Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Picture Book Review: Put Me in the Zoo
Put Me in the Zoo, by Robert Lopshire, Random House, New York, 1960.
Some animals just aren't fit for the zoo. In this case we have a large cat, that can do many things with its spots. But is it appropriate for the zoo? It is not. It is terrific the way the illustrator puts those spots all over everything. And as often happens, this large cat finally found his place to shine.
Some animals just aren't fit for the zoo. In this case we have a large cat, that can do many things with its spots. But is it appropriate for the zoo? It is not. It is terrific the way the illustrator puts those spots all over everything. And as often happens, this large cat finally found his place to shine.
Monday, April 3, 2017
Book Review: The Wide Window: A Series of Unfortunate Events: Book the Third
The Wide Window: A Series of Unfortunate Events: Book the Third, by Lemony Snicket, illustrations by Brett Helquist, Scholastic Inc, New York, 2000.
This is the continuing sage of the Baudelaire children and their nemesis Count Olaf. In this story, the children are placed with a well meaning guardian, but who is so overwhelmed by her own fears she is unable to provide a good home. They always eat cold food because she is afraid of the stove. She is also afraid of the phone and just about everything else. This is since her husband was eaten by leaches which live in the lake lake next to their home. In the end, she runs away and hides, leaving everyone thinking she had committed suicide. They important lesson the children are learning is that as a team they are pretty formidable. However they each have their own part to play, even Sunny the baby. Violet figures things out, Klaus knows about books, and maps, and Sunny is good as just doing what needs to be done. The banker continues to be a fool, and often makes decisions which are harmful to the children. And the Count keeps coming back, this time as a sea Captain.
I am still having fun with this series of books.
I have been looking more closely at the illustrations in light of the illustrator being a graduate of BYU. The front cover has a color picture and the rest is sketches. However I am intrigued how with lines, a person can make ruffled clothing, or waves of an angry ocean. very well done.
This is the continuing sage of the Baudelaire children and their nemesis Count Olaf. In this story, the children are placed with a well meaning guardian, but who is so overwhelmed by her own fears she is unable to provide a good home. They always eat cold food because she is afraid of the stove. She is also afraid of the phone and just about everything else. This is since her husband was eaten by leaches which live in the lake lake next to their home. In the end, she runs away and hides, leaving everyone thinking she had committed suicide. They important lesson the children are learning is that as a team they are pretty formidable. However they each have their own part to play, even Sunny the baby. Violet figures things out, Klaus knows about books, and maps, and Sunny is good as just doing what needs to be done. The banker continues to be a fool, and often makes decisions which are harmful to the children. And the Count keeps coming back, this time as a sea Captain.
I am still having fun with this series of books.
I have been looking more closely at the illustrations in light of the illustrator being a graduate of BYU. The front cover has a color picture and the rest is sketches. However I am intrigued how with lines, a person can make ruffled clothing, or waves of an angry ocean. very well done.
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Movie Review: ***Cocoon: The Return (1988)
The original Cocoon movie was new and fresh, while this movie seems like a rerun of the original. Not very fresh nor novel, but just replayed. Most of the original characters are here again. the Maritime Institute actually finds one of the cocoons. Fortunately Sara (Courteney Cox) is sympathetic, and they are able to steal the alien back, after the cocoon had been opened. Actors playing the older people home for visit include Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn and Gwen Verdon. The four old guys playing basketball against a young crowd was a bit of a stretch. Jack Gilford plays the friend they left behind, and Elaine Stritch his new girlfriend of sorts; however he has difficulty leaving his wife'e memory out of things. Kitty (Tahnee Welch) the beautiful alien and Jack (Steve Guttenberg) rekindle their love relationship. In the end, only one couple, the pregnant couple, decide to return. they need the benefit of no health issues to assure the baby will be OK. All the others decide to stay.
Movie Review: ****^ Beauty and the Beast (2017)
This is a classic made even more so by this version. Emma Watson as Belle does well, and Dan Stevens as the beast, with his booming bass voice is stupendous. I don't like that they cut the songs of Gaston (Luke Evans) for the most part. Josh Gad played LeFou, and Kevin Kline plays Belle's father Maurice. Of the animated characters Ewan McGregor plays Lumiere, Ian McKellan portrays Cogsworth and Emma Thompson, Mrs. Potts. the part of the film that had me in tears was as Mrs. Potts sang the classic song "Beauty and the Beast." As the couple danced and Emma Thompson sang, it is one of those Disney moments to cherish. It seems there is at least one such moment in all the Disney musicals. Also of note is Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe. At the beginning of the movie, she intones a beautiful song. She is turned into the wardrobe. there are four original songs in the movie. Consequently the additional songs from the musical were left out. Alan Menken returned to write the additional music.
This is a must see. It seems they left out some of the Gaston stuff I would have liked to have seen. I think they didn't want his character to be lovable at all. In fact when he fell at the end of the movie, a child said "Ha ha" and people laughed. And yes, Emma Watson was beautiful as Belle. She had the touch of pizazz that this character needs.
This is a must see. It seems they left out some of the Gaston stuff I would have liked to have seen. I think they didn't want his character to be lovable at all. In fact when he fell at the end of the movie, a child said "Ha ha" and people laughed. And yes, Emma Watson was beautiful as Belle. She had the touch of pizazz that this character needs.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Movie Review: The Yearling
This movie has a double meaning, is the yearling the deer, or is the yearling the boy. Here we have a family living on the frontier. They have had hardship, with two babies passing away. They have one son remaining. Mother (Jane Wyman) is embittered by the deaths, while father (Gregory Peck) does what he can to bring her out of her depression. Their son, Jody (Claude Jarmon Jr.), is caught in the middle. During this film, Jody grows up considerable. Part of that growing, he takes over more and more of the farming work as his father is laid up. His father allows him to adopt a fawn. This does great wonders for his esteem; however when the deer starts eating everything they plant, their lives are at stake. The deer just won't learn different. The inevitable has to happen, but even so Jody runs off. He intends to make it to the river, but in the end he can't leave things this way and returns.
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole IZ in Concert Full Live Album YouTube
Much of this concert is in Hawaiian, so I didn't understand much. However Israel made beautiful music with both his ukulele and his voice. Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole was a large man with a large heart. This concert was presented in Las Vegas. This concert does not include "Over the rainbow" or "What a Wonderful World."
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