Well it’s March now and we have quite a snowstorm underway presently. It’s pretty and white at the moment but surely it will be a mess later. I’ve been shoveling the walkways like a banshee to no avail. It’s falling too quickly, but it should be good for the ski areas. Spring is supposed to start around March 20, but you’d never know it looking around outside today.
Meanwhile it’s almost Oscar time. This Sunday is the big shindig. I was looking over the list of Best Picture nominees and it appears I have seen seven out of the nine movies. The two I haven’t seen are “Phantom Thread” and “Call Me by Your Name,” which I’ll likely see sometime on rental. Of the nominees I saw, I particularly liked “Darkest Hour,” “The Post,” “Dunkirk,” “Lady Bird,” “Get Out,” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” I didn’t care too much for “The Shape of Water,” which was surprising to me since it received a lot of hullabaloo, but it’s okay.
My guess is that “Three Billboards” will win for Best Picture, and Gary Oldman for Best Actor since he was superb as Churchill in the “Darkest Hour.” I sort of wish Greta Gerwig would win for Best Director for “Lady Bird” but know that is probably a long shot; Christopher Nolan for “Dunkirk” would also be okay. I think Frances McDormand is favored to win for Best Actress for “Three Billboards,” but I wouldn’t mind if Meryl Streep won for her role as Katharine Graham in “The Post.” As for Best Supporting Actor, I’d pick Sam Rockwell in “Three Billboards” for his portrayal as a racist cop who undergoes a bit of a transformation. For Best Supporting Actress I didn’t see Allison Janney in “I, Tonya,” but I thought Laurie Metcalf as the mother in “Lady Bird” was pretty great. So that’s my take for now. I think Jimmy Kimmel will likely make a fun host and I hope they don’t mix up any of the award winners like they did last year. Will you be watching the show and which were your favorite films of the year?
Meanwhile it’s time to check in with what’s new releasing this month. There are new novels by such well-known authors as Anna Quindlen, Lisa Genova, Chris Bohjalian, and Clare Mackintosh to name a few though I’m looking at a few others at the moment.
There’s a novel by Mark Sarvas called “Memento Park” about a father and son’s relationship that undergoes a shift when the son becomes aware of a painting that he believes was looted from his family in Hungary during the Second World War. In trying to reclaim it, the son has to repair the strains with his contentious father and travel to Budapest to uncover the mysteries behind his family’s history and identity. Hmm, there’s been quite a few stories like this about looted artwork and family roots, so the novel doesn’t sound totally original, but it has received some strong praise and does sound pretty compelling. I’ll likely try to find it from the library.
Next up is a novel by Rachel Kauffman called “The Gunners” that I’m hoping is also good about a close-knit group of childhood friends (known as the Gunners) that reconnect in their 30s after one of their members commits suicide. It sounds a bit like a “Big Chill” kind of story — about friendship — that is set against a backdrop of a funeral event in a snowy suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.
Apparently each member has changed greatly over the years and is grappling with where to go next — and as secrets are revealed plenty of self-exploration is sifted through. Despite the funeral aspect, the novel’s been called “perceptive, funny, and endearing” by Publishers Weekly. And though it seems to have a well-trod premise, it apparently goes favorably beyond that and has received some nice praise as well. So I’m keeping it in mind.
Next up is a novel by Aminatta Forna called “Happiness” about a chance encounter of two strangers on London’s Waterloo Bridge that creates a fork in the road for both. One of them is an American woman who studies the habits of urban foxes and the other is a Ghanaian man specializing in refugee trauma. They end up helping each other in ways and a friendship unfolds against a London backdrop that is apparently richly described.
I have not read this Scottish and Sierra Leonean author before but many liked her novel “The Memory of Love,” which was a finalist for the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2011. I think it’s about time I read her, especially since it fits in well with our trip to London later this summer.
The last two March novels I’m curious about are Luis Alberto Urrea’s novel “The House of Broken Angels” and James Carroll’s new novel “The Cloister.” Urrea’s highly touted novel is a saga about the patriarch of a Mexican-American family who throws a big party for his extended family over two days at their house in a San Diego neighborhood, where many family tales are recounted.
The narrative apparently also follows the family as they air old grievances, initiate new romances, and try to put their relationships in perspective. The novel is said to be an unforgettable portrait of one Mexican American family and the American dream. Hmm. I have not tried this author before but the acclaim about his books precedes him, so I should get on the ball with this one.
Last up, James Carroll’s novel “The Cloister” includes two entwined stories: one that involves the medieval love story between the great scholar Peter Abelard and Heloïse, and the other that’s set in 1950 Manhattan about Father Michael Kavanagh, a New York priest, and Rachel Vedette, a museum docent whose late father studied Abelard’s defense of the Jews of Mainz.
Over multiple meetings, the two build a rapport and share their secrets. The story seems like quite a blend of church history and fiction and though I don’t often read religious-themed tales, it looks to be quite an interesting premise so I plan to check it out. I did read a pretty good memoir from this author back in 1996 called “An American Requiem: God, My Father, and the War That Came Between Us,” so I might like to try another of his books.
As for movies in March, there’s a few notable books that have been made into films that are coming out that include: “Red Sparrow,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” and “Ready Player One.” Of these, I’ve just read “A Wrinkle in Time” — the 1962 classic by Madeleine L’Engle, and judging by the movie trailer of it, I’m sure it will be quite a Disney production.
I am just a bit worried though it’ll be a bit tweaked from the book or my imagination of it — so I don’t plan to immediately rush out and see it despite the notable cast it entails. I’m just a bit hesitant to go there — since it’s based on such a dear and vivid book, but let me know if you do see the movie and like it.
