Super Cinema Saturday ~Julie and Julia (Book Review, too)

The Movie Review:


I've been eagerly awaiting Julie and Julia. Not that I'm a huge follower of Julia. I remember her from my childhood...the quirky voice, the occasional glimpse of her on our small screen television. My mom didn't own "The Book" (the 1961 version of Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume 1) or if she did, I never was allowed to touch it. Julie Powell's book Julie and Julia enticed me. I'm a blogger so Julie Powell's blogging adventure intrigued me. I was disappointed in the lack of Julia in Powell's memoir. And a little overwhelmed by some of the things that took up space that Julia could've filled.

The movie. Ah. On one hand I can say that I loved it. Feel good? Check. Two women, different generations, situations and struggles taking life by the throat and just doing it. Check. Definitely feel good. I loved the supportive and loving men in the lives of Julie and Julia. Meryl Streep, in an enchanting performance, oozes goodwill and charm, embracing life as a generous and lifesized Julia Child. Several scenes were laugh outloud funny, others poignant, and I would have been content with the story of Julia Child. Period. The film even included a Dan Akroyd as Julia Child laugh moment and remake scenes of The French Chef ala Meryl.

Julie Powell's life, on the other hand, lacked a bit. Amy Adams, as Julie Powell, weeping on the floor was very amusing. But there was a disconnect somewhere... in the script, the interpretation, or the tainting in my own mind by having read her memoir. Julie Powell, on the big screen, came across as whiny, weak and fragile. The book Julie Powell (I've not read the blog, so I can't compare there) is a don't-like-it-then-you-know-where-to-shove-it woman with frequent outbursts that seemed to be rages rather than insecurities. The movie Julie Powell discusses her "_ itchiness" with a friend. But she doesn't pull off _itch, this character is not a mean girl. And that's probably really the issue. Powell is honest in her memoir, sometimes horrifyingly honest, but it causes a grudging admiration. And she's funny, witty, sarcastic and descriptive which makes her readable and likable on another level. The film didn't pull that out of the character and so we are left with kind of a "who cares" or "that's nice" secondary scenario in which a girl becomes a woman while following Julia's recipe for a full life. Kind of.

On the family friendliness of this film -- it earned it's PG13 with a few mild makeout scenes, a language list that included at least one each of all the major curse words without overly drowning the audience in expletives. One scene included a descriptive term referencing a male body part or rooster, if you will.

I can recommend it as an entertaining film full of delightful scenery and outdoor markets, laden tables, well-acted characters, charming interactions, and overall deliciousness with a tiny bit of aftertaste of something not so fabulous. Plan to leave the theater with the desire for food or an adventure or a great combination of the two.



The Book Review:


In anticipation of the movie by the same name and by a serendipitous sale while on a trip to a local bookseller I ended up with a copy of this entertaining memoir. I had not heard of The Project before seeing the film trailer. And once I saw the film trailer I was completely in love with the idea and the intersecting stories of the two women on separate but intertwined journeys. Buying the book seemed like the absolute best idea. Before I continue, though, I need to toss out some caution flags. Caution number one...based on the subject matter and charming cover you'd never guess this book would be full sexuality. It is. I'm guessing if you tossed a few seasons of Sex in the City into a crock-pot, added several chapters of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and folded in a few trade chick-lits, a tablespoon of assorted spices, and a few cups of wine you'd end up with a dish of Julie and Julia en croute.

In example, regarding Caution One, two friends actively engaged or toying with adultery, a friend with erotic dreams and lack of filter, a heroine who seems at the edge of her very sanity several times, raw, naked, food, mastering and manipulating and enjoying said food, a move, a despised job not to mention a syndrome and a biological clock clanging on the cusp of a thirtieth birthday, well, all lend themselves to frequent F-bombs and much sexual conversation and shared thoughts.

Caution Number Two. I expected more Julia. Julia isn't absent but a bit anemic and in a ratio of about 10% Julia, 90% Julie. Julie's life is definitely one that kept me turning pages, sometimes with apprehension, but turning nonetheless. But if you are seeking half and half or heavy on the Julia you might be disappointed.

Julie is clever and writes some terrific sentences. Some of her descriptions are deliciously hysterical. One little tidbit about her poor, sweet husband as a butter mule brought tears to my eyes. Also, Julie gets a little or a lot political and is definitely not a fan of religion and/or God depending on the rants I encountered. Anger, though amusing much of the time, still comes across as anger and added a bitter aftertaste. I loved Eric and the fact that though there were times I wondered if their marriage would survive the slinging, the cursing, the thoughts, in the light of day Julie always managed to find the good and the right in her marriage and attempted to speak positively about her husband, painting him as an unconventional hero.

Sarcasm lovers. Those who like underdog stories wherein beaten down and depressed person picks self up by boot straps and through some quirky, self-imposed lifestyle choice ends up changing need to look further into Julie and Julia. The unfolding story is a painful process to watch. But there is something grandly delicious about the final multicourse meal on the cosmic table of a hard won success. Though a thick fuzzy blanket of dust lies beneath the dining room table covering and spiderwebs bind the candle sconces to the wall and each other, though the sink gurgles in protest and the pans cover all available space in the kitchen, the meal ends up being very much like life. Delicious and decadent mixed with sparse and stringy, washed down with joy and tears, and shared with people just as stinking messy.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Defining Moments

EER challenged me to look up the following words:

pildappi

resheine

Well...after checking a few on-line dictionaries and finding nothing even close to these two words...which I'm assuming are European in origin...I'm forced to make up definitions.

