Superb Vol 1
4.0
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After the Earth survived annihilation from an asteroid which was destroyed by a group of heroic...
Down Syndrome Disability Super Hero Comics
Nerdy, Shy, and Socially Inappropriate: A User Guide to an Asperger Life
9.0
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Cynthia Kim explores all the quirkyness of living with Asperger Syndrome (ASD) in this accessible,...
Speech and Language Kids Podcast
Podcast
Carrie Clark, a speech-language pathologist from Columbia, Missouri, offers resources, information,...
An Uncomplicated Life: A Father's Memoir of His Exceptional Daughter
Book
A father's exhilarating and funny love letter to his daughter with Down syndrome whose vibrant and...
Erika (17788 KP) rated The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) in Movies
Sep 21, 2019
It was very much like a small Huckleberry Finn story. A man with down syndrome runs away from the nursing home he's being kept in to go to wrestling school. That alone was enough to get my butt in the seat. Shia LeBeouf, who is running away from multiple things himself, helps him along the way. It was amusing, and kept me engaged throughout. The length was perfect. The only unnecessary thing was Dakota Johnson's character, but I can see why they included her in the story.
There need to be more original movies like this one. I'm glad my local AMC, that normally only plays mainstream films, had this playing for a week as an 'Artisan' film.
Stone Mattress: Nine Tales
Book
A recently widowed fantasy writer is guided through a stormy winter evening by the voice of her late...
TheBookMother (105 KP) rated The Memory Keeper's Daughter in Books
Jun 6, 2019
A Doctor in a snow storm delivers his twins but one is born with Down Syndrome and he decides there and then to tell his wife that she died. He hands over his daughter to the nurse and asks her to take her to a home. She decides upon seeing the home she cannot possibly leave her here and raises her herself.
The book follows through time the lives of everyone the Doctor and his wife raising there son Paul, and the Nurse Caroline fighting for Phoebe to be accepted and have access to an education and equal opportunities.
It starts of in the 60s and we really get a glimpse into the attitudes of the time towards those with Down Syndrome and at times it is awkward to read at times as you cannot believe that it was like this.
With such a explosive secret being kept and the grief that Norah feels after thinking she has lost a child the family is poisoned and relationships turn toxic and the family dynamic is ripped apart.
We see Phoebe thrive throughout her life with Caroline and also the limitations she faces in her day to day life.
The emotive language the author uses means you do feel Norah's loss, you resent David for his betrayal, you can understand Paul's rebellion and Caroline's guilt.
It is an achingly beautiful book which is dealing with an explosively emotive storyline. I really enjoyed it and it is really hauntingly staying with me even after I've finished as I began to imagine how I would feel and what I would do if I was put in that situation. A really good read, possibly to emotionally charged for a sleep deprived and hormonal mother of two boys, one of which does have medical issues do I could relate somewhat too.
Stone Mattress: Nine Wicked Tales
9.0
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A collection of highly imaginative short pieces that speak to our times with deadly accuracy. A...
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) in Movies
Mar 14, 2020
Story: The Peanut Butter Falcon starts as we meet a down syndrome young man Zak (Gottsagen) who dreams of being a wrestler, but is stuck in a care home sharing a room with Carl (Dern) under the care of Eleanor (Johnson), he has been trying to escape before and when he finally does, he meets Tyler (LaBeouf) a rebel who is fighting for his place in a fishing world.
As Tyler reluctantly agrees to help Zak, the two go on an adventure through the outdoors to make it to the wrestling school to live his dream of becoming a wrestler like his hero Salt Water Redneck (Church), even though Eleanor is trying to find him before it is too late.
Thoughts on The Peanut Butter Falcon
Characters – Zak is a down syndrome young man that is living in a nursing home with nobody else offering him a place to live, he loves wrestling and wants to make this his dream to become a wrestler, which sees him running away from the nursing home, meeting Tyler and having his first adventure. Tyler is a drifter working on the local fishing area, that has found himself getting into trouble with the locals, needing to go on the run, where he ends up meet Zak, reluctantly teaching him about life. Eleanor is the carer that has always looked after Zak, she has become concerned about his desire to move away and after he runs away, she must go in search of him, needing to learn more about opening up to his own desire in life.
Performances – Zack Gottsagen is wonderful in the leading role showing all the delight and pain his character is going through. Shia LaBeouf is going down the right path here, doing the roles which require him to show his skills rather than cash heavy roles. Dakota Johnson is great too, with the supporting cast that all work wonderfully through the film.
Story – The story here follows a young down syndrome man who decides to run away from the nursing home he is living in, with dreams of becoming a wrestler where he meets a lost drifter who teaches him more about life, while chasing his dream. This is a story that is similar to the story of Mark Twain with a fresh approach, with one of the clear messages being, not to judge somebody on a disability they have, they can achieve as much as anybody else. This is a joy to watch as a story, seeing how the two bond and just have a life adventure.
Adventure/Comedy – The adventure side of this film, sees two unlikely men at different stages of their lives spending a couple of days together learning about life, it is inspiring to see how people might react to life, while getting a couple of laughs along the way, with the friendship.
Settings – The film uses the back-water locations to show the drifter lifestyle to which Zak has fallen into and one that Tyler can navigate.
Scene of the Movie – The match.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Nothing really.
Final Thoughts – This is a delightful movie that can be enjoyed by all, one that has a clear message about treating everyone equal and one that will leave you feeling good by the end.
Overall: True Delight.