Reading to Reels: The Commitments

Back in 1991, charming Irish film was released. It was called The Commitments. Based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Roddy Doyle, The Commitments was about a band trying to make it the gritty and struggling city of Dublin, Ireland.

Meet Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins). Jimmy is on the dole and lives with his parents on the northside of Dublin. But that doesn’t mean he’s a total slacker who lacks ambition. He wants to manage a band, an no, this band won’t follow in the footsteps of their fellow Irish citizens like U2 or Sinead O’Connor (RIP). Instead, Jimmy wants the band to follow the 1960s’ soulful musical stylings of Black American singers and musicians.

At first, Jimmy puts an ad in the local newspaper asking for aspiring singers and musicians. He holds auditions in his parents’ parlor. Unfortunately, these auditions are not fruitful. Nobody can fill Jimmy’s soulful aspirations. Jimmy then looks to his friends to make the band, which includes lead singer Deco Cuffe (Andrew Strong), keyboardist Steven Clifford (Michael Aherne), bassist Derek Scully (Kenneth McCluskey), lead guitarist Outspan Foster (Glen Hansard), sax player Dean Fay (Felim Gormley), and drummer Billy Mooney (Dick Massey). Three local girls, Bernie McGloughlin (Bronagh Gallagher), Natalie Murphy (Maria Doyle), and Imelda Quirke (Angeline Ball) are brought onboard to be back-up singers. Jimmy soon meets an older man by the name of Joey “The Lips” Fagan (Johnny Murphy). Johnny has been playing music for decades and boasts about meeting many musical legends.

It is Jay who comes up with the band’s name The Commitments. But it is a long road before hit records and sold-out shows at famous arenas through out the world. The Commitments have a lot of work to do to reach musical greatness.

First the band has to procure musical instruments. Steven’s grandmother sells them a drum kit and a piano. And Duffy procures the rest of the instruments through some rather dodgy maneuvers. The Commitments find a rehearsal place to hone their musical stylings. The Commitments get their first gig at a local church’s community center. The band claims its a benefit to combat drug addiction (heroin was a huge problem in 1980s Ireland).

The Commitments draw a sizable crowd, but the gig doesn’t quite go as well as planned. Equipment malfunctions causing a power outage. And it doesn’t exactly help matters when Deco accidentally beams Derek with his microphone stand. Oops.

Though the Commitments are tight on stage, things aren’t exactly harmonious behind the scenes. Deco becomes an out-of-control diva. After one brawl between Deco and Billy, Mickah Wallace (Dave Finnegan), who had been acting as security for the band, takes over on the drums. Billy has had enough. And then there is also a scuffle when Jimmy is confronted about paying for the instruments he procured for the band. Mickah beats up Duffy, who is then escorted out of the gig. Meanwhile, Joey manages to woo and bed Bernie, Natalie, and Imelda. No, not at the same time. It’s not that kind of movie. But how do you think Joey “The Lips” Fagan got his nickname? Wink, wink.

However, despite all the backstage chaos and romantic shenanigans, The Commitments are gaining a considerable following and more and more gigs. They are local musical heroes. Then Joey tells them some interesting news when the band gets yet another gig. Joey tells his bandmates that the Wilson Pickett will be in Dublin for a concert, and because he and Joey are tight, Wilson can join The Commitments for a performance. Jimmy is so excited, he tells some local journalists this juicy tidbit and convinces them to come to this gig. It will be major. Will Wilson show up? Things do look doubtful, and Deco and Jimmy get into a row. And this also causes quite a bit of of protest amongst the audience, but they are placated once the band plays the Wilson Pickett classic, “In the Midnight Hour.” Things don’t go very well for the band after the gig. Big fights break out and thus, it looks like The Commitments are over when they are just beginning.

In the end, The Commitments don’t reach the musical heights they had hoped for, and the film ends with a montage narrated by Jimmy of where the band members are post-The Commitments. Imelda gets married and is forbidden to sing by her husband, but Natalie becomes a successful solo singer and Bernie is in a country band. Steven is now doctor. Outspan and Derek are street buskers. Dean formed a jazz band. Joey claims on a postcard to his mother that he’s touring with Joe Tex. Too bad Joe Tex is dead. Mickah is the singer of a punk band. And as for Deco, well, he got a record deal and is still a diva and a royal pain in the arse.

Directed by Alan Parker (who also directed the original Fame movie released in 1980), The Commitments wasn’t necessarily a huge hit when it was initially released in 1991. But since then, has become a beloved cult classic. The movie spawned two soundtracks that were big hits and introduced iconic soulful songs and sounds to a new generation. And the cast is still involved in acting and/or music. Glen Hansard is probably the best known. He was in another Irish charmer, Once, and one an Oscar for the song “Falling Slowly.”

