Friday, March 31, 2017

Movie: The Passengers

Name: The Passengers
Year: 2016
Director: Morten Tyldum
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen
Genres: Adventure, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Country: USA
Time: 116 min

Outline of the movie:
The spaceship, Starship Avalon, in its 120-year voyage to a distant colony planet known as the "Homestead Colony" and transporting about 5 thousand people has a malfunction in one of its sleep chambers. As a result one hibernation pod opens prematurely and the one person that awakes, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) is stranded on the spaceship, still 90 years from his destination.
 
My thoughts: 
     Loved. Loved. Loved! I know there is so many technical and plot misfits. I guess any person with a strong knowledge of mathematics and physics will tear this movie apart, but I just loved it due to its originality, style, good development pace and characters. This movie had everything - love, drama, philosophical/existential questions, and incredibly suspenseful moments. The acting was great (I was pretty skeptical about Jennifer Lawrence), the pacing was good, and the visuals were amazing as well. Also the trailer didn't spoil the movie at all, which was nice; it actually provided misleading information and finding out a quite unique plot twist was a small and pleasant surprise.
     I adored the moral part of the movie: the person is to decide if he dares condemn another human being to the slow and almost isolate death in order to save yourself from insanity and loneliness. I guess it is even more difficult to live with the consequences of the murder since the victim is living by your side.
      My only gripe would be about the ending, which was still acceptable. But I have so many options to finish the movie, unfortunately I cannot write them down here as it will be a huge spoiler, but oh my! how many development paths it can be!
Rating: 
    5/5 

Thursday, March 30, 2017

First Love. Asya by Ivan Turgenev

Author: Ivan Turgenev
Original title: Первая любовь. Ася.
Pages: 94
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: Hardcover
Genres: Classics
Goodreads

First Love.
A 16-year-old boy falls in love with a beautiful, older woman and experiences a whirlwind of changing emotions, from exaltation and jealousy to despair and devotion.
Asya.
Asya is a tragic story of two Russians abroad who are in love but conceal it from each other.

      I read the two novellas Asya and First Love in one sitting and was impressed by the ability of the author to create such dramatic, extraordinary stories and turn them into a masterpiece from a seemingly simple and straightforward situation. Turgenev's writing style is poetic and melancholic, I devoured every word and every sentence admiring his exceptional skill of using words. The magnificent and vivid descriptions of the people and places in the stories made them tangible and so familiar.
       Of both stories I have a slight preference for First love. Even thought Asya was skillfully portrayed  with all the contradiction, mood swings and emotions, I did not find her likable. It is obvious, that the understanding of her society position teared her apart: she was trying to adjust the society, but her roots were taking over; she was ashamed and proud of her mother at the same time and could not find neither her place nor peace.  As for the main male character I liked him a lot. I would say he is really reliable and credible figure you can create about 40 pages. He is such an ordinary guy and development of his feelings and, what is more, his understanding of his feelings are so dramatic and beautiful. The way he fell in love with Asya was nice because it was realistic: slowly, day by day, without even knowing it till the end. Only when she disappears from his life because she thinks he is indifferent, does he realize his true love and is hit by an enormous sense of loss and despair.
 

      As for First Love, here everything is much more difficult. It has so much depth and so many layers. Behind the beautiful description of a young, passionate affection of a 16 year old boy to a 20 year old girl, we can see so much drama unfold.  First of all, it is the consequences of the arranged marriage and the atmosphere in the family as a result of the coldness of the parents towards each other. Secondly, the portrait of social relationships: the tension between neighbors and the attitude of the Zinaida's suitor towards her family. And finally,  the relationship between parents and children: it is painful to read about this almost grown up boy is longing for his father's love. How he is ready to do anything for his approval or at least attention. Even the knowledge of his father stealing away his first and true love does not change his attitude, so strong his admiration and affection towards father are. That was really heart breaking.
 

      What unites those two novellas is the idea of a true, pure and deep love, that is able to change the whole direction of your life and your point of view about yourself. The emotional experience for both characters were so strong and vivid that they were not able to overcome it in the future and were left to lead a lonely life. It is extraordinary how such a short novella can stir so many emotions and feelings.
Rating: 
    4/5 

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

T5W March 29, Future Classics

This weekly book meme officiated in November 2013. Every week there is a new topic and your list of 5 nominates will be based off this topic. For further information check out the Goodreads Page.

