Thursday, November 2, 2017

October 2017 Reading/Watching/Listening

READING

My Mother Was Nuts by Penny Marshall - This has been on my list for a long time. It was so good. Seriously, five out of five stars. Her life was fascinating and I loved how she handled everything. I just want to be a cross between Penny Marshall and Dolly Parton. I didn't realize she had directed so many movies I love. I have seen and re-watched all of them except for one. However, there was a section of this book that gave me that yucky feeling in my stomach. I don't expect funny people to have funny life stories - quite the opposite - and her story isn't really sad, but there was something about it. First, her child was sort of taken from her and sort of abandoned by her when she was only a few years old. As a mom of a toddler, that was horrifying. I don't judge her.




I just can't imagine being separated from my child. The thought makes me ill. I know there are moms like that and I'm obsessed by their thought process and feelings about not being the primary care giver. Then she describes her life in L.A. and  reading about L.A. during the 60s and 70s gave me a sort of nostalgic dread. I could acutely feel the permanent loss of a time before the internet and cell phones and it crushed me. The book did end on a high note and there were a lot of lessons to be learned from how she approaches her life and work. Highly recommend even if you're not into celebrity memoirs.

The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly - #19 in the 20 book series about an L.A. cop/detective - very Raymond Chandler and The Big Sleep.* I'm pretty sure I've read them all except for the newest one. They are so good. The plots are great and the characters** are well-developed, even the one-off characters for each story.

*I think I'll pick up this series next.
**Male characters - The women in Connelly's books have either slept with Harry or are going to sleep with Harry. It was beyond annoying and noticeable. There was no sex in this book. There was a female detective who Harry deemed competent and a good cop, but she was a lesbian, so sex was taken out of the equation and her treatment was problematic - can't expand, because it would be a spoiler. I hope the change in tone with these female characters is a sign that Connelly is working toward a better approach to them in his writing.

WATCHING

Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (Netflix) - I've read Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights. I was so surprised that I enjoyed those books. I don't understand her celebrity. I imagine her demographic consists of people whose IQs are 7,000 points higher than mine. I feel like a kid accessing and sort of understanding something only the cool kids get to experience. I really liked this documentary, because it seemed more about her and less about her in relation to someone else even when they were discussing those other someones. It's not a feel good documentary and I made the mistake of watching it after reading some hard parts in My Mother Was Nuts. It really put me in some type of mood. Highly recommend, but it's a downer.

Favorite quote from one of her books read in the doc: "She's coming to terms with the meaninglessness of experience and that's what everyone who lives in Los Angeles essentially has to come terms with, because none of it seems to mean anything."

Our Souls at Night (Netflix) - Book adaptation starring Jane Fonda and Robert Redford. It had potential, but it was a little too shallow. More of a Lifetime movie of the week and forgettable.

Maron (Seasons 1-4 on Netflix) - I picked this back up and it turned out to be better than average. I'd have it playing on my phone with one earbud in for background noise while I work.

Gracie and Frankie (Netflix) - I keep trying to get into it, but it's not happening. It has such potential, but Lily Tomlin's character is so annoying.

Tony Robbins: I am Not Your Guru (Netflix) - I have no idea why I watched this, but I am glad that I did. Even if you're not into self-help, it's a fascinating look at what he does and the lengths people will go to find some healing. There are some horrifying stories and it's definitely not appropriate for children. You'll feel good when you're done watching it, though.

Schitt's Creek (Season 3 on Neflix) (also on Prime) - This is the warmest, weirdest show. So funny, too. Not to sound cheesy, but this season has a lot of heart. (Blech. I can't believe I just typed that, but it's true!!!) Each season has been better than the last.

Better Things  (Season 2 on FX) - The summary would be "a show about a single mom who is an actress," but it's nothing like that. It's about being a woman and a person and living. This season is better than last season if that's even possible. It's great at showing that someone can be an amazing person and still be deeply flawed and sometimes do fucked up things. It's rare to see that in a female character. It's not even "she's complicated." She's a whole and real person. I want to cry thinking about how few of these characters there are and how much girls and women need/want to see them. Or is it just me?

Stranger Things (Season 1 on Netflix) - Tried to get into it for the second time and nope.

John Wick: Chapter 2 (HBO? Showtime?) - Shite. Utter shite. Too bad, because I really liked the first one.

Assassin's Creed (HBO? Showtime?) - Genre is totally in my wheelhouse. The cast is unbelievable. I should've loved this movie, but it was not good. Not as bad as John Wick: Chapter 2, but still oh so not good.

LISTENING

Favorite Podcast Episodes in October: Hidden Brain - The Edge of Gender and Why Oh Why - Stop Dating Older Guys


1 comment:

  1. Try John Wick II again, the kill count alone is worth it. Also, Joan Didion!
    -Chartier

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