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: sister
Toronto After Dark 2017: Defective – Reese Eveneshen
Screening tonight at Scotiabank Theatre as part of the Toronto After Dark film festival is this science fiction action flick that is sure to be a divisive viewing experience. In the not so distant future, corporations are in control, and our phones and televisions will advise on everything that is acceptable, and remind us of…
Toronto After Dark 2017: Rabbit – Luke Shanahan
The Australian film, Rabbit from writer/director Luke Shanahan has it’s Canadian premiere tonight at Scotiabank Theatre for the Toronto After Dark film festival. The film, a slow burn character drama that messes with your mind, stars Adelaide Clemens as Maude, an identical twin who believes that her twin, Cleo, who has been missing for over…
A Wind in the Door (1973) – Madeline L’Engle
This week, I dove into the second adventure of the Murry children first begun in the childhood classic (which I had never read) A Wrinkle in Time. I was curious to see where both characters and story would go as the adventure continues, so I devoured the book eagerly. This story feels both larger and…
A Wrinkle in Time (1963) – Madeleine L’Engle
Somehow this was a book that slipped though the cracks of my childhood, and it never found its way home from the school library with me. I figured I am long overdue to review this one, and considering it’s considered a classic of both the science fiction and fantasy genres it was time to dig…
Dune Messiah (1969) – Frank Herbert
A substantially shorter novel than the first book in the series, Dune Messiah is on the Book Shelf this week. Published four years after Dune, Messiah is set twelve years after the events that saw Paul Atreides become Emperor, marry a princess in name only, and his Fremen launched their jihad on the galaxy. Paul…
Tron: Legacy (2010) -Joseph Kosinski
Tron was a big part of my childhood. I remember seeing it in the theatre, and I remember my father falling asleep next to my sister while I was enraptured by the film. The use of computer technology, and the blossoming game world that seemed to fascinate every 80s kid was up there on the…
Donnie Darko (2001) – Richard Kelly
The final recommendation from this visit to the Family genre in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is Kelly’s cult film Donnie Darko. While not necessarily suitable for younger viewers, it does involve family and a young troubled boy. This one was one of those films that while I was in the…
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) – David Yates
J.K. Rowling scripts and produces the return to the magical world we last saw on screen in 2011, with the Deathly Hallows Part 2. This movie has big foot steps to follow in, so does it pull it off? For the most part, yes, but it left me wanting to dig into things that were…
Quantum Leap (1990/1991) – A Little Miracle and Runaway
Sam (Scott Bakula) is Reginald Pierson, the valet of one Michael Blake (Charles Rocket), a Scrooge-like character in Quantum Leap’s take on A Christmas Carol. A Little Miracle aired 21 December, 1990 and was penned by Sandy Fries and Robert Wolterstorff. It’s Christmas Eve, 1962, and Sam is feeling a little flustered serving Blake, who…
The Mind Reels 