The theme this week is: Future Classics 

      For this topic, I need to compile the list of  books I think might be considered classics one day. So I guess Harry Potter will be in everybody's list, so I will skip it as it is already on the way to become classic.
     So my list is below. This is my personal view on those books and maybe any of you might be surprised at the candidates, but some today classics were also once cheesy love stories, so why, say Chocolat, cannot become classics one day as well?
  • Cider House Rules by John Irving
  • The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
  • Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson
  • Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
  • Chocolat by Joanne Harris

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Theater: Magical Exercise

Author: Daniel Glattauer
Original title: Die Wunderübung
Theatrical title: Zázračné cvičení
Language: Czech
Director: Vilma Cibulková
Genres: Comedy
Cast: Vilma Cibulková, Stanislav Lehký, Rostislav Trtík
Time: 110m
Premiere: January 22, 2015
Theater: Branické divadlo, Prague


Summary:
It is a minimalistic play with three characters, a constantly fighting married couple and their couples therapist who resorts to unconventional methods to fix their relationship.

About the author:
     Daniel Glattauer is an Austrian writer and former journalist. He is best known for his dialogic epistolary novel Love Virtually (Gut gegen Nordwind) and its sequel Every Seventh Wave (Alle sieben Wellen).
      Glattauer's novels and plays are inspired by his personal experiences, dealing with situations and themes constructed from memories of his time as a journalist and his psycho social counselor training. Glattauer's work is characterized by humor and romantic relationships, catering to the masses and leading some critics to find fault with a lack of depth to his novels.

About the play:
Valentin (Stanislav Lehký) and Joana (Vilma Cibulková) are seeking the help of a couples therapist (Rostislav Trtík). Soon however, it is clear that regular treatment is not sufficient for this couple, so rooted their contempt for each other and so deep the estrangement are. After some vague attempts, which only made the couple furious, the therapist goes for a drastic exercise, which might not be successful at all. 

Themes:
Family problems and misunderstanding: This topic was pictured by the author with all the skills. The dialogs and monologues are so strong and passionate that it makes you sometimes think how two people can be driven to such misunderstanding and coldness in a marriage. A couple which is not able to sit together and talk calmly without shouting and accusing each other. Years together tought them to know soft spots and where it hurts the most. 

Final thoughts:
I must confess, that the play itself is very good and I really appreciate the dialogues, development of the characters and passion and temperature rising. Unfortunately, I cannot say that I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of the actors. It is not that the actors were not talented, but I had a slight feeling of artificial uneasiness in their presentation.

Monday, March 27, 2017

April 2017| most anticipated movies

April is going to be a poor month for new movie releases.

6 April 2017
Name: Power Rangers
Cast:  Elizabeth Banks, Bryan Cranston, Becky G.
Time: 124m
Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: Canada, USA
Language: English


High school outcasts stumble upon an old alien ship, where they acquire superpowers and are dubbed the Power Rangers. Learning that an old enemy of the previous generation has returned to exact vegenance, the group must harness their powers and use them to work together and save the world.

Name: The Fifth Ship
Cast:  Vanessa Szamuhelova, Matus Bacisin, Katarina Kamencova
Time: 90m
Genres:  Drama, Family
Country:  Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary
Language: Czech, Slovak


The story of a child's adventure. It's a story of children who feel safer in the streets than at home, about children seeking out sturdy lifeboats that cross between the world of fantasy and the harsh reality of life. Jarka is one of these children. Ten years-old, and living with a mother who is not yet ready to be a Mum, Jarka spends most of her time alone. Pushed by her desire for love and to form a fully functional family, she finds herself substituting a "mother" to two babies.


