Little Talks

I wasn't sure what I was looking for today, but this just seemed right.

The Complete Sherlock Holmes  is a collection of all of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (and it is a Barnes & Noble exclusive as far as I can tell). These stories make it clear why Sherlock is the father of all detective work, but I found it was underwhelming for such a major classic. Doyle begins with some interesting and dynamic characters who go on some fascinating adventures all to solve peculiar cases. However, towards the end of the collection the stories get dull and redundant. I feel that it largely stems from the fact that Doyle no longer wanted to write stories about the beloved detective. Frankly, it is reflected in the nature of his prose and the similarities between so many of the cases. I would sum up Sherlock stories as an above-average detective and his caring military doctor companion trying to figure out how a crime has been committed behind closed doors. A lot of cases run along that vein. A few, especially towards the end, change per...

Clearly I've had more time for movies this summer than I have had for books. It makes me sad to think about, but at least I have been lucky enough to come across some pretty good ones. The storyline is simple, but powerful. Jacob, ex-veterinary student, joins the circus and ends up becoming a favourite. He is specially tasked with caring for the circus's new elephant, Rosie. Jacob falls for Marlena, the horse-back acrobat who is working out a new act with Rosie. However, Marlena is married to the ring master/circus owner, August, who turns out to be rather abusive, both to his people and his animals. Everyone is property to him, but they are also liabilities, so when he can't afford to keep his entertainers and staff around, he dumps them off the train in the middle of the night. In the end, Jacob helps Marlena to realize how scary her situation is and the two escape together. Without revealing too much, I will let you know that this film ends as most romances do, with the ...

[Warning: Spoilers] This movie was a bit of suspense, a bit of a thriller, a mystery, a ghost story, a crime drama, and more all wrapped into one. And it was fantastic! Leonardo DiCaprio is always so talented, and his portrayal of U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels is no exception. He and his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) come to an island that houses a mental hospital, including a ward of dangerous criminals. They are investigating the disappearance of one of the patients, but Teddy is also interested in the place because it houses (or used to house) an arsonist who he holds responsible for his wife's death. Teddy is super suspicious about what kind of treatments are being used on the island, and the disappearance begins to look more like a piece of a larger conspiracy. Teddy keeps having headaches, coupled with terrible flashbacks and dreams, but it seems to him over time that the medication he is being given for the headaches is making the visions worse. To make a long story short, t...

I've seen some weird movies in my life, but this is probably the weirdest. It's spoken about like it is a classic film, although of what genre I was never certain, nor am I really any closer to figuring out that detail.  The title makes it sound like a scary movie, but it's not. Perhaps they are joking that it is scary, since it does begin with some cliché horror motifs, and it is a little freaky at points. However, it really isn't creepy and there aren't suspenseful or jumpy moments. It is, in fact, a musical, and I suppose one might say a comedy. It is framed as a crime story, following the odd occurrence of a couple who got lost in the woods on a stormy night and ended up at a strange mansion. It is not clearly explained to begin with, but you discover throughout the movie that the inhabitants of the elaborate house are aliens, called Transvestites, from the planet Transxual in the galaxy of Transylvania. Janice and Brad, newly engaged, go up to the house looking...

[Potential spoilers; read at your own risk] This movie is full of suspense, but it's not nearly as scary as you'd expect. While watching it, you feel like so much could go wrong. And, in a way, it does. However, in the end everyone is kind of able to go on as if nothing had happened, except that they are never going to forget that it did happen. The movie focuses on a young couple, Simon and Robyn, who have just bought a new house in the husband's hometown. There, they meet a man named Gordo who was bullied by the husband in high school. Gordo becomes fixated on his bully managin to have such a perfect life. However, we learn it is not all perfect since the couple lost their first child and are hesitant to keep trying to have another. Gordo also becomes attached to, and perhaps fascinated with, Robyn. He keeps leaving gifts for them and visiting with them, but the couple get scared by how obsessed he is with them. As time moves forward, they seem to keep their distance from...

I have issues with some of these posts because the blog and/or the app decide not to save the photo files properly. So this week's Sunday Sayings is the last one that failed to post correctly.

After being dumped by her rich, successful boyfriend, Elle decides to prove that she is more than just a trophy or a pretty face. So she studies her hardest and, using her own unique "skills" and characteristics, she manages to get into Harvard School of Law. The story really isn't that complicated. She struggles, but actually managed to put in a lot of hard work. She doesn't fit in at first, but she gains some friendship, especially from her ex's new fiancé. One of her professors chooses her to be one of his select interns to help with his current case. Thanks to her way of seeing things, and her unusually thorough knowledge of celebrity and beauty, Elle realizes that the woman whom they are defending in court has, in fact, been wrongfully arrested for the murder of her husband. And, as with all chick flicks, she realizes that she doesn't still love her ex, and falls for her professor's firm partner. There are also a couple of small side plots. The firs...

After my break from blogging, I'm back. I think the idea of having to write a post about this movie is part of what kept me away for so long.  How does one discuss such an iconic piece of history on film? The Passion of the Christ  is about the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, beginning with his temptation in the Garden of Gethsemanee. If you don't know the story, I'd suggest reading it in the Bible (some good places to look: Mark 14-16, John 18-20, Luke 22-24 & Matthew 26-28). However, if that seems like too much work, I can summarize. In the garden, Jesus is tempted by the devil to disobey God's commandment to sacrifice himself on the cross. The disciples are supposed to be praying for him, staying awake with him on his last night, but they keep falling asleep. Then Judas leads soldiers to Jesus, identifying him by kissing him. He is then tried by the Jewish leaders for falsely claiming to be the saviour and for his preaching and performi...