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Live in Stockholm 1960 by John Coltrane / Miles Davis
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This album has multiple covers and titles; it seems to be barely official. This is Coltrane’s last tour with Davis. He didn't want to go. His career had already started. He is sulky and petulant on these shows. His playing is edging towards the more raucous howl of his later revolutionary period. The night before this show he was booed in Paris; Miles would leave the stage during his solos. In Stockholm, eight minutes into ‘All Blues’, Coltrane does a remarkable thing. He hits a split note, a strangled harmonic that is clearly unintentional. He plays the same mistake a second time, and I would be prepared to venture that this second time was also accidental. Then he plays it a third time, then a fourth and fifth. It could be that he is going for the rule that if you play a mistake, then you should play it again and it becomes a part. You underline it and make it seem intentional. But it’s more than that. Coltrane is fascinated by this tortured phrase. He becomes obsessed with what his saxophone is doing, or rather what it isn't doing. He is going into a trance and circling the five notes again and again, sometimes with the smallest changes, sometimes repeated in different ways, but always this curious, odd, raspy note in the middle. The audience doesn't exist. It is just him and this one phrase. In total, he repeats the line 33 times. I just counted. The band goes with him as well, from initial worry to uncertainty and finally to outrageous confidence. It is both the dumbest and most intelligent piece of music I've ever heard, and I think about it all the time when I'm making records. It speaks about the power of repetition, the beauty of pure experimentation, and what you can get away with if you show confidence."

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Cleaning Nabokov's House
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I won this book on First Reads. The write up caught my attention so I entered, with very few expectations on winning a copy or for the book itself. I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised!
This book was an easy read, but not one of those reads that is so easy you breeze through without paying attention to the plot. The book tells the story of newly divorced Barbara. In the divorce she lost custody of her 2 children & soon found herself living in a dive motel in the small town her "experson" had moved to her to. It goes through the story of Barb regaining her confidence, her children, & in the process herself.
The writing was poetically simple & often laugh out loud funny or tears streaming touching. I found myself rooting for Barb all the way through this book. I look forward to reading more from Leslie Daniels in the future!
  
Before I Wake (2016)
Before I Wake (2016)
2016 | Horror, Mystery
6
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Starts really strong (0 more)
Doesn't offer anything special (0 more)
....meh
Director: Mike Flanagan
Writers: Mike Flanagan, Jeff Howard
Stars: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane and Jacob Tremblay

What's it about?
New foster carers look after a sweet young boy whos dreams and nightmares come to life.

Is it scary?
Well, the first 20 to 30 minutes are really good. It builds slow and has a real confidence about it that is refreshing. sadly after that it devolves into standard horror clichés and is deeply not scary. It switches from tension building to attempted jump scares that simply don't land.

Does it have any redeeming features?
The reveal/twist is rushed and half arsed. Cody (the young boy) is so sweet and struggles with what is happening. Trying everything he can to stay awake because of his ability is so refreshing from the normal "evil child" trope.

How does it compare to other horrors?
It's mainstream. It offers a really nice premise but sadly doesn't do much with it.
  
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Lee (2222 KP) rated The Post (2017) in Movies

Jan 26, 2018  
The Post (2017)
The Post (2017)
2017 | Biography, Drama, Thriller
Meryl Streep (0 more)
The first half of the movie (0 more)
I saw The Post earlier this week and it's taken me quite a while to think about how to review it. To be honest, it didn't really do much for me at all. It's clearly a very important part of recent history, an interesting story with huge relevance in these current times, but the first half was just so dull!

Tom Hanks is obviously brilliant, playing Ben Bradlee, editor of The Washington Post. But it's Meryl Streep that really shines here as Katharine Graham, the country's first female newspaper publisher and Bens boss. Following her journey through the male led news industry as she gradually finds the strength and confidence she needs.

The second half ramps up the tension somewhat and is a great improvement over the first half. Unfortunately for me though it just wasn't enough to leave any kind of lasting impression.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Joy (2015) in Movies

Mar 17, 2018  
Joy (2015)
Joy (2015)
2015 | Drama
7
6.7 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
It takes a special kind of confidence to ask a movie studio to give you $60 million to make a two-hour-plus movie about mops and the home shopping channel, but David O Russell clearly has it and here is the result. What Fox were doing saying yes is probably less mysterious if you look at Russell's track record and the calibre of the cast he assembled for this movie.


