Hi. I hope everyone one is doing well and enjoying the holiday season. We had some snow last week so it looks like we might have a white Christmas after all, yay. At least there’s enough for my husband and dogs to do some cross-country skiing.
Meanwhile you might have noticed that I didn’t post a December Preview edition this month because of my knee surgery, but we should probably chat about possible movies to see this holiday season. It’s typically the time of year for some of the best movies to come out, so I have listed various ones below that are on my list to see. Let me know what you think, if you plan to see these, or if I’m missing any notable ones.
Over the weekend we watched two movies that were pretty decent. First Leave the World Behind based on the 2020 novel by Rumaan Alam is a doozy about a family whose vacation getaway to a luxurious rental home turns ominous when some kind of disturbance knocks out their devices and two strangers appear at their door. Uh-oh.
I liked the novel so I was geared up for the Netflix movie, which stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke among others. It’s quite an unsettling, eerie story that made me worry about an attack and the end of the world. It’s better not to say too much so as not to ruin it, but the movie seems to go beyond the novel. It takes the story further, changes a couple things, and clarifies a bit more what’s happened. I thought it was effective — maybe not as good as the book — but it’s still mysterious and chilling.
We also watched the Joan Baez documentary I am a Noise — in which the legendary folk singer takes a look back at her life while she concludes her last musical concert tour. The doc follows her life: her family, musical career, relationships (including with Bob Dylan) and activism.
She was only a teenager in 1958 when she began singing in clubs around Boston and then her breakthrough came performing at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival. The rest is pretty much history as she skyrocketed to fame and sang and made music for the next six decades. It’s quite a story and the photos and footage from her early years are particularly wonderful, but it’s also surprising how personal the doc gets, spending a lot of time on Baez’s mental struggles and conflicts within her family. I guess I would have liked a bit more on the music and a tad less on her private demons. Still it’s worth seeing.
Now below are a list of recent and upcoming movies, mostly in order of their release, which I hope to check out:
- Anatomy of a Fall — A courtroom drama set in France about a woman writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband’s death, which also takes a toll on her son. (Stars Sandra Huller).
- The Holdovers — A comedy-drama set in 1970 about a cranky history teacher at a New England boarding school who is forced to chaperone a handful of students with nowhere to go over Christmas break. Stars Paul Giamatti.
- May December (Netflix) — Based on the teacher Mary Kay Letourneau who had an illegal relationship with one of her young students. (Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore star).
- Priscilla — A biographical-drama based on the memoir by Priscilla Presley about her years with Elvis. Directed by Sofia Coppola.
- Maestro (Netflix) — A biographical-drama centered on the relationship between American composer Leonard Bernstein (played by Bradley Cooper) and his wife Felicia Montealegre (played by Carey Mulligan).
- American Fiction — (wide release Dec. 22) A comedy-drama that follows a frustrated Black novelist and professor (played by Jeffrey Wright) who jokingly writes a stereotypical “Black” book out of spite, which later is published and receives widespread fame.
- Ferrari — (due out Dec. 25) A biographical sports drama that follows the struggles of Enzo Ferrari, the Italian founder of the car manufacturer, as he pushes his drivers to the edge in a treacherous race across Italy in the summer of 1957. Adam Driver, Shailene Woodley and Penelope Cruz star.
- The Boys in the Boat (due out Dec. 25) — Based on the bestselling book by Daniel James Brown about the University of Washington rowing team and their efforts at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Directed by George Clooney.
- Origin — (wider release Jan. 19) A biographical drama about journalist Isabel Wilkerson, who while grappling with tragedy sets herself on a path of discovery as she writes Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Ava DuVernay directs.
So there you have it. Do any of these appeal to you? I hope they’ll be good.
And now I’ll leave you with a review of a novel I finished lately.
The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane / Farrar Straus / 256 pages / 2013
I returned to a backlist read with this debut novel from 2013 because I had read the author’s second novel The Sun Walks Down in September and decided I needed to go back and check this one out too. I wasn’t disappointed. After two novels, Fiona McFarlane is now my new favorite Australian author … which is a high literary honor that once went to the renown Tim Winton but now I’ve passed onto her.
