Dedicated to Nelson by Rosemary Clooney
Wow, this CD has punch. Clooney's clear, crisp vocalization gives oomph to these classics. She's accompanied by talented musicians soloing on trumpet, tenor and alto sax, clarinet, trombone, and xylophone. While a few weak tracks (It's So Peaceful in the Country and A Woman Likes to Be Told) have kept me from purchasing this for my home collection, I find myself borrowing it from the Library every few months. Each time I enjoyably rediscover the cool flair this CD offers. Clooney and company will energize your spring or add jazz to your dinner party at any time of the year. 3/3/08

The Family Stone directed by Thomas Bezucha
Year of release 2006, Running time 103 minutes, Rating PG-13
Weeks later I'm still thinking about The Family Stone which is a good indicator that it is worthy of being listed as one of my favorites. The movie takes place in just three days over the Christmas holiday. It broadly illustrates the Stone family but centers on characters portrayed by Dianne Keaton and Sarah Jessica Parker. Each actor turns in a strong performance. And after the credits roll you won't want to end your connection with this lovable, more-than-a-little-comical family. I found myself drawn to the special features on the DVD to continue this relationship. Watch the deleted scenes with the director's commentary turned on and you'll get a sense of how a good movie was made better. 1/21/08
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Billy Elliot directed by Stephen Daldry
Year of release 2000
Set in a working-class suburb during the northern English coal-mining strikes of 1984, Billy Elliot tells the tale of a boy who loves to dance. When revealed, his family and community rally to support his passion. You'll love watching Jamie Bell as charismatic Billy. Julie Walters (Calendar Girls) brilliantly fills the role of dance instructor and surrogate mum. Gary Lewis as the father is believably motivated. There's not a weak link in the cast of characters. This is an upbeat film that will have you crying at the poignant choices life demands. 10/3/05
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Blue Vinyl directed by Judith Helfand and Daniel B. Gold
Year of release 2005
Award-winning filmmaker Judith Helfand tells the story of her parents' re-siding project and the difficult decisions they face when given new facts. Theirs is a universal struggle to balance their needs with a desire to do no harm. An educational and comedic documentary, Blue Vinyl explores the production process of PVC vinyl and exposes its dangers. An excellent viewing choice if you're living in anything but a vinyl-sided building and an eye-opener in any case. 9/1/05
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Hang On Little Tomato by Pink Martini, CD, 2004
If you're tired of the same old sound from the same old band try the newest CD from Portland, Oregon band Pink Martini. What the fourteen tracks of this album have in common is their quality and their distinctiveness. The mood ranges from energetic, to brooding, to whimsical. This album is both very big (Una Notte a Napoli) and very personal (the title track). BBC's The World reported in March 2005 that this band is popular in Europe. Their global sound and vocals in six languages suggest why. The appeal of lead vocalist China Forbes and the talented fourteen piece band may be another indicator. Whether you love the harp, trumpet, piano, clarinet, bongos, or just fine music there's something on this CD for you. There's even a barking dog. 6/1/05
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Nine to Five directed by Colin Higgins
Year of release 1980
I would not have expected in 1980 when I saw Nine to Five at the theatre that I would be recommending it as a classic film. But after multiple viewings over two decades this film stands the test of time. The stars prove their worth and the three women have a believable chemistry. Lily Tomlin steals the show with her theft of the body. Dolly Parton holds her own and shows her best in matter-of-fact lines regarding that body. Jane Fonda delivers the memorable copy room scene. The issue of sexism in the work place is still a relevant plot and Dabney Coleman is excellent as the boss you love to hate. Well-edited scene changes set you up for the next and of course Nine to Five features the famous theme song. 9/3/04
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The Red Rose Girls: An Uncommon Story of Art and Love by Alice A. Carter
Three artists began living together at the Red Rose Inn in the early 1900's and provided for each other an inspiring counter against artistic isolation. A fourth woman ran the household, allowing the three to focus on their careers. Biographer Alice Carter's thorough research creates a complete picture of the social, economic, and international setting of their interwoven lives. Even for readers who are art novices, Carter is able to convey the significance of the three artists' commissions, achievements, and awards. Resplendent with reproductions of their work, some in full-color, this biography is also graced with elegant photographs of the women and their studios. Quotes from their letters and stories from those who knew them supply rich details of their personal lives. A romantic read for multiple reasons. 7/1/04
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The Getaway and Other Stories by Dorothy Thomas
These twelve stories are pure delight; alike in quality, yet each unique in their plots and characters. Throughout, Thomas' use of language captures and holds the reader in well-defined settings. For example, "Up in the Hills" opens with "Bell McClain was making green apple pie for supper. From where she stood she could see her three little stepdaughters playing County Fair out by the barn." Whether in first or third person narrative, characters spring from the pages in even the shortest of stories. The child narrator in "The Christmas Whopper" informs the reader, "In my place at the table, between my two oldest brothers, I bowed my head for the blessing and felt that deep unworthiness that was to grow, with each prayer raised, from the meal onward toward Christmas." This collection brings together stories that appeared in the New Yorker, Harper's, and other literary press between 1931 and 1957. Together they paint a complete picture of rural life in Nebraska and Canada during the Depression and for this reason I imagine they are more powerful as a collection than read individually. 4/1/04
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Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
This book presents an alternative to our current throw-away culture and goes way beyond the bandage of recycling. The authors ask, what if nature is used as a design model? What if designs are fair to people, restorative of the environment, AND good for profit? In a cradle-to-cradle model products are designed with their future function in mind. Biological materials are kept separate from technical resources and are therefore easily recaptured, uncompromised in quality, and readily up-cycled. This exciting and plausible vision of a better future is one in which economic growth is good and the planet is enriched, not depleted, by human activity. Full of lots of smart thinking, this book will revolutionize how you think of manufacturing, industry, economy, and environmental sustainability. 2/2/04
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Spirited Away directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Year of release 2001
Spirited Away is an animated film that will appeal to all ages. Young Chihiro involuntarily embarks on an epic journey in a world that, while fanciful, remains true to itself. She survives every challenge by simply doing the right thing. The story is well woven with no loose ends and there are some memorable characters. Although this movie is from the Walt Disney Home Video Studio this is not another Disney animation. Spirited Away received a 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film of the Year. Rated PG for some scary moments. 12/3/03
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Rabbit Songs by Hem, CD, 2000
Throw out your conceptions of musical categories and prepare for some simply good music. The musicians of Hem combine guitars, mandolin, glockenspiel, and other instruments to create the soothing repetitions featured in this first album called Rabbit Songs. As mood music, Rabbit Songs works for a lazy day. Beginning with the unaccompanied vocals of Sally Ellyson performing the short, slightly jazzy "Lord, blow the moon out please" and moving to the opening piano notes of the second track, this album picks you up and wraps you in a soft blanket. Several songs temporarily drift away from their easy melodies into sharps and flats to avoid becoming overly sweet. But their steady rhythm maintains the overall mood of this lullaby-like album. Beyond the musical notes are rich and evocative lyrics written by Dan Messé and sung in Ellyson's clear voice. With all 16 tracks Rabbit Songs delivers. 4/15/03
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Anything We Love Can Be Saved: A Writer's Activism by Alice Walker
Writer and activist Alice Walker has blessed us with this collection of her essays, speeches, letters, and statements. Her many topics range from celebrations of her mother, her daughter, and Zora Neale Hurston, to defenses of the controversial Fidel Castro and Winnie Mandela, to thoughts on bodily mutilation, religion, her writing process, and dreadlocks. Her writings inspire a range of emotions from hope to shame, anger, joy, love, and sadness. It is as if Walker performs all her writing simultaneously on three levels - one of reason, one of feeling, and one of spirit. Every sentence holds eloquence and deep wisdom. It's a book worth reading multiple times. Of particular relevance is her address, "The Story of Why I Am Here," referencing George Bush senior and his actions against Saddam Hussein. 4/1/03
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Big Night
Year of release 1997
The greater part of this film takes place in a single day that weaves a handful of offbeat characters into the lives of two newly immigrated brothers laboring to make their authentic Italian restaurant a success. Defying traditional Hollywood, the ending resolves only one struggle and leaves you wishing for more time with the characters. Indeed, some characters almost demand whole films to themselves to explain their motives and delve into their lives which are only (very successfully) hinted at. Directors Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci achieve a sincerity with moments of delightful, quiet humor that catch you by surprise. Even the dialogue with its mumbles and interruptions seems refreshingly uncontrived. A deeply rich portrait, Big Night believably communicates emotion, ethnicity, and its 1950s setting. It's a world unto its self. 2/5/03

