REVIEWS
This is a new page which aims to give brief reviews of things I have enjoyed - films, music, books, TV, theatre etc., which I hope will encourage people to investigate further.
*FILM REVIEWS 2009*
I haven't seen much to inspire me since the Oscars, but here are a few of the films that have impressed me in the past year..
***** The second in the new Batman series. A good film with excellent performances by all the principals, particularly Heath Ledger's tour de force as the Joker. Well plotted, lots of action and fun
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**** A good film, quite chilling, considering the story was true. Jolie is very good as the single mother whose son is abducted - She doesn't seem to be able to decide whether she wants to be a serious actress or a 'kick-ass' action hero.
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*** Strong performances from Meryl Streep Philip Seymour-Hoffman and Amy Adams. A dark tale of possible child abuse in a Catholic school (but there is lots of doubt) :-) |
**** The fifth film in the Harry Potter saga, 'The Half-blood Prince' keeps the story going as the hunt for Voldemort hots up. Not the best of the films, but still pretty good and, my, haven't they grown! Only two films left. How will we cope? What will they call the last two? Parts I&II?
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**** Kate Winslet as impressive as ever in a fine, very sad film about a lonely woman who allows her life to be destroyed because of her shame at her illiteracy. Big questions about collective guilt in the Nazi era. |
**** The multi-Oscar winner and a very good film indeed, although didn't quite live up to the hype for me. Outstanding performances for the mainly young cast
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I have been listening to lots of opera lately, particularly coloratura sopranos. Here are a few of my favourites plus three of my favourite 'pop' albums of recent times
Click on the links to learn more.
German soprano from Günzberg an der Donau,who tends to concentrate on Mozart.Two solo albums -Arie di bravura is a good starting point
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French diva with an amazing range. Miracle d'une voix is an excellent introduction. Probably my current favourite
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Prodigious Russian talent with an extensive catalogue. Recently lauded for her performance in Bellini's I Capuleti e I Montecchi. Lots of good albums to choose from as the link shows.
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Lily Allen - It's not Me it's You **** The second album by the feisty chanteuse. Even better than the highly regarded first effort. Lots of super songs. My favourite is probably 'Who'd of known' (despite the appalling grammar!)
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Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid ***** Quite simply, a stunning album which has at last brought deserved recognition to Elbow. Won the Mercury Prize last year. Every track is superb, but if I had to choose one it would have to be 'One Day Like This'
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Muse - The Resistance **** The eagerly awaited new album from the very talented lads from Teignmouth. Only just got this, so haven't got my head round it properly, but it is well up to the standard one has come to expect.
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***** The When Will There Be Good News? is the best book I have read this year. Wonderful characters, complicated (to the extent of confusing!) plot and beautifully written. A Must Read.
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***** ......closely followed by the first of the Millenium trilogy by the Swedish author who died shortly after completing the set. You have to read them all in sequence. The second The Girl who played with Fire is also excellent and the final part The Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest is out on 1st October 2009.
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*** One of the In Death series which now number about 25 books. The heroine, Eve Dallas is a NY detective in the middle of the 21st century. Light reading, but good fun.
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*** Silesian Station is set in Berlin just before the start of WW2 and paints a good picture of life under the Hitler régime. The main character is a journalist and spy who works for the Americans, Russians and Germans, playing the laast two against each other. Others in the series are Zoo Station and Stettin Station
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***** The Book Thief is a delight. Officially categorised as 'Young Adult' fiction, it is eminently suitable for all ages. It tells the tale of a young girl who is sent to live with foster parents near Munich during the war. I dare you not to like it!
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**** The Road Home is the tale of a Polish immigrant in England looking for work and money to enable him to support his mother and daughter in his homeland and eventually to take the eponymous road home. Well written and quite moving, without being sentimental
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