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Book/Movie Recs: All About Relationships Edition
Saturday, October 16th, 2010 05:43 pmIt's not on purpose that all three of these link together; I didn't set out to read and view material that was all on the same subject. It's an odd coincidence, especially when I started to consider what the true nature of the third entry was. :)
In Books:
The Marriage of True Minds, by Stephen Evans: I want to say that this book is determinedly odd, but in the best way. Nick and Lena, two attorneys, are still working out the details of their divorce and the relationship following that. It does not help that Nick is claiming he's had visions and when the book opens, has been sent to a mental institution. Two people who are in serious denial about their true feelings for themselves and one another blunder back and forth towards each other in this quick read. There's a lot of snappy dialogue along the way, including this gem where Nick confronts his nemesis:
"Preston paused. 'You object to euthanasia?'
Nick nodded. 'Too many syllables.'"
The Night Bookmobile, by Audrey Niffenegger: Some relationships strengthen us; others tears us down. This book tackles one that does both: the relationship people have with books and reading. The main character, Lexi, encounters "the night bookmobile" in downtown Chicago after a fight with her boyfriend. The books inside of it turn out to be every book she has ever read in her life, the same exact copies. (When she's not finished a particular book, its pages are blank, waiting to be filled with the ending.) The librarian is polite but firm that she cannot borrow any of them and eventually kicks her out around dawn. As the years pass, and Lexi doesn't spot the bookmobile again, her obsession grows. She reads carefully and consciously, wanting to see her library expand. In the end... well, in typical Niffenegger fashion, it's not comforting, but it's satisfying. The illustrations she's done for this are loving and beautifully colored. This is an excellent read for the bibliophiles in your life, or for yourself, and it's fun to contemplate: just what's in my library?
At the Movies:
RED: This is a romance novel, in disguise, aimed squarely at men. With a lot of action trappings, of course, and a ton of action/comic book movie cliches trying to disguise its true nature. And this isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it; in fact, I think with some judicious editing, this could be a very solid little movie with a lot of laughs that both sexes could enjoy even-handedly. There are numerous wonderful visual touches, like a stuffed pink pig that plays a small but pivotal role; a lot of Mythbusters-ready can they really DO that?! stunts; and a simple repeated motif of romance novel covers. Helen Mirren, being made of awesome on all levels, steals every scene she's in. (My favorite scene involves her ditching her heels for combat boots while wearing a gorgeous white evening gown.) The romance novels crack me up the most: the film opens with Bruce Willis' character awkwardly carrying on a phone flirtation with Mary-Louise Parker's character. They bond over disdain for intrusive co-workers, Willis' attempt at growing a plant, and Parker's reading of romance novels. Willis carefully copies down the titles and reads them in bed at the same time she does, which is pretty much on the d'aaaawwwww cute end of things, especially considering that he can't believe she might actually "like" him as much as he likes her. It's even more d'awwwww when the final scene appears to be the two of them on a romance novel cover--love conquers all! Yay! And along the way, there's some explosions, property damage, and hand-to-hand fighting that keeps the movie squarely in "guy" territory. Parker eventually comes around to Willis' awkward attempts at wooing her (and I do mean awkward; he effectively kidnaps her by way of a real-life introduction) and is steadfastly on his side when confronted by the baddies 2/3 of the movie later. Meanwhile, Willis never loses his macho charisma or his smirk. It's all very masculine, without any of those pesky "feelings" or conversations. And it's a ton of fun. See it just to see Helen Mirren handling a series of guns with steely-eyed determination and concentration.
In Books:
The Marriage of True Minds, by Stephen Evans: I want to say that this book is determinedly odd, but in the best way. Nick and Lena, two attorneys, are still working out the details of their divorce and the relationship following that. It does not help that Nick is claiming he's had visions and when the book opens, has been sent to a mental institution. Two people who are in serious denial about their true feelings for themselves and one another blunder back and forth towards each other in this quick read. There's a lot of snappy dialogue along the way, including this gem where Nick confronts his nemesis:
"Preston paused. 'You object to euthanasia?'
Nick nodded. 'Too many syllables.'"
The Night Bookmobile, by Audrey Niffenegger: Some relationships strengthen us; others tears us down. This book tackles one that does both: the relationship people have with books and reading. The main character, Lexi, encounters "the night bookmobile" in downtown Chicago after a fight with her boyfriend. The books inside of it turn out to be every book she has ever read in her life, the same exact copies. (When she's not finished a particular book, its pages are blank, waiting to be filled with the ending.) The librarian is polite but firm that she cannot borrow any of them and eventually kicks her out around dawn. As the years pass, and Lexi doesn't spot the bookmobile again, her obsession grows. She reads carefully and consciously, wanting to see her library expand. In the end... well, in typical Niffenegger fashion, it's not comforting, but it's satisfying. The illustrations she's done for this are loving and beautifully colored. This is an excellent read for the bibliophiles in your life, or for yourself, and it's fun to contemplate: just what's in my library?
At the Movies:
RED: This is a romance novel, in disguise, aimed squarely at men. With a lot of action trappings, of course, and a ton of action/comic book movie cliches trying to disguise its true nature. And this isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it; in fact, I think with some judicious editing, this could be a very solid little movie with a lot of laughs that both sexes could enjoy even-handedly. There are numerous wonderful visual touches, like a stuffed pink pig that plays a small but pivotal role; a lot of Mythbusters-ready can they really DO that?! stunts; and a simple repeated motif of romance novel covers. Helen Mirren, being made of awesome on all levels, steals every scene she's in. (My favorite scene involves her ditching her heels for combat boots while wearing a gorgeous white evening gown.) The romance novels crack me up the most: the film opens with Bruce Willis' character awkwardly carrying on a phone flirtation with Mary-Louise Parker's character. They bond over disdain for intrusive co-workers, Willis' attempt at growing a plant, and Parker's reading of romance novels. Willis carefully copies down the titles and reads them in bed at the same time she does, which is pretty much on the d'aaaawwwww cute end of things, especially considering that he can't believe she might actually "like" him as much as he likes her. It's even more d'awwwww when the final scene appears to be the two of them on a romance novel cover--love conquers all! Yay! And along the way, there's some explosions, property damage, and hand-to-hand fighting that keeps the movie squarely in "guy" territory. Parker eventually comes around to Willis' awkward attempts at wooing her (and I do mean awkward; he effectively kidnaps her by way of a real-life introduction) and is steadfastly on his side when confronted by the baddies 2/3 of the movie later. Meanwhile, Willis never loses his macho charisma or his smirk. It's all very masculine, without any of those pesky "feelings" or conversations. And it's a ton of fun. See it just to see Helen Mirren handling a series of guns with steely-eyed determination and concentration.