As for “Red Sparrow” my husband read and liked the spy thriller it’s based on, so I was curious to check out the movie but then it received some pretty bad reviews so it’s likely I will hold off on that one too. Perhaps it’s a month for rentals? (We are watching Season 2 of “The Crown” at the moment.)
Lastly in albums, there’s new ones by such female singer/songwriter stalwarts as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tracey Thorn and the legendary Joan Baez (who’s doing her last tour this year, so see her if you can) — as well as new albums from such male artists as Moby, David Byrne, and the band the Decemberists. All seem pretty interesting, but thanks to NPR’s First Listen program I’ve been checking out and liking an album by an alternative Aussie trio called Camp Cope that’s new to me. The band’s new album “How to Socialise & Make Friends” sounds pretty edgy and new, so I’m going with that as my pick this month.
What about you — which releases this month — are you most looking forward to?
We finally had some sunshine today. We’ve had a cold winter but not much snow, which is fine by me.
I’ve seen Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, The Post, and Three Billboards. Three Billboards was my favorite of those by far.
Hi Kathy: I’m sure it’ll be warming up in SC soon. I think your seeing & reviewing Phantom Thread — made me hold off of it till rental. It seems overly long which in the theater can be not good, but I will probably get to it on rental.
We had a stormy day yesterday but it was all rain and wind. I cannot wait until spring arrives.
So many of these upcoming books sound so good. The Gunners sound particularly interesting. I tend to really like these reunion of old friends type stories.
Hi Brian, I heard of your Nor’Easter there which sounded bad. Hope your place is all right. And I agree — I’m a bit of a sucker too for reunion stories. I will look for The Gunners. Cheers.
I’m excited to read The Gunners and had forgotten about Happiness, but one to try it also.
Hi Susie: yes both of these novels caught my eye this month. I will visit your site to see what you’ve liked for March. Hope all is well in the Seattle area.
I am so excited for the Oscars this year. Will watch with friends since I don’t have TV hooked up at home. I was going to see Three Billboards today but opted to stay home, dry and out of the rain. I have seen five of the Best Picture noms and that is better than I usually do. I loved The Shape of Water, hard!
Glad to know that your husband read and liked the book adapted for Red Sparrow. I will see the movie. I love Jennifer Lawrence and will watch anything she stars in. I am not worried about Wrinkle in Time. From what I have read, it sounds awesome.
I have read three books by Luis Alberta Urrea and liked them all, so I am looking forward to his new one.
Joan Baez’s last tour? Oh my, we are all getting on.
Hi Judy: I hope you enjoyed the Oscars! A long program but we managed to make it to the end here. Glad you liked Shape of Water; I think maybe Darkest Hour might have been my favorite of the year, LoL. Maybe I like Gary Oldman too much. Thanks for giving me the scoop on Luis Alberta Urrea’s books. I must try his novels out. Hope all is well in L.A. Did you really get rain finally?!
London for the summer?! How exciting! 🙂
We had a big storm yesterday; mostly rain and wind. This winter hasn’t been too snowy but it sure has been cold. As February-s go, this one has been an oddity, because we have had temperatures in the 50s and 60F for the last two weeks. Weird!
I have The Cloister in my queue to read next; I won’t get to it until the second week of March, maybe. I have seen only two movies of the nominated ones for Best Picture. I don’t think that Get Out belongs in that crop but it was really good and original. I will be watching the Oscars. It will be interesting with so many scandals rocking Hollywood last year. I’m still trying to finish a few of the popular releases from 2017 before I tackle the heavy hitters that competed in the awards season. Lady Bird and The Darkest Hour are out for rental, so I’ll be getting to them soon.
I’m excited about A Wrinkle in Time. It looks like it may be good, though I have not read the book so I won’t have anything to compare the movie with, which is fine by me. I read a very scathing review of Red Sparrow. I may watch it on rental, as it’s lately the case, but I don’t have my hopes up.
Hello Carmen, thx for all your great comments. Did the Nor’Easter break trees there? Hope no damage to your place. I’m hoping too you’ll read The Cloister before me and let me know if it’s a must read. And I’m glad the movie Get Out got some good recognition and an Oscar or two. It was original! (Darkest Hour was probably my favorite of the year — though I liked the 6 others too. Lady Bird was fun.) And I think I read scathing things too about Red Sparrow so I will wait on that till rental. I might wait for you on Wrinkle in Time. Cheers.
I’m not sure how Wrinkle the movie will change from the book but it has all of those book lovers starring in it so maybe it’s true to the book, for the most part.
You did pretty well with your Oscar picks. I only watched the first hour and then I had to leave for my volunteering commitment but from what I saw, the tone of the show seemed good. Good opening.
Hi Ti, yeah the Oscars went pretty well last night. I guess the Shape of Water really cleaned up on the big awards. And it seemed the host Jimmy Kimmel was a bit more serious or less jokey than normal but still effective. I look forward to seeing how Wrinkle in Time does at the box office — it should be quite big I’d imagine.
You were right about Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell winning awards. I would have loved seeing Billboards win Best Picture…but oftentimes I am disappointed by the Academy’s pick for that award.
I haven’t seen Shape of Water…and I probably won’t.
I also wouldn’t have minded The Post winning a few awards, as I really loved the movie. But then again, I am hoping that the past will be prologue for the political mess we are in today.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Hi Laurel, I’m still perplexed by all the hoopla surrounding Shape of Water. Its love story felt undeveloped and the plot seemed quite predictable. Things in it just didn’t seem to add up — but that’s just my opinion. You should see it and let me know what you think 🙂 I agree with you about The Post. Enjoy your week.
Mary Chaplin Carpenter has a new album? I better get to downloading it asap. I absolutely love her voice and lyrics.
I agree Jane. Mary Chapin Carpenter has always had a terrific voice. I love her old albums. Good to know she’s still putting out new albums!