Movies: 3/50
I saw THE IRON LADY this weekend. Meryl Streep is amazing as always. I've heard that some people are upset that so much of the film is spent on her old age, watching and experiencing her as she is phasing in and out of the present time and her memories of her life, and that some Brits have seen this as disrespectful. I was so entranced by the performance that I hardly noticed that the oldest version of Margaret Thatcher makes up about 60% of the movie -- I would have guessed more like 35% -- the memories of her political career interspersed with the vivid relationship with her husband were, in my mind, well balanced and equally compelling. Two thumbs up.
Books: 1/50
I finished LOVING FRANK. I was surprised by the ending. I can't say that I loved it, but it made me want to a) return to Oak Park and tour the houses there again b) visit Taliesin in WI - I can't remember if I have been there or not but I think I went with my family as a child, c) visit Falling Water which is only about 2 hours from me in PA and d) read more about Frank Lloyd Wright. There were a few houses of his in the neighborhood where I grew up and I loved them as a kid, because they were so unique (each one!) and stood out so starkly against the bland and oversized mc-mansions everywhere else around them. It was a story about Frank's lover Mamah (May-ma) as much as about their relationship, and it was reconstructed from the sketchy historical documents of the time. She was greatly influenced by the women's movement and European feminism (which was a ways ahead of American if you believe this book) but I found her sort of confusing. The ending was a shocker. And then fell flat... I was really dissatisfied with the ending.
I also bought my first Kindle book... because Sophie's Choice is too big to want to prop the sides up while reading in bed. Thanks Becky -- I'm excited to see how the Kindle works out. I imagine I'll tag team electronic and paper reading. I love me some paper.
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