Tuesday 10 January 2012

May I recommend?


I took the girls to The Artist at the weekend. The cinema was almost empty for a Saturday afternoon showing. We loved it! It is a black and white ‘silent’ movie set in the late 1920s and early 1930s at the point when films are becoming talkies. There is music and there are occasional speech frames.
The subject has been done before, memorably in the pairing of Judy Garland and James Mason in A Star Is Born – but please, not Barbra Streisand and Chris Christopherson! - the rise of  new young stars and fall of older ones. It also has shades of Singing in the Rain where a silent film is made over for the new talking era but not all the actors are up to the job. My girls and I have all been brought up on old movies – though sadly they’ve not seen a  A Star Is Born – and we were completely spellbound. It is difficult to judge whether you’d love it if you’d never seen an old movie, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t: it was laugh out loud funny but also poignant, beautifully dressed, perfect entertainment. Go see it!

I have just finished reading One Day by David Nicholls. It was a requested gift as I had heard so many good reports. I feel mean saying it was OK, but for me it didn’t live up to the hype. I liked the idea of it, but got annoyed with both characters. I could see the plot coming, though I shall refrain from giving it away. I neither laughed nor cried. Sorry!
But I’m loving P.D.James take on Jane Austen: Death Comes to Pemberley. A fan of both authors I thought I’d better try it. There is a perfect summary of the plot of Pride and Prejudice before she gets down to her own story, and I haven’t finished it so I can’t tell you if it works out in a believable way, but so far I am enjoying the pace, the gentle humour, the characters and the plot.

(The heron was on next door's roof on Christmas Day.)



8 comments:

Gail Is This Mutton? said...

Haven't seen The Artist yet but look forward to seeing it. I agreed with you on the David Nicholls book. Very over hyped. I've just finished one of the books on the new Richard & Judy list - "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes, and I would recommend it strongly.

libby said...

I am very much looking forward to seeing the Artist....as a movie fan I have a feeling I will love it...and I never did read One Day...it just didn't appeal to me....but I do need a new book to read so will be looking for recommendations...

hausfrau said...

Welcome Gail, and thanks for the suggested book - not one I've heard of.
I hope you do love it libby. I've finished the P.D.James now and Eldest has grabbed it. Looking Glass War next in my ongoing John-Le-Carre-readathon.

Young at Heart said...

I agree too.....the book is a fine holiday pick-up-put-down no brainer........and the movie is an utter delight but I'm not sure I would say it's 'a near perfect film' as some have said......so beautiful in black and white though!!

Curry Queen said...

I would love to see the Artist and hope to get there before it disappears from cinemas. Totally agree about One Day as well!

Anonymous said...

Blogger has taken agin your blog and had stopped updating your posts for me.

If anyone has similar probems, they need to "unfollow" (via this site settings) and then "follow" again, remembering to click "done".

SP

Anonymous said...

I hated "One Day" and I'm reading PD James right now, and Im not sure if I approve.

It seems like supreme arrogance for PD James to assume that can take over where Jane Austin left off.

I'm not usually so far up my own ar$e, honestly,

SP

hausfrau said...

Sorry to hear you had a problem SP, but aren't you clever to be able to sort it out?!
Both my girls have now read the PD James and we all enjoyed it. I thought she did a rather good take on Jane Austen - much better than Emma Tennant for instance: Eldest HATED discovering that Elizabeth might not have been happy ever after!