27 April 2017
Name: The Salesman
Cast: Taraneh Alidoosti, Shahab Hosseini, Babak Karimi
Time: 125m
Genres:  Drama, Thriller
Country: Iran, France
Language: Persian, English


Forced to leave their collapsing house, Ranaa and Emad, an Iranian couple who happen to be performers rehearsing for Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" rent a new apartment from one of their fellow performers. Unaware of the fact that the previous tenant had been a woman of ill repute having many clients, they settle down. By a nasty turn of events one of the clients pays a visit to the apartment one night while Ranaa is alone at home taking a bath and the aftermath turns the peaceful life of the couple upside down.

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Sunday Post #9, Behind the Schedule

The Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things received, and share news about what is coming up on the blog for the week ahead. To get in on the Sunday fun, see the rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Outside the Blog

Horrible blogging week! I was either later or did not publish all the posts I was going to this last week. I have a slim excuse as it was my last wee at work and I had to put all the projects in order and pass all the knowledge to my co-workers. So i was stressed and busy. In addition to it, on Saturday i have to go through quite an important Czech language exam, which also added some stress. At the end of each day I was so weary that I could not push myself to read or write anything. I hope next week will be better and I will pull myself together and write within my expected schedule.

Last Week on the Blog

This week: 20.03 - 26.03
This Week on the Blog

The week: 27.03 - 02.04
  • On Monday, 27th I publish April 2017| most anticipated movies
  • On Tuesday, 28st I review the play Magical Exercise
  • On Wednesday, 29th I publish Top 5 Wednesday, March 29, Future Classics
  • On Thursday, 30th I review 2 novellas by Ivan Turgenev (Asya; First Love)
  • On Friday, 31st I review the movie The Passengers
New Comers on my Shelf

I got 3 books from the library this week:
1. The Graveyard Book Volume 1 by Neil Gaiman. I was advised this book by a homeless looking guy, who saw that I was struggling with the graphic novel choice.
2. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman
3. A Russian horror novel which I loosely translate as Dogheaders by Alexey Mavrin. I do not believe it is translated in English, but the book has some recognition in Russian book tube, so I will see what it has to propose.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

WWW Wednesday and Library Loot, March 22th

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. A similar meme, This Week in Books is hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found.
Description: WWW Wednesday is a weekly event where you share answers Below questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
  
I am currently reading 3 books:

1. I am still listening to A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler.
2. I have just started a short story collection A Slow Boat to China by Haruki Murakami. I am not sure if this collection was translated into English, at least I could not find the English version. I like the unique narration of Murakami and deliberate simplicity of the stories.
3. I have just started a short story collection A Sportsman's Sketches by Ivan Turgenev.

I have finished 3 books:
1. Last week I finished The Unmade Bed by Françoise Sagan.
2. I have finished novella Asya by Ivan Turgenev.
3. I have just finished a graphic novel The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

I am planning to start with the following books:
1. Dogheaders by Alexey Mavrin
2. The Haunted Life by Jack Kerouac
3. The Graveyard Book Volume 1 by Neil Gaiman.


Hosted by: The Captive Reader and Silly Little Mischief
Description: Library Loot is a weekly event that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

I got 3 books from the library this week:
1. The Graveyard Book Volume 1 by Neil Gaiman. I was advised this book by a homeless looking guy, who saw that I was struggling with the graphic novel choice.
2. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman
3. A Russian horror novel which I loosely translate as Dogheaders by Alexey Mavrin. I do not believe it is translated in English, but the book has some recognition in Russian book tube, so I will see what it has to propose.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Theater: Run for Your Wife

Author: Ray Cooney
Original title: Run For Your Wife: A Comedy
Theatrical title: Běž za svou ženou
Language: Czech
Director: Václav Luks, Jan Nosek Novák
Genres: Comedy
Cast: Andrea Bulišová, Barbora Mottlová, Jiří Racek, Václav Čížkovský
Time: 110m
Theater: Branické divadlo, Prague


Summary:
       A taxi driver gets away with having two wives in different areas of London because of his irregular working schedule. Complication is piled upon complication as the cabby tries to keep his double life from exploding.

About the author:
      Raymond George Alfred Cooney (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright and actor. His biggest success, Run for Your Wife, ran for nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 of his plays performed there.

About the play:
     A London taxi driver has two wives, not because he's any great lady-killer, but because he didn't want to upset the second woman who pursued him. It all works until he gets in a small accident, but then the police come around and he just can't get his story straight. That's pretty much the story on this funny little farce.

