It’s 4 o’clock in the morning, and I’m trying to polish a manuscript and do other things to prepare for the GRW Moonlight and Magnolias conference this weekend. What I need, a least for the moment, is a respite. What do I choose? The Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is a wonderful children’s story by Frances…
Some movies I love because they are romantic; some because they are thought-provoking; and some because of their outstanding production. The Painted Veil offers all three of these qualities in one beautiful, tidy package. Kitty is a happy-go-lucky party girl in the Roaring 20’s whose family fears she has missed her chance for a good marriage. She…
I took my own advice and focused the last few days on contacting those I care about and doing the things that I SHOULD be doing instead of just what I want to do (like writing!). Today I’m playing catch up so consider this a two-fer, talking about two of my favorite stories instead of…
Before they were Black Widow and Captain America, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans were co-stars in this little movie about a young woman right out of college who takes a job as a nanny for a very wealthy Manhattan family. Full of clichés and stereotypes, it is extremely satisfying for that very reason. Stereotype #1: Our…
I’m a sucker for a Cinderella story, and in this regard Stardust is extremely satisfying. Based on a book by Neil Gaimon, it is the story of Tristan (Charlie Cox), a boy too mild-mannered, soft-spoken and poor to win the heart of the love of his life, Victoria (Sienna Miller). She has pledged her allegiance to Humphrey, a…
Calvary, starring Brendan Gleeson and Chris O’Dowd, was a birthday gift from my son, whose experience with films is far broader than my own. He really does bring me the most interesting movies, usually smaller pictures by well-regarded filmmakers. He knows what I like and so has rarely steered me wrong. The film opens with a…
It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and I’m making deviled eggs and chocolate chip cookies for the annual Super Bowl party. My entertainment of choice: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Why do I love this movie? First of all, Walter (Ben Stiller) is a true everyman who is thrown into a series of extraordinary circumstances, and he…
