Jodi's Entertainment Evaluation

So I spent a lot of time doing NOTHING constructive while Ralph was gone with the girls. A week to MYSELF - what Mom wouldn't RELISH such a thing??? So, I took in some books & movies......
This was a GREAT book. I have been trying to read it for almost a year now. I am glad I finally dedicated the time to this one. I see so much of myself in Astrid - although she's an outstanding artist and I couldn't draw BATH WATER if I had to. It touched me, made me appreciate my VERY NORMAL Mother, and I can see where it makes the reader reflect on how someone can live through HELL and come out unscathed in the end. I just found out tonight that there's a MOVIE of this...I am gonna hunt it down....this one is destined to become one of my favorites.
Like the jacket says..."this book is like a mango with chili - sweet with a bite!" I can describe it in my words as a "Latina Steel Magnolias". It's about 3 women who immigrate to the US during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the time of Castro's Revolution in Cuba in the late 1950's/early 1960's and how they embrace their new lives in America and try so hard to cope with the lives they lived in Cuba. I've been trying to read this one for a year and a half - ever since I read a review in Delta airline's magazine that is always so neatly tucked into the pocket on the back of the chair in front of you. The December 2006 issue did a great excerpt and review of this book. I am going to look for other books by Eduardo Sanitago soon!

And now - for the movies.....

EXCELLENT. One of the BEST zombie (genre) movies I've EVER seen. I mean the whole thing with her leg is really far fetched, but it's a fast-paced, enthralling story. A little bit of romance, a little bit of horror, and a whole lot of fake blood. Ralph thought it was OK too - although he despises my joke about his crush, Stacey ("Fergi") Ferguson being "brainless". And I LOVES me some Josh Brolin. Oh my. This is one I could watch over and over again. I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once!

*Sigh*. I usually LOVE Quentin Tarantino movies. LOVE LOVE LOVE. But with this one - I am not quite sure what happened. Of course it was full of the famous Tarantino One Liners, but it lacked something.....a STORY LINE maybe??? In my opinion, it's a good thing that GRIND HOUSE was a double feature, because I don't think this one could have stood alone. Kurt Russell was great - he's a golden actor. And not bad on the eyes even though he's gettin' up there. I think the best part of the movie was the head on car crash scene. I can see where that one might have been challenging and QT pulled it off well. Kudos for that one...but let's just say I am happy that I RENTED it and didn't spend more money to have gone to the theater or bought it.

So there ya go....my 2 cents for what it's worth.