About the cast:
        Unfortunately, I must say that I enjoyed a performance of only 3 out of 8 actors. Those are Václav Čížkovský (playing Stanley Gardner), Jiří Racek (playing John Brown) and (playing Mary Brown)
       As though it was quite decent, the performance of Mr and Mrs Brown did not impress too much. I liked how they put emotions and they seemed quite natural, but still something was amiss, and that prevented me from enjoying their performance. Václav Čížkovský's execution, on the other hand, was impeccable. I was not able to recall any scene with him, where I would not enjoy his act, he skillfully masters his body and facial movement as well as his voice.
       Two of the actors: Barbora Mottlová (playing Barbara Brown) and Martin Hartl (playing a reporter) irritated me a great deal. Especially the 5 second appearance of a reporter was so badly done, that I am still annoyed. It is surprising that such a small role can influence the perception of the play all together.

Final thoughts:
     Overall, I find the comedy as a whole was a well done play that kept the attention of the audience at all times. I think it had great humor and it was nice humor with less of the door slamming and physical comedy than often goes with farce.
      I liked the way how the play escalated from an uncomfortable situation to a complete nonsense with so many people involved and with so many cooked up explanations that you try to do your best to not to mix anything and not to join in the common madness on the stage. One hilarious predicament after another

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Sunday Post #8, Rainy Weekend

The Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things received, and share news about what is coming up on the blog for the week ahead. To get in on the Sunday fun, see the rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Last Week on the Blog

The week: 13.03 - 19.03
This Week on the Blog

The week: 20.03 - 26.03
  • On Monday, 20th I publish my Bond Project overview
  • On Tuesday, 21st I review the play Run For Your Wife
  • On Wednesday, 22th I publish WWW Wednesday and Library Loot
  • On Thursday, 23th I review 2 novellas by Ivan Turgenev (Asya; First Love)
  • On Friday, 24th I review the movie The Passengers
New Comers on my Shelf

     I came across this book accidentally and I liked the blurb. Since I saw Sweet Bean movie where the topic of leprosy in Japan was raised up, I got quite emotional about it. And here there is a book about the journey to leper colonies in Siberia, and I wanted to read a book to see how the disease was treated in a different country.

Outside the Blog

     Today on Sunday is the last chases of 2016–17 Biathlon World Cup. I enjoyed following it throughout the winter and a bit sad that it is over. I am not sure anything exciting will be in March and April, so I hope I will have more time for books.
     I have finished the 3rd episode of BBC War and Peace and must admit that I start gradually love it. I hope I will write the review of my first reaction to the 1st episode, which was quite strong, and as soon as I finish the series review will defensively follow. 
 

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Theatre: Moment Of Weakness

Author: Donald Churchill
Original title: Moment Of Weakness
Theatrical title: Chvilková slabost
Language: Czech
Director: Petr Hruška
Genres: Comedy
Cast: Petra Špalková, David Matásek, Sandra Černodrinská
Time: 120m
Premiere: 23. 9. 2016
Theater: Divadlo v Rytířské, Prague


     This theatrical experience started quite funny. We arrived in time and went in to take our seats, when we found out that there were sitting two nicely dressed elderly ladies. The ladies provided their tickets, which clearly indicated our seats. I started to doubt my sanity and checked our tickets - the same seats. Overbooking can happen with airlines, but with the theater... So we rushed for the assistance of the theater staff. Three minutes later the stuff was checking ladies' and our tickets. The poor ladies have tickets for the same seats, same performance, same day of the weak, same date... but in the month time!! I felt so sorry for them, so much preparation and expectation and just to get to know that you are welcome to enjoy the play, but in a month from now. I think the stuff exchanged the ripped tickets and let them go. I felt a bit upset, I would try to find some spot for them, since they arrived and had the tickets, but what I know about theater policies))

Summary:
Audrey and Tony are a middle aged ex-couple meeting at their old weekend retreat to decide who gets what. Tony is re-married and expecting a baby with his new wife, while Audrey is planning to re-marry as well. Are these two exes really over each other?

