House of Anansi press has released an updated version of Deborah Ellis’ poignant and beautifully written tale, The Breadwinner. Aimed at younger readers, the book puts a face to stories that help the reader empathise and understand some of the issues that are taking place in Afghanistan. Canadian born Ellis has crafted a whole series, with…
Tag: father
Billy Elliot (2000) – Stephen Daldry
The final recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my viewing of West Side Story isn’t necessarily a musical, but it definitely shares the same love of dance. Billy Elliot, which has since inspired a stage musical perfectly captures joy in dance and simultaneously juxtaposes the ordinary events of day…
Fear (2017) – Dirk Kurbjuweit
Hitting trade paperback on Canadian book shelves this week is this engrossing thriller penned by German author Dirk Kurbjuweit. A captivating tale the novel explores themes of love, family, perceptions of masculinity, and the rule of law. The novel opens with a murder. And a confession. For months Randolph Tiefenthaler and his wife, Rebecca and…
Beauty And The Beast (1991) – Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
The new classics of the Disney renaissance continue as the recommendations from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Lion King brings me to Beauty and the Beast. Taking on the classic tale that had been visited in both film and television formats the story gets the Disney…
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989) – Time Squared, and The Icarus Factor
Captain’s log: stardate 42679.2 Maurice Hurley pens the teleplay for this episode, that first aired on 3 April, 1989, basing it on a story by Kurt Michael Bensmiller. I’ve always liked this one, or at least most of it, I wish they had done more with the second Picard (Patrick Stewart). But I am getting…
The Lion King (1994) – Roger Allers & Ron Minkoff
Magnificent. The descriptor still applies to this now iconic Disney masterpiece, and one I got to revisit when I returned to the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Coming back to the family genre, this was the next stop. Containing themes of, well the circle of life, ranging from that of the ecological…
Sherlock Jr. (1924) – Buster Keaton
The Movie Book from DK Canada continues to provide laughs and entertainment as I take in another Buster Keaton film, Sherlock Jr. as I work through their What Else to Watch list following my screening of Steamboat Bill, Jr. Running at a brisk 45 minutes, this iconic film is everything you would expect from a…
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) – Charles Reisner & Buster Keaton
DK Books’ The Movie Book continues with the amazing films, and it was a joy to turn the page and find that the next few films would see me enjoying some of Buster Keaton’s fantastic comedic work. I’d previously only seen The General, which was a great film, and consequently, was very eager to dive…
Mamma Mia! (2008) – Phylida Lloyd
The final recommendation for my screening of Jailhouse Rock for the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film is the beloved stage musical, Mamma Mia! Using the catchy tunes penned by cherished pop group, ABBA, the tale is a but of a post-modern Philadelphia Story as a young woman, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is on the…
King Solomon’s Mines (1937) – Robert Stevenson
The next action recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following the fantastic Raiders of the Lost Ark is this 1937 adaptation of H. Rider Haggard’s classic adventure novel. Cedric Hardwicke leads the way as adventurer Allan Quartermain who is persuaded by Kathy (Anna Lee) to help search for her father,…
The Mind Reels 