Becky's Book Reviews: Week in Review #2

Saturday, January 11, 2025

Week in Review #2

The second week of the year I read and reviewed six books!

The books I read:

We Are Wolves. Katrina Nannestad. 2020. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [historical fiction, mg historical fiction, world at war, 4 stars]

I would recommend this one to readers who...

Enjoy historical fiction
Enjoy war stories (fictional)
Enjoy happy endings

The Oarsmen: Chasing Embers. Glenn Beck with Mikayla G. Hedrick. 2024. 288 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, mg speculative fiction, mg dystopia, mg fiction]

I would recommend this one to readers who....

Enjoy premise-driven and plot-driven stories
Are patient when it comes to action and plot
Care more about world-building than characterization
Value ideas more than carry through

Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" David LaRochelle. Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, 4 stars]

I would recommend this one to readers who....

Enjoy picture books that are "interactive" and invite audience participation
Looking for a read aloud for small groups
Enjoy silly books trying to get a giggle from little ones

Sabrina Sue Loves the Mountain. Priscilla Burris. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [early reader, animal fantasy, ready to read, chickens and farms, 3 stars]

I would recommend this one to readers who...

Enjoy predictable series books
Love chickens [seriously, there are a LOT of series books starring lovable chickens]
Looking for an early reader that is fun and not just "educational"

The Heart of Jesus: How He Really Feels About You. Dane Ortlund. 2024. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy] [4 stars] [christian nonfiction, devotional]

I would recommend this one to readers who...

Enjoy Christian devotionals with meat and substance
Looking for encouragement and reassurance in their spiritual lives

The Lord of Psalm 23: Jesus Our Shepherd, Companion, and Host. David Gibson. 2023. 157 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, christian nonfiction, christian living]

I would recommend this one to readers who....

Enjoy Christian devotionals with meat and substance
Enjoy their commentary on the light side
Love Psalm 23

I made a LOT of progress in my century-viewing project. These are the films I watched from last Saturday night (my cut off was 5PM) through this Saturday (my cut off is 5PM).

1920s

1923 Love Nest is a short silent film starring Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts. Buster plays a brokenhearted man taking to life at sea as a last resort of sorts. There's comedic skits, but, not much plot. [So glad this one wasn't my first introduction to Buster Keaton.]
1925 Seven Chances is a GREAT romantic comedy starring Buster Keaton as James "Jimmie" Shannon. His grandfather has left him a LOT of money...if he marries by 7PM on his twenty-seventh birthday which happened to be that very day. He has a woman he loves and adores, however, the proposal left something to be desired...can he find ANY woman willing to marry him?
1926 The General is another Buster Keaton movie. Is it my favorite, favorite Keaton movie???? YES. At least so far. This one is set during the Civil War--don't let that intimidate you. He plays a man, Johnny Gray, I believe, who loves two things: his train--the General--and his girl. When the bad guys steal his train and his girl....he'll stop at nothing to get them back!
1928 Steamboat Bill Jr is another great Buster Keaton film. Buster Keaton plays a son that is a huge disappointment to his father. He wants his father's approval...and the heart of the girl he loves...who just happens to be the daughter of his father's rival. A big STORM changes everything. Highly recommend this one. (And of course The General too).
1928 Steamboat Willie is the first animated Mickey Mouse cartoon. I can't help--granted I'm submersed deeply into all things Buster Keaton--that there's some influence here. I am glad I watched this cartoon while I was deep diving into silent films. This one definitely featured music and sound effects, but, it also feels very much a "silent" comedy.
1929 Big Business is a Laurel and Hardy short film starring two Christmas tree salesmen who essentially went to PETTY UNIVERSITY (if you know you know).
1929 Broadway Melody 1929 is a musical. Two sisters head to New York City to make it big--one having a previous engagement to a songwriter named Eddie. Eddie reunites with the sisters; however, he switches his affections to the other sister thus ruining the song "You Were Meant for Me." This one features three songs that would make their way--to some degree--into 1952's Singin' in the Rain. I don't know how other viewers take this [wretched] love triangle but I was having none of it.