About the author:
    Donald Churchill was an English actor and playwright. He appeared in many film and television productions over a 35-year period and wrote several TV scripts.
     His films included Barnacle Bill (1957), The Captain's Table (1959), Victim (1961), The Wild Affair (1964), Zeppelin (1971), The First Great Train Robbery (1979), Charlie Muffin (1979) and The Hound of the Baskervilles (1983) as Doctor Watson. On television he starred in Spooner's Patch (1980-1982) and appeared in Stanley and the Women (1991) and C.A.T.S. Eyes. His plays include Mixed Feelings, The Decorator, and Moments of Weakness.

About the play:
This is a comedy about modern marriage. Audrey and Tony are a middle aged ex-couple meeting at their old weekend retreat to decide who gets what. Tony is eager to get this matter cleared up. He has re-married and his new wife is pregnant. She has come along for the ride, but goes into labor and is rushed to the local hospital. Tony and Audrey are not able to say two words to each other without mutual accusations and abuse. But still he loves her and she still loves him. The question is will they ever admit this to each other and to themselves?

Themes:
Family love: It happens when two people just do not have what to say to each other after 20 years of marriage and fall apart. But sometimes they are just drifting apart my small misunderstanding, faults, impatience. They forget how to listen and feel compassion, they start demanding and take family well-being for granted, until the unexpected happens: one of them has enough and explodes and then the whole world falls apart, and not even the feeling of happiness, mutual love and blissful memories can repair the crack. Emotions are rising, passions are overwhelming, marriages are falling apart.
What can be more important then to avoid this situation in a loving family. To look after each other and listen to each other.

Final thoughts:
I truly enjoyed the play and the performance of the actors. I left with a happy feeling, not empty headed as usually after a comedy, but with the nice and enriching feeling of time spent with quality.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

WWW Wednesday and Library Loot, March 15th

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. A similar meme, This Week in Books is hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found.
Description: WWW Wednesday is a weekly event where you share answers Below questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading 3 books:
1. I am still on the book The Unmade Bed by Françoise Sagan. It is quite a nice read with a lot of psychological reflection.
2. I am still listening to A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler and done with half of a book. I like the story development and the style of the author, but I am quite taken back by the tragedy of the family which surfaces from this easy read.
3. I have just started novella Asya by Ivan Turgenev.

I have just finished 2 books:
1. Last week I finally finished Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuchsia Dunlop, which I was reading more than half a year! Terribly slow read for me.
2. I have just finished novella First Love by Ivan Turgenev.

I am planning to start with the following books:
1. A Sportsman's Sketches (short stories) by Ivan Turgenev
2. The Haunted Life by Jack Kerouac 


Hosted by: The Captive Reader and Silly Little Mischief
Description: Library Loot is a weekly event that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

My recent books from the library are:
The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff
The Haunted Life by Jack Kerouac

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop

Author: Fuchsia Dunlop
Original title: Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China
Pages: 554
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no

Format: Kindle Edition
Genres: Cookbook, Travel Writing 
Goodreads

Blurb:
English woman moves to Chengdu, China for post-graduate study only to end up as the first Westerner to train at the Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine. The author’s following 14 years of Chinese culinary exploration is recounted in this memoir/travelogue/cookbook. This is a very informative book about Chinese food culture and particularly Sichuanese cuisine.

My thoughts:
      For no reason this book took me ages to finish: a memoir about China written by a western woman. In the end, I was so happy finally to finish it. Dunlop really knows Chinese cuisine and culture, but in her book she does not say much about herself. When she spent all that time in China, was she sick? Did she experience homesickness? She tells us she had a tough time in the beginning of her year in Chengdu, but then stops telling about anything apart from her culinary experience. I find the first parts of the book, which are mostly a memoir of her early experiences in Chengdu in the 90s is interesting and inspiring, while the second part of the book was less gripping.
    The author's love of food really comes forward, and it goes without saying that this is not a book you should read if you are hungry. It's also not a book you should read if you have a soft sport for animals and you are quite conventional in food.
  
 A well balanced Sichuan meal ‘will awaken your tastebuds through the judicious use of chilli oil, stimulate your tongue and lips with tingly Sichuan pepper, caress your palate with a spicy sweetness, electrify you with dry fried chillies, soothe you with sweet and sour, calm your spirits with a tonic soup’.