This debut is a squirm-worthy tale about a senior woman named Ruth Field, 75, who’s living in a rural area along the coast of Australia. She’s a fairly recent widow whose two sons call her weekly from abroad to check on her. But for her two cats, Ruth seems pretty isolated and struggling a bit with aging and loneliness. She even hears the sounds of a tiger one night that scares her and makes one wonder if she’s really cognitively sound.
Then out of the blue a lady arrives named Frida Young who says she’s been sent as a caregiver to help Ruth with everyday life. The two women become quite reliant on one another, and later Ruth reconnects with a long-ago beau (now 80) from her youth growing up as a missionary child in Fiji. You root for Ruth to find happiness and love with Richard in her later years, but then after a few incidences you begin to wonder if Ruth’s not entirely in charge of her faculties and if Frida isn’t really all what she seems.
That’s when things get a bit squirmy and you need to race to the end to find out what happens. This novel touches on caring for seniors and themes of love, trust, dependence and duplicity. It made me feel sorry for Ruth and want to protect her.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read this author or watched any of these movies — and if you so, what did you think?
Your choice of material is great. I see several very interesting possibilities in your movie list. Joan Baez was such a favorite when she was quite young, though she had to hide her humiliation when Bob Dylan dumped her. I once read a detailed book about those early years in Greenwich Village and similar environments, but I can’t remember the title. So the new documentary sounds interesting.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, Yeah in this doc Baez talks a bit about being dumped by Dylan which was tough for her back then. The way she was pushed aside seemed harsh.
I hope you get to see this documentary. It’s filled with a lot of her problems but there are moments of magic too. It might surprise you a bit. Have a great week.
The picture looks pretty. White Christmases are becoming something exotic in Connecticut. I hope you get one, if you’re into that sort of thing. 🙂 We’ll get 40 F this week in the daytime, and 20s or 30s at night… Not bad. I hope I get to watch some of those movies you mention. I’m looking forward to Priscilla, Maestro, and Ferrari. I watched All the Light You Cannot See last week (3*). I started watching Lessons in Chemistry today; I’ll let you know my rating when you post again. It’s good that you found a new favorite author. People who read her other novel seemed to like it, you included. Now you’re making me wonder what kinds of squirmy things were going on in that story.
Hi Carmen, yeah I thought All the Light We Cannot See was about a 3 star too. I liked the first 2 episodes, but then the last 2 episodes seemed a crazy stretch, but the young actors did well. See what you think of Lessons in Chemistry — I think we’re just half way through that. It seems agreeable so far.
I decided to make the movie list just to help me know what’s out there. It’ll take a while to see some of these. If you see any, let me know your thoughts. Meanwhile I’ll try to finish 60 books by the end of Dec. — I had to backtrack from 65 on GR which I couldn’t make. My focus is not great. Hope all is well there! Enjoy your week.
Yeah, I know what you mean about changing the reading goal; I was aiming for 45-46 books this year and I’m going to be really lucky if I make it to 42. Still, that’s the most I have read since I started keeping records in 2009– 2014 had been my best with 40 books read. Luckily this year I’ll break that record.
I hope you break it. That’s a good amount because you don’t listen to audios so they are all reads. I think you’ve had a great year in reading. And I’m glad you joined GR. Your reviews are helpful & good. Keep it going!
Both Leave the World Behind and the Joan Baez documentary sound like movies I’d like to see. It’s a big season for movies around this holiday time; it’s hard for me to keep up with what’s out there now.
I hope you are continuing to heal smoothly and completely from your surgery. And fingers crossed for your white Christmas!
Thanks Deb, yes the knee post-op is healing a bit better in week 2 … and I’m starting to feel a bit more normal. I have the staples out on Friday and will see what the nurses/doc say. I hope to be on schedule with it.
I hope this movie list helps with knowing about what’s out there. I will likely wait to stream them from home. Enjoy your week.
Several interesting movies there! The Boys in the Boat was an amazing book, but the movie may be too tense for me. Will have to give it a try.
I haven’t read Fiona McFarlane, but it sure sounds like I should. Just need to decide where to start!
Your photo is beautiful! We sold our house in NY in the fall of 2019, so 2018 was our last white Christmas. Chances are close to zero that we’ll have one here on the CT coast… but never say never, right?
