Well, maybe I shouldn’t say we. Roy did watch the recommended movie below, but Roy has not read the book I am about to recommend. I don’t usually recommend books. I love to read, but at times it seems like I am the only one. I hope reading actual books isn’t becoming a lost past time. On the other hand, I do have a Kindle, and I absolutely love it, especially for traveling.
Emily and Einstein - This is a book by Linda Francis Lee. I have never read any of her work before, and after reading this book, I wonder why? I read little write ups about this book in a few of my women’s magazines, and thought it sounded interesting. Quick synopsis: There is a young couple - both beautiful, both rather successful in their chosen professions, but all isn’t what it seems. Emily loves her husband, Sandy, dearly and wants nothing more than to make her marriage work. Sandy, not so much. And before anything can be done, Sandy is killed in an accident, but he is given a second chance to make things right, but he must do so in the form of Einstein - an ugly, little mutt that Emily ends up adopting. I thought, from the brief write ups that I read, that this would be a simple story of a man helping his grieving wife move on with her life. Instead we are greeted with a selfish, childish man that was unhappy and took it out on his wife. And even with a second chance to make things right, Sandy almost blows it yet again. But in the end, things work out. Yes that is overly simplistic, but this is such a lovely little book that I just don’t want to give too much away. Not only is this book touching, but it has one of the best lines I have read in many years:
“In order to live a life truly worth living you had to have strength in the face of adversity, patience when confronted with challenge, and bravery in the face of fear.”
I think those are lessons we can all aspire too, and to think I learned that from a dog! If you like to read, check out this book.
The Fighter - Ok, not a book, a movie. I have wanted to see this ever since I heard about it a year ago. I like Mark Wahlberg and am a big fan of Amy Adams, so I couldn’t wait for this one. Plus, it’s the story of an underdog that makes good… what’s not to love? I admit that Roy and I spent a good part of the movie trying to figure out exactly what was going on with the clothing and the women’s hairstyles. From what I gather this movie was set in the 90’s, but the clothing was more 80’s. I wrote that off as the movie being set in a small, perhaps dying town… but there is just no excuse for Mark Wahlberg’s denim shirt in a pivotal scene from the movie… and Christian Bale’s wardrobe… honestly, not sure where they got it, but I won’t dwell on it. Let’s move on to the hair… Melissa Leo, amazing actress, strong role - but her hair? How much hair spray was used on this set? How many combs were broken with all the teasing going on? And ladies, if you were a teen or young adults in the 80’s, you know what I’m talking about. Anyways, Amy Adams really lucked out here - no exaggerated hair, makeup, or clothing for her. But the movie itself, honestly, belonged to Christian Bale. Not one of my favorite actors, but he took the role of Dicky Eklund, a down on his luck boxer that has turned to crack, and ran with it. His Oscar was well deserved for this role, and I was happy when he seemed to come back at the end and was there for his brother. Oops… brother, played by Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg played Micky Ward a boxer that relied on his iron fists to take down many a man. Wahlberg had just the right amount of intensity here, not over the top, and with those clothes, HAD he gone over the top, I think I might have laughed. But he played Ward as a man struggling to follow his dreams, while staying loyal to a brother he couldn’t count on and a mother that was never there for him. Melissa Leo, played “Ma” (Alice Ward), a woman that was simply in love with her firstborn. As a mother, I applauded her loyalty to Bale’s character, but also a mother, I wanted to slap her! She turned a blind eye to Dicky’s drug addiction, and strong armed everyone else into doing the same. Not the way to handle someone addicted to such a powerful drug. But, Leo embraced the role of the tough talking, hard hearted Alice, and while her portrayal was amazing, I wish Amy Adams had won the Oscar. Adams played Charlene, the woman Micky falls in love with (and marries in real life). Charlene was tough, but her love for Micky was clear. She stood up for him, when even he couldn’t, and she helped him realize his dream. Plus she kicked some serious butt in one scene that I couldn’t help but laugh at.
So, one great book, one great movie. If it’s a rainy night or day and you want to just bundle up on the couch, check out either of these… you won’t be disappointed.
Ohh… and if neither of these appeals to you, you could always check out Zombie Strippers.
