It's been a little while since I've posted anything, but since I have no real inspiration right now, I'll just shift gears a bit. After some of my previous postings, this may come as a welcome change of pace to lighter topics. Due to a rather excessive amount of inclement weather, I have spent a lot of time this year reading and watching movies; so I thought I would pass on to you some of the things I enjoyed/appreciated most.
I've been reading through Orson Scott Card's Ender series and have really enjoyed them. He combines great characterizations, interesting and exciting plots, and underlying philosophical issues that keep your mind working long after you've put down the book. I've also been exploring the world of Young Adult fiction and found some good entries. Most notably, I have enjoyed all of Meg Cabot's books and those of Garth Nix (his Abhorsen books can be found in adult fiction, but still have relatively young main characters).
I haven't been reading much non-fiction this year, but I have enjoyed re-reading Religious No More by Mark D. Baker and Inspiration and Incarnation by Pete Enns. I have recently ordered N.T. Wright's book Evil and the Justice of God and look forward to reading it at my earliest convenience, as I have heard great things about it. I know some of these guys are controversial right now, but I don't think we should throw out all the good things they have to say simply because we may not travel with them all the way to their theological conclusions. After all, isn't that what wisdom is for?
As for movies, I've mostly been catching up on the ones I've missed over the last few years that are also readily available at my local library. (No, Bobby, I still haven't seen Once, sorry.) These are:
Hotel Rwanda
Last King of Scotland
Howl's Moving Castle
Paradise Road
12 Angry Men (I know this wasn't in the last few years, but it was still really good)
Capote
La Vie en Rose
Fahrenheit 9/11 (I don't really care for Michael Moore, but it was still an interesting film)
Flags of our Fathers
Letters from Iwo Jima (I think I liked this one better of the two, but both were very well done)
Amazing Grace
Infernal Affairs (This is the movie that The Departed is based on)
The Queen (Filming a biopic featuring a currently living person is a fascinating concept)
There are lots of others that I watched and enjoyed, but these, I think, represent the best. If you have anything you'd like to add to my list, I'd love to get your input. I'm always looking for new books/movies!
7 comments:
I agree with Bobby. Once was worth a watch. Probably worth a couple of watches.
let me add the film "the lives of others" (2006). you'll like it. thanks for the recommendations. I haven't seen most of these.
i LOVE the ender series! be sure to read the shadow books (about bean) as they are of the same quality. :)
-rach.
I've got another book for you--"The Marketing of Evil." It will blow your freakin mind.
I'm reading Ender's Shadow right now. Have you read the Ender's series? Ender's Shadow is the first of the series that I am reading. It is SO good!
I have read both the Ender and Ender's Shadow series, and they are both excellent! Thanks for the movie recommendation. I'll have to give it a watch.
I am not a 'Once' fan, despite the fact that EVERYONE around me thinks it's such a 'great', 'real' film, whatever that means. The plot was different from most romantic films and they made the whole soundtrack themselves, so here's an honorary mention. blech.
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