Hope your healing and rehab is on track!
Hi JoAnn – thanks. I’m feeling a bit better in week 2 with the post-op knee. I need to continue on with the exercises. argh.
Gosh it’s been 4 years since you sold your NY house! It seems you did it at just the right time … many memories you have there – it was pretty. CT sounds like it’s had a lot of rain this year whoa. Stay afloat!
Let’s wait to see what Fiona McFarlane puts out next. She’s pretty hard-core literary fiction and her second one was historical fiction. But what next? hmm. Enjoy your week.
I love that photograph of your snowy landscape, Susan! Is that barn on your property? How wonderful, if it is!
Like you, I read Leave the World Behind, so I’m looking forward to watching the movie. The previews I’ve seen look like it’s inspired by the book rather than simply an adaptation. Looks a bit more creepy, but we’ll still give it a go.
My husband and I watch a lot of music documentaries, and I will let him know about the Baez film and hopefully get to it when it’s available for free streaming. I met Joan Baez at my cousin’s wedding back in 1995, which was pretty cool. She’s a lovely lady.
I’m adding most of the other movies you mention to my watch list. May December sounds good mainly because of the cast.
You’ve piqued my curiosity with your review of The Night Guest. I’m heading to the library today and will see if they have a copy. Otherwise, I may go ahead and order a copy.
Hope your knee is feeling better every day. I’m off to visit a neighbor who had her knee replacement surgery last week.
If we don’t chat before then, Merry Christmas to you and your hubby!
Thanks Lesley, I’m cheered to get your note. We will have a quiet Christmas here this year. But all seems well after the surgery. I’m doing better in week #2. Your neighbor and I are pretty near the same point right now. The first week after was bad but now it seems getting better. And I’m working on the exercises.
That is a barn! We need to fix it up a bit. I still hope to get 2 donkeys someday.
It’s really cool you met Joan Baez. Did you know she went to Redlands High School? My hometown, Joan Baez! Her doc, which doesn’t mention Redlands at all — oh well, is full of her problems but still is a bit interesting.
Leave the World follows the book enough … and it’s eerie.
Wishing you happy holidays!
We’ll have a quiet Christmas here, too, after a few early parties. It will be nice to relax on the Christmas Eve, Christmas, and Boxing Day. I have a nice stack of books to keep me entertained.
Two donkeys?! How fun! We had friends in Lincoln who had a donkey (named Peanut), as well as a llama (named Moose!). They never had problems with coyotes with those two around.
I didn’t know JB went to Redlands HS. Interesting. She was at my cousin’s wedding because she knows the father-of-the-bride (Kristofferson). I was pretty star-struck. Not because of Kris (known him all my life), but because of Joan. Did you know she’s a talented artist?
I didn’t really know that about JB until we watched the documentary. It shows some of her artwork. I guess quite a few singers are talented artists, like Joni Mitchell and Grace Slick etc. See what you think of the doc. Hmm.
That’s funny about the names of the donkey & llama. Oh my. Peanut eh? Well I hope I can get a Peanut or two though I’m still trying to convince Robert we need them.
Enjoy your peaceful Christmas holidays & reading.
The Night Guest sounds really good…you just keep adding to my library hold list. This is one I’ll come back to sometime in early 2024, for sure. Thanks, too, for the movie list. I’m always on the lookout for good movies that were actually produced for an adult audience; I’m so tired of wading through all the super hero/comic book stuff to find the hidden gems. I do have to admit, though, that there appear to be many more needles in the haystack nowadays than there were 5-15 years ago.
Hi Sam, me too — I steer clear of all super hero comic movies … I don’t enjoy a lot of the action robot stuff either lol. So I had to make a list to keep the good movies on my radar. Luckily there’s several that look pretty entertaining.
And I don’t know how I missed knowing about The Night Guest novel when it came out in 2013 (a bit of a quiet gem). McFarlane is Australian but also studied at the Michener Center in Austin – she is one to watch. See what you think of her writing. Cheers.
The snow looks so picturesque! We haven’t had snow yet and I’m hoping we don’t get as much as last year, but I wouldn’t mind more rain.
Leave the World Behind looks like something I’d enjoy. I hope it has a good ending though.