   The only thing I can say for sure I did not like are the recipes. First of all, I do not find a mix of memoir and cookbook very enchanting idea. Here I am reading about delicious meal in a train and the next page is actually the recipe. So what I am supposed to do with it in the middle of nowhere? Next thing is cooking itself: to cook Sichuanese dish you need Sichuanese spices and ingredients. I know you can find anything in the shops now, but really anything? So I find this part of Dunlop’ writing is useless and absolutely out of place.
      Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Firstly, I liked Dunlop’s style of writing. Secondly, I think she does a great job of explaining some things about Chinese food that is not immediately obvious to many Westerners. And finally, she does do some interesting exploration of some sensitive political areas as the legacy of Mao and situation in removed regions; as well as spiritual matters:  believes, habits, superstitions. This book let me know the Chinese culture more, even though it is only about ther Sichuan region and through the taste and smell perspective
Rating: 
    2/5   

Monday, March 13, 2017

Movie: John Wick: Chapter 2| Moana

Name: John Wick: Chapter 2
Year: 2017
Director: Chad Stahelski
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ian McShane
Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller
Language: English
Country: USA
Time: 122

Outline of the movie:
After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life.

My thoughts:
            I do not have much to say about the movie… unfortunately. It was much weaker than the first chapter and was lacking common logic. First of all, I am so sick of actors not being able to say a single phrase in a foreign language. When the budget of the movie is $40,000,000 could you please, please find a native speaking person, who at least will tell you if what you are mumbling does not make sense at all! This looks so unprofessional. If your actors are so dumb and not able to articulate 2 words in Italian or Russian, just cut their voices and make the phrase up on the computer! In today's era of technology I am spending 2 minutes in the movie trying to put the random sounds coming from the character's mouth in a sensible sentence!
          But on the whole I cannot complain; the movie delivers everything it promises: beautiful settings, style and a lot of killing. Two scenes I really appreciate: one with the sommelier and the other with the tailor, nice dialogues in addition to the endless row of killings. On the other hand, I totally did not understand and not appreciate Laurence Fishburne's character in the movie: such a great actor in such a meaningless scene.
Rating: 
    3/5 

 Name: Moana
Year: 2016
Director:  Ron Clements, Don Hall
Cast: Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House
Genres: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Language: English
Country: USA
Time: 10 
Outline of the movie:
    Moana Waialiki is a sea voyaging enthusiast and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her island's fishermen can't catch any fish and the crops fail, she learns that the demigod Maui caused the blight by stealing the heart of the goddess, Te Fiti. The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Fiti's heart.
My thoughts:
      What a nice movie! The visuals in this movie are so gorgeous! But, besides the visuals there is such a heart and imagination and creativity to it. Moana is such a likable, smart, and relatable person. The voice work for Moana is so sweet and so good. The chemistry between Moana and Maui is so great and so natural, and I appreciate that there is no romance in it. The songs in this movie were too much for me, but some were charming, catchy and fun, especially "You are Welcome".
       I liked the novelty of the settings and plot. The film is based on stories from Polynesian mythology, which is quite interesting to get to know even in the format of the animated movie.
Rating: 
    5/5 

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Sunday Post #7, Spring is in Full Swing

The Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things received, and share news about what is coming up on the blog for the week ahead. To get in on the Sunday fun, see the rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Last Week on the Blog

The week: 06.03 - 12.03 
This Week on the Blog

The week: 13.03 - 19.03
  • On Monday,  13th I review John Wick 2 and Moana movies
  • On Tuesday, 14th I review Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop
  • On Wednesday, 15th I publish WWW Wednesday and Library Loot
  • On Thursday, 16th I review the play Moment Of Weakness
New Comers on my Shelf

This week I have two new books on my self. Normally, I do not like the movie covers, but this one with Kate is so classy))

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham

 

Friday, March 10, 2017

A Tomb for Boris Davidovich by Danilo Kiš

Author: Danilo Kiš
Original title: Grobnica za Borisa Davidoviča
Pages: 136
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Format: Paperback
Genres: Short Stories, Historical Fiction
Goodreads

Plot:
        Composed of seven dark tales, A Tomb for Boris Davidovich presents variations on the theme of political and social self-destruction throughout Eastern Europe in the first half of the twentieth century. The characters in these stories are caught in a world of political hypocrisy, which ultimately leads to death, their common fate. Although the stories Kiš tells are based on historical events, the beauty and precision of his prose elevates these ostensibly true stories into works of literary art that transcend the politics of their time.