Both words were presented during an earlier post wherein I debated the joys of pleasing my bosses by my exemplary behavior vs the challenge and buzz of a good old-fashioned firing.

That said. I'm sure the word challenge is related to this post.

So.

Pildappi n. 1)the lines formed on your face after falling asleep on your computer keyboard. 2)the form used to write-up above infraction of workplace rules.

Resheine v. 1) the activities performed to get back on your bosses' good side after receiving a pildappi warning.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Fruit, Nuts and Veggies

Dearest ones,

I'd like to share photos of my baby veggie bounty.

Eggplants are blossoming eggcellently. Peppers are popping and tomatoes are weighing down the vines.

EER, rest assured that there are no weird or hidden messages. (Well, mostly.) And I will look up the meaning of those words though I'm a little scared.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Random Shots

Kaplooey.

How's that for a random shot?

Kidding.

Rob had a burst of energy, and his burst required the removal of "STUFF" from the previous storage room. Twenty-two and I packed, hauled and sorted a pile of household accumulation into three piles and got rid off, or stored all of it.

Nice. Feels extremely nice.

We now have only ONE room that hasn't been gutted or remodeled yet.

During the gutting this outdated blue room became the beautiful gutted one also known as a future office.

: ) This makes me happy because...the only place to go from here is rebuilding. YAY!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles - Reentry

Back in the swing of life as normal now. Suffering a bit from post-vacay ennui.

But office reentry has been bizarrely easy. I expected multiple phone messages as indicated by the red glow under the collapsed stack of paperwork. Nope. I had one. A moderate pain in the neck but only one and only moderate. The paperwork stack has already been wrangled, hog-tied and sorted. (Thank you for your LACK of contribution there, EER, I appreciate your restraint.)

And another surprise at the office. Today I received an “AWESOME!” and a “PERFECT!” (punctuation, caps and enthusiasm mine). See, I’ve been collecting firings (I believe I’m the owner of nine different firings) wherein an employer is offended by some smart, snappy comeback, lacks the wit to retaliate and threatens to withhold paycheck or have me escorted from the premises by security. (This in itself is funny. Really. Trust me.) But the awesome and the perfect came with the erasure of two firings each. Yeah. That’s kind of nice.

Conundrum of the day. Should I change my tactics and go with helpfulness and uberefficiency vs the quest for the most firings?

Wait. One would require helpfulness and efficiency. The other sarcasm and mocking.

Oh well, the kudos were nice while they lasted.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Timescape by Robert Liparulo

About the Book:

David, Xander, Dad, and Keal have discovered a terrible secret. Now, finding Mom is only a small part of their mission. And time is running out. Using the portals to build an empire, Taksidian wants the house for himself, and there's nothing he won't do to get the family out. The consequences of his meddling reach far beyond the family--to the future of the world itself. The Kings know their survival depends on stopping the bloodthirsty assassin. If only they can find his weakness in time.

Most startling of all is their ability to change the path of history. But will their tinkering in time reunite the family and save the future . . . or set mankind on an irreversible course of destruction?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Timescape, go HERE

Enter the contest to win this book package by clicking here!!!

You've met Robert before. He's a frequent visitor at the Dregs. Click here to see reviews and interviews and links galore.

My Review:

Liparulo's Dreamhouse Kings series seems to be intensifying rather than slowing to a conclusion. As the story grows, so does my interest. I find myself turning the pages quicker and becoming more and more concerned for a large group of people as the evil plans of the house and the man who wants it desperately become even more menacing.

There are very intense, scenes in this book including a visit to a village during a berserker raid. If you don't know what a berserker is, you will find out in the book, though you may not really want to know. Shudder. Sensitive children may not be able to handle the intensity and suspense. However, mature kids who don't struggle with nightmares should really dig into the story that has three young protagonists who were attempting to save their family and now look like they may be required to save the entire world.

Spiritual themes are light and more implied than spelled out so there is very little preaching.

Serials and Scenarios - They Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on My Dipstick...

Synopsis:

News anchor and reporter for Fox News Radio, Todd Starnes takes a humorous but serious look at life and faith.

"Todd's story reminds me of the many ups and downs I faced during my weight loss. Along his journey Todd not only lost a significant amount of weight, but he also lost his parents to sudden illnesses. He survived a significant surgery, ran a marathon, and despite it all still managed to complete the task. Todd's story reminds us that God uses the least of us to do the greatest things, that way there is no question that it is indeed God at work."
Mike Huckabee

My Review:

I found myself groaning at corny one-liners, gritting my teeth at a few well aimed comments that convicted me, and laughing with Todd Starnes on his journey of discovery. With self-deprecation and a sweet, sometimes dipped in churlishness, spirit Todd details his journey from death to life. I appreciated his candor and wit. And I appreciated his willingness to share the hard stuff and the blessings he discovered along the way. I’m giving a copy to a friend who recently had an emergency quadruple by-pass. After all, laughter is great medicine, and we all are given today with no promise of tomorrow, so why not spend the majority of our time laughing.

Todd’s own words sum up the heart of his message and journey and I can't come up with anything better.

“It’s that simple. Really.

I may never go skydiving or ride a bull, but I have survived open-heart surgery. I’ve lost a lot of weight, and I’ve run the New Your City Marathon. And somewhere along the way, I learned that Gods’ mercies are new every morning and that His strength is perfect when mine is not. And with apologies to Tim McGraw, I’ve chosen to live the rest of my days not like I was dying. Instead, I’ve chosen to live like I was living.”