The Oscars | Book Chatter

It’s Sunday. I adore Sundays because they are usually slower paced and more relaxed and this Sunday is no exception. First off, it’s absolutely gorgeous outside!

My Yard

This is my back yard, looking out. The Otter Pup was in my hands so excuse the patio bit you see in the upper right corner. You also can’t tell from this picture how chilly it is or how windy. Those trees on the left were swaying but I guess I got them mid-sway. When I read outside, this is my view. Sigh. The Otter Pup wants to run around unsupervised but hawks have been seen flying off with rabbits when they are out so no…the Otter Pup has to stay with me. I think she is okay with this.

Right now I am inside, drinking coffee thinking about the day. Later, I plan to don yoga pants and sit in front of the tube with a big carton of Chinese food to watch the Oscars. It’s ALL I want to do today and I have been looking forward to it for a couple of weeks. Except, the Chinese place burned down! Yes! How can that happen? Didn’t they realize these plans were made weeks ago? We’ll be trying a different place tonight. Cross your fingers it’s good.

I will be reading too. I just gave up on Ashenden. I got through 25% of it on my Kindle and decided it’s just not working for me. Now I am reading a collection of stories titled This Cake is For the Party by Sarah Selecky. I am only on the first story but so it’s great and just what I need and want.

Did I mention that there will be cake baking later? I am going to bake a gluten-free cake to go along with the meal. I’ve used this Betty Crocker mix before and it’s really good, but bakes up a rather small cake, which is okay by me. I haven’t had cake since September. Yep, I am counting.

What are you doing today? Will you watch the Oscars? What about books? Are you reading any books that I need to know about? I think most everyone who follows Stephen King knew about Doctor Sleep coming out this September, but I don’t think a lot of people knew about this one, which comes out in June! With a title like Joyland and this tagline, “Who dares to enter the funhouse of fear?” it’s going to be a winner. On sale, June 4th! Summer read-along?

Flight

I watch a lot of movies but I don’t watch current movies too often. To me, Flight is a current movie (if that tells you anything). I got it from Netflix and watched it last week. I’ve wanted to see it since it first came out. I love Denzel Washington. He is such a powerful actor and his Oscar nod this year certainly says something.

The opening of the movie is very gritty and dark but the crash scene was well done. Not quite as vivid as the crash scene in say Bohjalian’s The Night Strangers, but dramatic. Very dramatic.

Halfway through the movie, I realized just how dark it was. Yes, I knew that Denzel’s character had a drinking problem but I wasn’t aware that drugs played a role as well. I think I moved the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer at that point or I would have known this fact earlier. I don’t know about you but once drugs enter the picture, everything becomes desperate and I immediately hated Denzel’s character. The whole plot of the movie revolves around the fact that although Whip (Denzel) saved a lot of lives that day by landing a doomed plane, he did it while totally under the influence of drugs and alcohol. As you can imagine, the situation is not ideal.

Towards the end of the movie, Whip makes a terrible decision and his union friend and lawyer are forced to go along with it and that made me so mad! I almost turned it off at that point. The tone of the movie reminded me of another depressing movie, Leaving Las Vegas. But, in the end, I ending up liking it quite a bit. Denzel’s performance was impressive. John Goodman, as Whip’s drug dealing friend, has a small part but he plays it like a boss. Whip’s love interest is played by an actress I’ve never seen before (Kelly Reilly) but she was quite good and very beautiful in a non-traditional way. I actually looked her up to see what she’s done but didn’t recognize her previous films.

Kelly Reilly from Flight

Isn’t she striking?

If you managed to stay with me this long then you should know that I recommend the movie but make sure you don’t have your kids around.It’s not a movie for the whole family to see. There is some nudity, lots of profanity and of course, the drug aspect to consider.

Have you seen it?

Chatting with friends about books and life…