This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader
by Joan Dye Gussow
In her opening chapters Gussow conveys how she and her husband aimed for self-sufficiency by constructing their gardens and home along the Hudson River in downstate New York. While these chapters familiarize the reader with Gussow's way of life, the real gem of this book is the second half. Here Gussow discusses in depth the values and insights that define her life. Readers who are already buying organic foods will find another step in adopting eating habits to support a living planet. Gussow answers the question - why eat locally - with very convincing answers, all the while maintaining her conversational style that keeps the reader's interest. This powerful book should provide the slap in the face that will wake us up from our self-indulgences. Read it and encourage your extended family and friends to read it as well. 11/1/02
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Strangers In Good Company
Year of release 1990
One of my all-time favorites that I've watched again and again and still enjoy. The fact that it's a Canadian film may account for its refreshing departure from Hollywood hype and pacing. After their bus breaks down, eight women make their way in the Quebec wilderness in a discovery of each other. The finest point of this film is that it doesn't rely on a script or professional actors but on an outline of a plot and improvisations that reveal the real stories of the women. Director Cynthia Scott does wonders with her cast and the setting is as peaceful and expansive as the film's message. Find the time to sit back and let this movie soothe you. (The DVD version contains a veritable treasure of information about the production of the film including brief interviews with several of the women.) 9/30/02

