it’s the life breathed into each character.   Carl and Russell are perfect examples of those easily overlooked in today’s society – children and the elderly.  It’s animation.  And it’s Oscar-worthy.     The screenplay (Bob Peterson and Pete Docter) provides a little something for everyone – action, adventure, romance.  You’ll laugh one minute, cry the next.  But it is the story that makes the film.    And it could not have been released at a more appropriate time.  With more and more people breaking their banks simply to survive, it’s good to be reminded what lifts us up and sets us on our own adventure.

An aside:  If you are at all prone to tears, take heed.  You will bawl.  I’m telling you this now so you’ll be prepared – so you won’t have to cry through 3 rough napkins that came with your kids meal, use the front of your hand, the back of your hand, your sleeve, until the gusher takes over and you are forced to grab the arm of the person sitting next to you – panic stricken – and demand “Kleenex!  I NEED KLEENEX!!!!”   Not that I would know any of this from experience, naturally …

The Soloist (2009)

the_soloist

Life has a mind of its own …

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Drama, Biography

The verdict: Loved

The gist:  Columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) needs a story.  Just when he’s nearly ready to give up on finding anything of any value, he happens upon Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) – a homeless man living in LA’s Skid Row, playing a two-stringed violin.   Amidst his stream of consciousness Ayers mentions he attended Juliard – that he’s “had a few setbacks.”  Lopez discovers that Ayers was never trained on the violin, but the bass, that he did, indeed, attend Juliard for a time, that he dropped out due to mental illness.  Finally, he has his story; but over time, he realizes he has much, much more …

My take:  Based on the book by Steve Lopez, The Soloistis a powerful, heartfelt drama that truly does portray the way in which life has a mind of its own.  Joe Wright orchestrates the film with intent.  Much like life, it’s not clean and tidy.   There are times when the creative direction can be a bit distracting – the voices Ayers hears, for instance.  However, it does give a glimpse at what it would be like – and let’s be serious, it would be a little more than distracting.  Susannah Grant (screenwriter) throws in humor every now and again, so the film does not get overly bogged down with drama.  And the actors – Robert Downey, Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener (who plays Lopez ex-wife) – offer superb performances.  Perhaps one of the most amazing aspects of the film is the humanity.  The cinematography surrounding the homeless and the destitute is awe inspiring in itself – for amidst the chaos, lies a certain dignity.  It is a story of a story … a story of life’s setbacks … of friendship … of letting go … and coming home. 

An aside:  The Soloist has received mixed reviews – possibly more than usual.  More than likely this is dependent upon two things:  The release date was pushed back, which people view as a very bad sign; and the subject matter is difficult.  We like things clean and tidy; things like homelessness or mental illness we’d rather pretend doesn’t exist, or – like Lopez – we want them fixed.  Railing against these points, however, is a pity – because so much is missed.  The performances truly are Oscar-worthy.   And the story – while it may be difficult at times – is one we should hear.  If you’ve been wondering whether or not to spend your time and money on this film, I would recommend it.