Monthly Archives: February 2013

The Fallen Star, by Jessica Sorensen (2011)

Posted on February 28, 2013 by tom

The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen My rating: 4 of 5 stars Gemma is the quintessential loner. She lives with her emotionally distant grandparents, and spends all of her time at school completely alone. Unlike most teenaged girls, whose emotions … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Paranormal, series, Young Adult | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Wonderland…sorta: Malice in Wonderland (2009), and Alice (1988)

Posted on February 26, 2013 by tom

Because it’s my night off–and because I’m on cold meds–I found two retellings of “Alice in Wonderland,” and figured they’d be perfect. “Malice in Wonderland” was first. A young American woman is hit by a taxi, and finds herself with … Continue reading →

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Becket (1964)

Posted on February 25, 2013 by tom

Montgomery Clift once said, “Richard Burton doesn’t act. He just recites.” In the 1964 film “Becket”–a film based verrrry loosely on the relationship between King Henry II and Thomas a Becket–Burton was cast as Beckett, alongside Peter O’Toole as Henry. … Continue reading →

Posted in Academy Award Nominees, Academy Award Winners, Classics, Films, Period Picture ("Costume Drama") | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Who, What, Where, When, Die, by Amanda M. Lee (2011)

Posted on February 24, 2013 by tom

Who, What, Where, When, Die by Amanda M. Lee My rating: 4 of 5 stars Avery Shaw’s life is anything but boring. How can it be when the mother of a naked, armed man, dancing to Eminem, dumps coffee on … Continue reading →

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“My Cross to Bear,” by Gregg Allman (2012)

Posted on February 22, 2013 by tom

My Cross to Bear by Gregg Allman My rating: 4 of 5 stars “If I fell over dead right now, I have led some kind of life.” That’s Gregg Allman near the end of “My Cross to Bear,” and after … Continue reading →

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XXY (2007)

Posted on February 20, 2013 by tom

One of the difficulties of being a teenager is dealing with sex. Sure, there’s the question of whether or not to have it–or with whom–but I’m referring to broader issues, like how one fits him or herself into the sexual … Continue reading →

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Radio Bikini (1988)

Posted on February 19, 2013 by tom

“Radio Bikini” is aptly named. Much of the audio in this amazing 52-minute documentary  comes from the Mutual and NBC Radio Networks’ coverage of “Operation Crossroads,” where the U.S. Army and Navy conducted two atomic bomb tests. It’s galling to … Continue reading →

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Clapton: The Autobiography, by Eric Clapton (2007)

Posted on February 14, 2013 by tom

Clapton by Eric Clapton My rating: 4 of 5 stars I should confess, I’ve been a huge Eric Clapton fan for far more years than I care to admit. When I was in high school, I played guitar, and just … Continue reading →

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Damascus Road, by Ellen C. Maze

Posted on February 12, 2013 by tom

Damascus Road by Ellen C. Maze My rating: 1 of 5 stars As much as I liked book one in The Corescu Chronicles–“The Judging”–I disliked this second installment twice as much. “The Judging” was amazingly interesting to me. It worked … Continue reading →

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My Demon, by Lisa Hinsley (2011)

Posted on February 11, 2013 by tom

My Demon by Lisa Hinsley My rating: 5 of 5 stars I wonder whether Alex would have found her demon, if only she hadn’t smoked that new weed her boyfriend got. However, Alexandra Walker did get high that night, she … Continue reading →

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