1930s

1931 Kept Husbands is a romantic comedy where the love interests are from two different socio-economic classes, can true love win out? Or will he end up a kept husband? This one stars Joel McCrea and Dorothy Mackaill but it was Ned Sparks that--at least for me--stole the show in every scene he was in.
1932 Barnyard Olympics is another Disney cartoon--this one features Mickey and Minnie mouse. It is sports-themed. Again much more slapstick comedy.
1933 Kennel Murder Case (Philo Vance) is a murder mystery--so many bodies!--starring William Powell. I have not read any Philo Vance mysteries, but, I know that he was one of the more famous detectives of the golden age of mysteries.

1940s

1948 My Dear Secretary is a romantic comedy starring Kirk Douglas and Laraine Day. She certainly holds her on and steals each scene. What I enjoyed most about this one was the WRITING. The script, the dialogue, was SO good. I love good banter.

1950s

1951 Another Man's Poison is a Bette Davis movie. It's definitely a crime drama. I can't say that any of the characters are particularly likable, yet, the story itself was fine. If you like dark crime dramas, then this might be a good fit for you.
1952 Singin' in the Rain is a musical starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Conner. Love this one so much though it isn't my favorite musical. After seeing so many silent movies the past two weeks I can't help but think this movie mislead me for years and years into thinking that silent movies were not worth my time. That there wasn't "real acting" and that if you've seen one you've seen them all.
1954 Woman's World is a thought-provoking movie. A automotive company will be promoting someone from within to a higher position--that means a move to New York City--three couples come to spend the week. The husbands and wives will be closely watched to see who is most suitable for the job....the movie follows these three relationships and all the drama that unfolds. This one has six main characters. One of the actors if Fred Macmurray. I really enjoyed this one so much.
1957 Buster Keaton Story is the so-called "bio pic" of Buster Keaton's life. With Donald O'Conner in the role of Buster Keaton you would think this one would be all kinds of fabulous. Too bad they made up ALL of the movie and there's little resemblance to his life story. It was such a disappointment.

1960s

1960 High Time is a Bing Crosby movie that I love and adore. A middle-aged man--a successful business man at that--attends college much to the dismay of his grown children. This movie is charming through and through. Highly recommended.

1970s

1978 Capricorn One is an action-thriller. NASA's space program is increasingly uncertain as public and political apathy and disgust grow. The next mission Capricorn One faces even more challenges when a technical flaw that could shelve the mission permanently come to light. A few individuals take it upon themselves to "save" the mission, the program, and the world by kidnapping the astronauts and faking the Mars mission. Problems result when investigative reporters get a little too close to the truth. (Among other problems). This one is DRAMA and ACTION with quite a few thrilling sequences. It stars many familiar faces including O.J. Simpson. (Elliott Gould, James Brolin, Sam Waterson for example).

1990s

1991 Soap Dish is a comedy, a parody, of all things soap operas. This one probably couldn't or wouldn't get made today. However it is hilarious. This one features so many stars and guest stars. And the writing is just so good--it's SO QUOTABLE. Even though I've only seen it four or five times in my life, there are so many memorable scenes that I quote all the time.
1993 Swing Kids is a period drama starring Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale. This one is set in Nazi Germany and features rebellious teens addicted to swing music. I would say the most concise summary is can a friendship survive differing opinions about Hitler.... I have such conflicting feelings about this one.
1999 The Bachelor is loosely connected to Seven Chances. It stars Chris O'Donnell as Jimmie Shannon III. After his grandfather's will is read, he learns he will inherit millions of dollars if he marries before his thirtieth birthday? (thirty-first???) birthday. (All I remember for sure is he gets longer than Buster Keaton). The BIG, BIG, BIG difference is that this Jimmie Shannon is opposed to marriage. He does not ever want to get married--not really. He has had a LOT of failed relationships in his past. He's terrified of anything resembling commitment. For me this makes The Bachelor less enjoyable than the original. However, it was super interesting to see what was the same and what had been changed.

2000s

2001 Moulin Rouge is a wild, crazy "bohemian" themed musical starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. I loved and adored it when it came out--having both soundtracks--and I still love this movie now.
2006 Catch and Release is an ODD movie. It is way too sad to be a romantic comedy, yet, it features so many elements of a romantic comedy. Jennifer Garner stars in this one. She learns after the death of the man she was to marry that he was not who she thought he was...

2020s

2023 One Life is a BEAUTIFUL, beautiful film. It is based on a true story. It is an incredible movie set in two different time periods, the "present" being the 1980s and the past being the 1940s. Anthony Hopkins plays Nicholas Winton a young man who rescued over six-hundred Jewish children just before the start of World War II.