Category: Based on a book or true story
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Children’s Book Review – The Acorn People (1976)
The Acorn People is a very short, deeply memorable book everyone should read. At 80 pages, it tells an unsentimental, yet profoundly moving tale about one camp counselor’s experience at summer camp in the 1970s. His kids were all severely disabled. And all dying. Disabled and dying children, but still important. Modern movies like Sea…
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Children’s Book Review – The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965, by Beverly Cleary)
Short, sweet, and oh so much fun, you will believe a mouse can ride a motorcycle! This is the lovely tale of Ralph, a young mouse addicted to the speed and thrill of cycling, and his friendship with a boy who loves miniature race cars. They understand each other through their mutual love of motorcycles.…
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Indie Movie Review – Tu Me Manques
The first thing to know about Tu Me Manques is that it was Bolivia’s official selection for the Oscars. While it wasn’t nominated, it’s a damn sight better than the movie that won (Another Round). Tu Me Manques is much more moving, meaningful, and emotional. In fact, it will probably have a spot on my…
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Classic Movie Review – The Milagro Beanfield War
The Milagro Beanfield War is a movie everyone should see to be delighted, laugh a lot, cry a little, and have a two hour cinematic fiesta. It’s chock full of chemistry between almost everyone, in a cast that encompasses an entire town, from children to the elderly. In fact, it’s the elders who steal the…
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Sundance Festival Movie Review – Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presented his anticipated directorial debut on opening night of the Sundance Film Festival. The movie documents the Harlem Cultural Festival that took place over six weekends in the summer of 1969. This was the same summer as Woodstock. The Harlem Cultural Festival featured performances that were just as amazing and significant. The…
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Children’s Book Review – Bunnicula
I’ve been doing a little light yoga reading routine each morning. I put my legs in the air for 10 minutes, before I even get out of bed, to take me from sleepy to wakey in a gentler fashion. Hey, it’s Doctor Approved! I decided to take this daily time to read through some kiddie…
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Movie Rewatch Review – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
My favorite of all the Harry Potter films — and books for that matter — this is just an A+ good time. If you like a quest-type adventure story, Goblet of Fire is a fine addition to the ranks of high fantasy. Unfortunately, I can’t speak for how well this tale holds together if you…
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Movie Review – Chaos Walking
Let me start off by saying I had not heard of this movie at all until RunPee Dan asked me to see it. I also didn’t know it was based on a book. That said, I don’t know how the movie stacked up to the book. I’m wondering if the book was more detailed with…
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Indie Movie Review – Werewolf (Wilkołak)
I’m ashamed to say that I know very little about Poland. I know nothing about the arts, the culture, the history, or the people. I once knew a woman of Polish descent, but that would be a bit like me saying I’m of German descent… theoretically true, but practically pointless. All I know for sure…
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Movie Review – Judas and the Black Messiah
Woohoo! It’s been a while Peeps, and I was happy to mask up and visit my local theatre to see one of my favorite genres: biopics. While the Black Panther Party was an official national political party, this biopic sheds light on one of many stories about the Party within its Chicago headquarters. I am…