Hi Rachel, there is some hope at the end of Leave the World Behind so it’s not completely dark/eerie. See what you think.
It’s been a much milder winter so far here … I think we’ve had two snows: one in Oct. and one in Dec. But I’m always hoping for more! If it’s near 50 degrees that’s no good … for snow. I’m glad you liked the pic. Happy Holidays!
The Night Guest sounds very good but maybe also too tense for me. On the other hand, it is a reasonable length so I might be able to handle it. I will give it some thought.
TracyK at Bitter Tea and Mystery
Hi Tracy, I can understand — it is a bit intense in a way that I didn’t want the story to go. Sometimes you get novels where you want it to turn nice and it goes a bit dark and that’s sort of what happens with The Night Guest. So it might not be for you right now. I had a bit of a hard time too with it since my folks are a bit like the character Ruth in the story — and you want to protect her.
I’m glad you stopped by. Happy Holidays.
Hi Susan, I don’t know when I was last at the movies and I should make an effort to go in 2024. The Joan Baez documentary looks good. And I tell you I am jealous. Joan Baez always a beautiful woman continues to look great!
Hi Kathy, yeah I agree Joan Baez is still looking good and was a real natural in her day. See what you think of the documentary.
I don’t think I will be getting out much to the movies (due to knee) but I hope to stream some of these movies at home. It is still fun to go though – we went a couple times in 2023. Enjoy your week.
Yay for snow and white Christmases. We have snow along the CO front range and cold temps, so I am pretty confident our holiday will be white.
I am super jazzed about The Boys in the Boat movie–I’ve had the book on my TBR shelf for ages, and while I won’t try to read it before the movie, this is definitely a contender for our New Years Eve movie.
Priscilla should be interesting and a contrast to the 2022 Elvis movie, which I really liked.
I love Joan Baez’s voice and music, but not sure I want to read about her demons.
Great roundup, as usual. Happy Holidays.
Hi Jane, I too still haven’t read The Boys in the Boat book but I’m also keen to see the movie. The visuals from the trailer look good. We enjoyed the Elvis movie too and the Priscilla movie looks quite calmer than that. lol.
That’s great you’ll have a white Christmas in Colorado! We’re trying to hang onto our snow but it’s been warmer than normal.
The Joan Baez movie is a documentary — and I too wanted to hear more of her music in it — and less about all her demons but I think it dwells on her problems.
Wishing you very happy holidays! & reading too.
I want to see both Leave the World Behind and Boys in the Boat. And I hadn’t heard about the Joan Baez documentary; that looks really good, too. How’s your knee doing now? Enjoy the rest of your December! 😀
Thanks Lark. I had the staples in my knee removed yesterday and they think I’m doing very well. I need to continue the exercises many times as day ugh – to have a good result. So I will try my best.
Seeing some of the movies at home over this holiday might help .. getting me beyond this. See what you think of them.
Cheers. Happy holidays!
I am woefully behind on visiting blogs, having my daughter home seems to have taken me way from anything reading/blogging/visiting. I am sneaking it in while she sleeps this morning.
I am looking forward to Boys in the Boat! I loved that book so much so, of course, am a bit worried the movie won’t be good, but I’m going to go see it anyway.
Hi Helen, It’s all good whenever you can visit the site. The holidays are so busy. I hope you are having fun.
I still need to read The Boys in the Boat! Not sure why I never picked it up but the story seems fantastic. I think the movie will be good.
Have a great week.
The cover of the Night Guest gives an idea of what the story will be. Seems frightening about what Ruth will go through. I’m curious though. Have a good week.
Thanks Harvee for visiting. Yeah there’s uneasy feeling as the story goes on and one I hoped would go in a more positive direction. Poor Ruth.
Enjoy your week & Happy Holidays!
I haven’t heard of half of the movies you mentioned! Where have I been. I did see a preview for The Holdovers and that looks really fun and quirky. Wonderful review of The Night Guest. That has a great cover and I’m very intrigued by the premise.
Thanks Iliana, I wasn’t sure where the Night Guest was going at first; it starts off slow but then builds. We are starting to stream movies while on break. It’s fun to see some of these. I think we’re waiting for the rental price to come down on The Holdovers but it does look quirky. Wishing you a Merry Christmas.