Still, this is probably the most substantial movie ever released which is predominantly concerned with the realities of domestic cleaning and the intricacies of injection-moulded plastic and patent protection law - I suppose there is also a healthy element dealing with the protagonist's family and relationships, and the general hard-work-and-dedication-will-get-you-there-eventually ethos is the kind of thing that makes studios and audiences comfortable. Good performances, obviously; generally very engaging and watchable; educational, too, especially if you have trouble keeping the floor clean.
  
E
Ecosystems
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ecosystems by Mary Lindeen is an informative, non-fiction book in the Physical Science Series. The book provides an interesting way that is easy for children to understand about some of the ecosystems in the world. Some of the things explained include location, climate and what might be living there.

This is an early reader book so will also help to reinforce reading skills and build confidence. At the back of the book it lists the high frequency words as well as content words that can be pre-taught or discussed if the book is being read aloud. There are facts given during the reading accompanied by wonderful photos and many labels. The section at the back for parents and teachers gives suggested activities for connecting concept as well as resources for further investigation.

I recommend this book for young readers and for parents and teachers to read to children.

I received this ARC from NetGalley via Norwood House Press in exchange for an honest review.
  
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Vegas (725 KP) rated Murder, She Wrote in TV

Sep 10, 2018  
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
1984 | Crime
8
7.4 (27 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Easy going (1 more)
Fun
Formulaic (1 more)
Occasional fetched plots
A TV classic
America's answer to Miss Marple...

In the little village of Cabot Cove, Maine lives retired school teacher, writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher, who uses her skills and annoying persistence to get to the bottom of the murders that follow her around - from Cabot Cove to the big cities she travels to and resides in from time to time.
She appears to know or get in the confidence of police chiefs, detectives and other high ranking officials worldwide who for some reason let her get involved in their investigations..

The easy going 'cozy' mysteries are a nice casual watch, that isn't too taxing on the brain, but they do follow a very set formula most of the time which can make them a little predictable.


Created by the duo of Levinson and Link who created classic television detective series such as Columbo, Ellery Queen and Scene of the Crime along with Peter S. Fischer...
  
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
2011 | Drama, Mystery
9
7.3 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I genuinely think this is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Courtroom dramas of any kind almost always hit a sweet spot for me. I love Matthew McConaughey and he really shines in this movie. I think his charisma comes through but he's got an edge, almost like a chip on his shoulder, but he also knows he's good at what he does. That confidence and then to see him break down a bit, I think it played to the character and the plot really well.

Michael Peña really stood out to me. I know that he only had a small part in the film but the small amount of screen time he did have, he made the most of it and he really took it as far as he could've gone. I think he was the other stand out in this film.

I really enjoyed this film. It keeps you on your toes, you're invested, and you're rooting for Haller. Great watch!
  
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Alison Brie recommended Broadcast News (1987) in Movies (curated)

 
Broadcast News (1987)
Broadcast News (1987)
1987 | Comedy, Drama

"Broadcast News is next on the list. I’m a big Holly Hunter fan. I just think it’s a great movie; it’s funny, it’s sad, it’s interesting. It’s got that archetype of the ambitious news woman, you know? I like that she’s behind the scenes. It’s a character that I’ve never played in a movie. I think that I’m always waiting for that role; they all seem to go to Rachel McAdams. [laughs] You know, that inquisitive journalist who’s behind the scenes and is super feisty. We’ve done a couple episodes of Community where I got to sort of channel that energy. But it’s definitely a role I’ve always had my eye on, and Holly Hunter is such a singular actress in her style, and her voice is unique, and she’s such a petite woman; I think she carries her strength in an interesting way. She just emanates strength and confidence. She also has amazing crying scenes. It’s a great showcase of her acting."

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Nick Kroll recommended Wayne's World (1992) in Movies (curated)

 
Wayne's World (1992)
Wayne's World (1992)
1992 | Comedy

"I watched [it] just about every day growing up. In like seventh or eighth grade every day after school, my friend Andrew and I would watch Wayne’s World. And I think it’s a great example of a sketch effectively turned into a movie and a story that really works with a good journey. Not easily accomplished but such a good journey. And I’m drawn to it because I watched Saturday Night Live growing up, but also I think the duo of Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, who are both from the same world and yet are such different guys. You know, the sort of confidence and leadership of Wayne and then the understated kind of genius of Garth: very meta and self-aware, which at that time wasn’t all over TV and film yet. It’s like the cross promotion for Pepsi and Advil and all that kind of stuff wasn’t overly present yet, and I think he really nailed it."

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