Passion Fish
Year of release 1992
Outstanding performances by Mary McDonnell and Alfre Woodard are reason enough to see this film but the story itself is just as powerful. McDonnell is a soap opera star who returns to her southern home after an accident leaves her in a wheelchair. Woodard is the one person who can tolerate McDonnell's bitterness while at the same time facing her own life challenges. Director John Sayles emphasizes character development and dialog and weaves in a wonderful setting that features Cajun music and the silent stillness of the Louisiana bayou. This film is a fulfilling and meaningful work of art. 8/28/02

A Knight's Tale
Year of release 2001
A Knight's Tale may leave you with nothing to contemplate the next day but it's still a worthy 130 minutes of entertainment. A cross between Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Big Trouble In Little China, this is one unique film. Peasant son William Thatcher sets out to compete with knights and become a jousting champion. With points for dialogue, cinematography, choreography, and sound track this movie is a pleasure to watch. Fine acting by all characters more than makes up for a predictable plot, which is also at times heavy-handed. But don't be surprised if you cry as well as laugh. If you're a Val Kilmer fan try this new young actor, Heath Ledger, whose second dance scene will remind you of Top Secret. Strongly influenced by the year it was made, you'll want to see A Knight's Tale now as this movie, unlike The Princess Bride, will not stand the test of time. 7/22/02

On Good Land: The Autobiography of an Urban Farm
by Michael Ableman
This second book by Michael Ableman is written from his seventeen years of experience on a California farm, which in his tenure becomes completely surrounded by suburbia. The story progresses necessarily and unfortunately from tales of pruning, mulching, and harvesting to "How to Fight City Hall." Hope is restored as the farm and Ableman adjust to an integrated mission with the neighboring developments. The farm's transition to a public trust and center for education is an inspiration and blueprint for how small farms can fulfill yet another important role in our communities. Ableman's writing style is very accessible and he moves the story quickly. His thoughts on weeding, watering, and teaching read like recipes for the soul. Wonderful photos by Ableman make it a beautiful book as well. 4/1/02
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Complementary Colors, CD, 1998, Gadfly Records
by Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues with the West End String Quartet and Frank Donaldson
This album combines blues harmonica, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, and vocals. According to Siegel "when seen from a purely musical perspective, Blues and Classical are nothing more than complementary colors." "El Niño: Opus 18" is one of my favorite tracks on this album. The repetitious melodies of classical strings are highlighted with the draw of the blues harmonica. It's a soothing introduction to what Siegel does in blending traditional blues and classical instruments into one sound. "Complementary Colors," a fast-paced, toe-tapping tune will inspire you to into a flurry of activity. Try it out while working in the kitchen one night or maybe it's better theme music for your workday morning rituals! Piano lovers will enjoy the lively notes of "Burnt Sienna;" a blues influenced song, although I could do without the vocals on this track. The album ends with "Goodbye California," a humorous yet sincere song about the seismological prediction that the state will break from the rest of the continent. With its unusual premise and its quirky and clever notes this album is sure to be enjoyed by music lovers of all ages. 4/1/02

Tea with Mussolini, VHS, DVD
This 1999 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli combines an all-star cast (Cher, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, Judi Dench, and Lily Tomlin), a beautiful setting, and a creative plot. Set in Florence during World War II a group of British and American women challenge each other as well as the increasingly repressive regime of Mussolini. Gripping and comedic, this film was meant to be watched multiple times to catch the nuances of the cinematography and the subtleties of the acting. 2/1/02

The Wedding Banquet directed by Ang Lee
Year of release 1993
Get caught up in the stress of having your parents live with you while, for their sake, living a lie. American Wei-Tung (Winston Chao) agrees to marry Wei-Wei (May Chin) to appease his parents pressures and get Wei-Wei a green card. Thrown into the mix is Wei-Tung's lover Simon who poses as the roommate/landlord. Saying more would diminish the suspense. Strong supporting cast that outshines the lead and a touching portrayal of parent-child relationships. An earlier successful film from director Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). 1/14/02

Saving Grace directed by Nigel Cole
If you haven't gotten around to seeing this 2000 film release starring Brenda Blethyn (Secrets and Lies) and Craig Ferguson, pick it up on DVD from the Library. Upbeat and with more than a few full laughs, this British film spins out an unbelievable plot that also seems very down-to-earth. Recently widowed, Grace agrees to help the caretaker of her estate with a plan that should make them both rich. You'll find yourself routing for Grace as she becomes an unlikely villain with good intentions. An enjoyable sound track includes a clever reference to Phenomenon (1996, starring John Travolta). This film is definitely worth viewing. 8/7/01