About the author: 
        Danilo Kiš was a Serbian novelist, short story writer and poet who wrote in Serbo-Croatian. A member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts,Kiš was influenced by Bruno Schulz, Vladimir Nabokov, Jorge Luis Borges, Ivo Andrić and Miroslav Krleža,among other authors. His most famous works include A Tomb for Boris Davidovich and The Encyclopedia of the Dead. 

My thoughts:
          It was quite a horrifying read for me. Little more than 100 pages of dark history and unnecessary cruelty. The seven stories do not have an apparent connection between main characters, but now and then someone from the previous story is vaguely mentioned to connect them all together is the endless victim chain of ideology.
          The narration seems to me intentionally simplified as well as the description of the characters. They are not flat, but it seems that you are reading one of those easy going articles from the newspaper. The second level of narration reveals, however, the darker side of the book, the unemotional mill that grinds its own disciples and true believers; the atmosphere of desperation and hopelessness. Each story is the background for a vaster picture of the creeping disquiet and the emerging horror.
        The culmination is probably the story called “A tomb for Boris Davidovich”. The character, Boris Davidovich Novsky, a noted revolutionary, is arrested with the intent to extract a confession from him in a show-trial. During his interrogation Novsky duels with his interrogator Fedukin over how he will be remembered in the future, fighting over the conclusion to his biography. This story is so full of absurd brutality, murdering of innocent people just to prove some point. It vividly portraits the cold cruelty to which lives are subjected and destroyed in the name of an ideology.
        The truly dark collection, which leave a hard and bitter aftertaste, but I highly recommend it anyway.

Stories list:
The knife with the rosewood handle
The sow that eats her farrow
The mechanical lions
The magic card dealing
A tomb for Boris Davidovich
Dogs and books
The short biography of A.A.Darmolatov
Rating:
    4/5 

Thursday, March 9, 2017

March 2017| most anticipated movies

I am a little behind the schedule but still I need to post this list to keep an eye on the recent releases.

2 March 2017
Name: Logan
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen
Time: 137m
Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Language: English, Spanish

In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.

9 March 2017
Name: Kong: Skull Island
Cast:  Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson
Time: 118m
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: USA,Vietnam
Language: English

It's 1971, a team of explorers with a company of soldiers are following myth ,legend to the island where creatures both prehistoric and monstrous are supposed to live. Skull Island, the very island of lore and legend. The creatures they soon come across make the soldiers and explorers running for their lives. Will they survive to tell their story?

16 March 2017
Name: Beauty and the Beast
Cast: Dan Stevens, Emma Watson, Luke Evans
Time: 129m
Genres: Family, Fantasy, Musical
Country: USA
Language: English

Disney's animated classic takes on a new form, with a widened mythology and an all-star cast. A young prince, imprisoned in the form of a beast, can be freed only by true love. What may be his only opportunity arrives when he meets Belle, the only human girl to ever visit the castle since it was enchanted.

23 March 2017
Name: Løvekvinnen
Cast:  Lara Braukmann, Sara Braukmann
Time: 126m
Genres: Drama
Country: Norway
Language: Norwegian

The title means "The Lion Woman" in English, a book by Norwegian writer Erik Fosnes Hansen. Film and book describe the early years in the life of Eva, a girl born with an illness which makes hairs grow over large parts of one's body. Eva is examined by doctors in humiliating ways, and bullied in school. In her teens, Eva travels in a theater group together with other folk who suffer from rare diseases.

30 March
Name: Ghost in the Shell
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche
Time: 120m
Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Language: English

Based on the internationally acclaimed sci-fi manga series, "Ghost in the Shell" follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic's advancements in cyber technology.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

T5W March 8, Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy Books

This weekly book meme officiated in November 2013. Every week there is a new topic and your list of 5 nominates will be based off this topic. For further information check out the Goodreads Page.

