~reading, watching, listening~

~reading~

I've been reading Larry Moss' Intent to Live as research for my novel (one of the protagonists is a professional actor), but it has proved a surprising writing resource as well, since he delves very deeply into how to portray a character on stage or screen.  Much of what he discusses can easily translate to writing character as well.  This book will be staying with my writing resources after this novel is done.  I have Stella Adler's book and a book on character by Stanislavsky on my stack as well. 

I also started Madeline L'Engle's Irrational Season, and it is magnificent.  The third chapter on marriage is particularly wonderful (I picked up her longer book on the same topic and will get to it soon).  I started and finished Ulrich Lehner's God is Not Nice, which is excellent, and have made good progress on David Bentley Hart's Experience of God.  I'm still poking my way through Mere Christianity (a re-read) and have a bunch of novel-related things on my stack.  I did start re-reading Gorky Park a few weeks ago, but put it aside to focus on reading for the novel instead. 


~watching~

I watched the first season of The Mentalist recently.  I only watched that show sporadically when I would visit my parents (they were fans) and I enjoyed it, but never thought to look it up on amazon.  I had a small Simon Baker kick in November (I watched Something New for the fourth or fifth time; I love that film so much).  I enjoyed the first season of the Mentalist, but Amazon's pricing system for later seasons is a little weird, so I'm taking a break for now.  I also rewatched Medici and loved it even more. 

I've also seen some wonderful films in the past couple of months and thought I would pass along the titles.

1. A Year and Change: this passion project by Brian Greenburg is a wonderful portrait of post-secular middle America, and the character arc for the main protagonist is amazing to watch.  I thoroughly enjoyed this film and still find myself thinking about it several weeks later.

2. Fugitive Pieces: I saw this when it first came out about a decade ago, and enjoyed it, but I don't think I fully understood it.  I needed to be older, I think.  I rewatched it this week and it is amazing.  Stephen Dillane is a particular favorite of mine, and he is so subtle and heartbreaking in this film.  The emotional journey he undertakes is riveting to watch. 

3. You Before Me:  I know this film has been controversial, but I found it quite interesting, and am still thinking about it.  Sam Claflin is an actor to watch, I think, and Emilia Clarke is so likeable in this film.  Janet McTeer and Charles Dance are also wonderful.

4. The Secret Scripture: I don't even know where to start with this film. It is heartbreaking, moving, wonderful.  The story is wrenching, and the acting is incredible.  I did find a few things about one of the storylines slightly predictable, but overall, a wonderfully complex and rich story.

5. My King (Moi Roi): this is a recent French film that gave me a new appreciation for Vincent Cassel as an actor.  (As a random aside, I know a Russian priest who resembles him quite strongly; it is a strange thing).  It is a hard story to watch in some ways, as it is about a relationship that self-destructs over time, but it is so truthful and well-wrought, you just can't stop watching it to see how it unfolds. 

6. Thor: Ragnorok: I went to an actual theater and saw this in October.  It.Was.Fantastic.  Everything everyone has said about it and more.  It was hilarious, it stayed true to the characters established in previous movies, but also moved them through time and had authentic emotional journeys.  I particularly enjoyed the brother relationship between Thor and Loki in this one.  I can't really say much else about the storyline without spoiling anything, but I will say it is well worth the watch.  There is so much hilarity in it.  I was laughing through the whole thing.  It is wonderfully self-aware.  (It reminded me a bit of the way Twilight's Eclipse laughed at itself, but stayed true to the novel and the emotional story).

7. Child 44 (rewatch): I read the book on which this movie is based a number of years ago (it is an excellent novel, but chilling) and watched the film version when it first came out on video.  I rewatched it last week some time and was riveted by Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace.  The storyline is a bit uneven as adapted from the book, but the production values of the film are very high, and I liked the atmosphere of the whole thing.  Plus: Gary Oldman.  He's amazing.

8. Walk the Line: I watched this mostly because I've been listening to Johnny Cash on and off this fall, and was curious about his story.  The movie is excellent, and deserved the awards it received, but I admit I wasn't as riveted by the story as I was by I Saw The Light.  The performances by Joaquim Phoenix and Reece Witherspoon were amazing, but I just wasn't as interested. 

I finished season 3 of Outlander (nicely done, especially the Boston episodes; I have Big Thoughts about the changes from the book this season, but don't want to write them here just now.  Maybe later.  Connie Vernak is better at hilarious recaps than me anyway).  I want to watch Richard Armitage's new film Pilgrimage.  It appeals to me on so many levels.  Plus: Richard Armitage.  I'm looking forward to Aardman's Early Man film, which is supposed to release next year some time.  (And of course, Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.  I might even go see them in the theaters!  Fancy that!!)  Counterpart and The Last Post look interesting on amazon, as does Bright on Netflix.  I can't decide about finishing Berlin Station.  It's on amazon now, but I found the first three episodes hard going because the material is so gritty and the characters (aside from Richard Armitage's) so unlikeable.  I was basically hanging on for him.  But it has a second season now, so I don't know.  Maybe I'll give it another go.

~listening~

I've had Ed Sheeran's Divide and Multiply albums on repeat for the last few months.  I just added Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour to the mix.  A bit of James Arthur.  I'm ashamed to say that I liked two songs from Taylor Swift's latest album enough to get them on iTunes (Gorgeous and Call It What You Want).  A bit of Florence + the Machine, but I think I've burned out on that.  Hank Williams, of course.  I keep thinking I might be getting done with Ed Sheeran, and then I realize I still want to listen to it.  I have this eclectic playlist on my little ipod shuffle that I listen to when I walk to get the kids from school in the afternoons, and includes all of the above plus a few more things from Bon Iver, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Anna Clendening, and some songs I'm forgetting. I keep revising it every couple of weeks, taking some things out, putting new things in.  The Sam Smith album is wonderful.  I also got back into Adele and really like her 25 album.  I am disappointed by Sting's latest album, 57th and 9th.  I want to like it, being a nearly life-long Sting fan, but I just can't get into it.  I loved The Last Ship, but I'm one of those weirdos who loved The Soul Cages too (apparently, there is a small group of us fans that love those two albums particularly).  I guess I like songs that tell a story. 

I've also been listening to Capella Romana a lot this fall.  Like, A LOT.  Mostly Lay Aside All Earthly Cares and Angelic Light.  I don't care for their Byzantine albums as much.  I like the Finnish Light album quite well.  I'm eager to start listening to Christmas music, but my husband doesn't want to hear it until Christmas day, so I have to wait a bit.  I do have a couple of albums that I find are appropriate for Advent (The King's Singers Christmas, Advent at Ephesus, and Sting's If On A Winter's Night seem to hit that sweet spot of anticipation for me).