  The theme this week is: Favorite Science Fiction & Fantasy Books

I must admit I am not a big fan of fantasy and science fiction. I used to be when I was a teenager and read quite a lot, but gradually I fell out of it as there were not enough books of those genres in our library and I made no effort of my own to develop my horizons. So my top 5 will be closely connected to what i have read before and most of them are Russian books. I am afraid I will have quite an unsuccessful list as most of the bloggers will not have idea about those books below.

1. Sannikov Land by Vladimir Obruchev  

       There were five of them. Courageous travelers, they set out to find a mysterious island that was seen for the first time amidst the ice of the Arctic by Yakov Sannikov. After crossing interminable ice-fields, they at last found Sannikov Land, "discovered it for science." This land, or rather the crater of a huge volcano, was the home of the flora and fauna of a remote geological period. There the travelers met men of the Stone Age and their contemporaries, mammoths, cave-bears and other animals. The expedition unriddled the island's secret, elucidated the reason for the disappearance of the Onkilon tribe, which at one time lived in North Siberia.  

2. Duology “Cold Coasts” and “Morning Nears”  by Sergei Lukyanenko

Cold Coasts
    In this world Jesus has not come to us - instead, there was the God's Stepson with his magic Word. Besides, iron in this word is more rare and precious than gold, with inevitable consequences to the technology, economy and etc. The mighty Power, heir to the Roman Empire, shares the world with China, Russian Khandom, Ottoman Sultanate and a dozen or so of small countries. This world seems more placid and in a way more comfortable than ours, and it seems very stable and unwilling to change. But one day Markus, a bastard prince of the Ruling House discovers an ancient book which could change the world, for better or worseю

Morning Nears
    Ex-gravedigger Ilmar, ex-cop Arnold, ex-nun, ex-pilotess (they fly planers there, not planes), ex-jailer, ex-bishop... twelve companions of the fugitive Prince Marcus, all in all... have to decide, whether Markus is a long waited Messiah, or an equally long-expected Tempter; they have to decide it quick, because the strange boy is being hunted by the police and the church, by foreign spies and every loyal citizen. 


3. Professor Dowell's Head by Alexander Romanovich Belyaev
     The entire scientific world mourned the loss of Professor Dowell. It was said that just before his death he was on the verge of a breakthrough in the transplantation of human organs.
     Marie Laurent felt privileged to work for the professor’s brilliant associate, Professor Kern. But her feelings turned to shock and revulsion when she entered Kern’s laboratory and discovered—sitting on a table, surrounded by tubes and tanks, its eyes blinking and lips moving—Professor Dowell’s head!
Thus begins a classic tale of horror and suspense by Alexander Beliaev, the bestselling Soviet science fiction author of all time, whose work is considered by many readers the equal of Wells’ and Verne’s.

4.  Wolfhound by Maria Semyonova

       Wolfhound is a series of a Low Fantasy novels by a Russian fantasy and Historical Fiction author Maria Semyonova.       Wolfhound  was condemned to death, but survived to wreak revenge for the murder of his clan. The last member of the clan of the Grey Hounds became a fearless warrior by the name of Wolfhound. After cheating death in the mines, Wolfhound sets out on a journey with his constant companion, the Earthbound Bat. Wolfhound has but one desire – to destroy the Maneater, a merciless warrior who slaughtered the village of the Grey Hounds. 

5. Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

       Set in contemporary Moscow, where shape shifters, vampires, and street-sorcerers linger in the shadows, Night Watch is the first book of the hyper-imaginative fantasy pentalogy from Russian author Sergei Lukyanenko.
     This epic saga chronicles the eternal war of the “Others,” an ancient race of humans with supernatural powers who must swear allegiance to either the Dark or the Light. The agents of the Dark – the Night Watch – oversee nocturnal activity, while the agents of the Light keep watch over the day.  W
hen a mid-level Night Watch agent named Anton stumbles upon a cursed young woman – an uninitiated Other with magnificent potential – both sides prepare for a battle that could lay waste to the entire city, possible the world.