I loved The Commitments. The cast has incredible chemistry, the music is fabulous, and Parker truly captures the grittiness of Dublin back in the day. The Colm Meaney nearly steals the show as Jimmy’s Elvis-loving father. The Commitments is a delight!

Reading to Reels: A Place in the Sun

In the drama A Place in the Sun, Montgomery Clift plays George Eastman. Though related to a rich industrialist named Charles Eastman, George is looked down upon because his family is poor. Still, that doesn’t stop him from taking a job in his uncle’s factory. George hopes his work ethic will impress his uncle so he can work his way up, and also work his way into his uncle’s upper crust world.

Though dating co-workers is strictly verboten, George starts dating fellow factory worker Alice Tripp (Shelly Winters). Alice is plain-looking and poor but truly smitten by George and his connections to his wealthy uncle even though George’s connections seem to be in name only.

Despite dating Alice, George falls in love with Angela Vickers (Elizabeth Taylor in her first adult role) after meeting her at a party. Angela is not only beautiful she is also from a wealthy family. Dating Angela brings George closer to the upper crust world he always desired.

However, Alice is hardly out of the picture, and it isn’t before long she announces she is pregnant with George’s child. She believes this will prompt George to marry her. Not surprisingly, George is not happy with this idea, especially since he is in love with Angela. He tells Alice to have an abortion but she refuses. She figures since George is getting closer to his uncle’s world of wealth, he’ll have no problem supporting a wife and child.

Alice soon sees a newspaper of photo of George and Angela and realizes he is cheating on her. Alice confronts George, threatening to tell everyone about what is going on between them and about the pregnancy. He better marry her or else

To save face, George takes Alice to the local city hall for a quick elopement. However, it is Labor Day week-end and city hall is closed. Instead of ditching Alice, George convinces her they should visit a nearby lake. Not quite realizing what George has in mind, Alice agrees.

While renting a boat under a false name, George acts nervous. Finding out there are no people on the lake George thinks this might be a good time to murder Alice and dispose of her body. With Alice out of the picture George is free to continue dating Angela and free from marrying Alice.

However, once Alice tells George how excited she is about their future and the upcoming birth of their child. George has a change of heart. He can’t murder Alice. He must do the right thing and marry her. But when Alice stands up in the boat, the boat capsizes, and Alice does drown.

George, however, is safe, and he swims to shore. He goes to Angela’s family lake home and struggles to keep the story of Alice’s drowning a secret. But before long Alice’s body is discovered, her drowning is ruled a homicide.

With a great deal of evidence stacked against him George is arrested for Angela’s death. This happens just as George is going to ask for Angela’s hand in marriage.

Though George is innocent, the evidence is overwhelming. He tries to explain what lead up to Alice’s accidental drowning, but the prosecutor (Raymond Burr) aggressively pulls apart George’s testimony. The prosecutor convinces the jury that George committed first degree murder and the jury finds him guilty. George is sentenced to the electric chair.

As George faces his last days he pours his heart out in a letter to Angela. He claims he did not kill Alice but her drowning was perhaps his only way to leave his poor, underprivileged past behind and start fresh with Angela.

A Place in the Sun is lushly filmed in black and white, and its romantic scenes are unbelievably passionate and erotic. Elizabeth Taylor’s beauty is beyond compare and she and Montgomery Clift have electric chemistry that leaps off the screen. A Place in the Sun was nominated for nine Oscars and won six, including a best director Oscar for George Stevens.

Based on the Theodore Dreiser novel, An American Tragedy, A Place in the Sun highlights the huge gap between rich and poor, even among family members. It also conveys how one’s ambitious desires, and obsession with money and status can make people consider doing horrible things. A Place in the Sun also shows how people can be victims and victimize others.

Book Review: Typecast-A Novel by Andrea J. Stein

In Andrea J. Stein’s novel Typecast, protagonist Callie Dressler is living a happy and simple life. After living for a short time in Manhattan working at a posh private school, Callie is now residing in her childhood home (her parents moved to Florida for warmer climes). Callie loves her job as a pre-school teacher, and is completely devoted to her young students. She’s a creative type who loves to paint and has a handful of great friends. As for her love life? Well, let’s just say Callie is in a bit of a dry spell.

Callie is suddenly thrown for a loop when she finds out her old college boyfriend, Ethan, has written a screenplay for a movie called “Rerouting.” At it appears to have been inspired by Callie breaking up with Ethan soon after graduation. Callie and Ethan met during their freshman year in college. It wasn’t long before these two became a true blue couple, very much in love. After graduation, they were both supposed to move out west to San Francisco, but at the last minute, Callie changed her mind and broke up with Ethan…over the phone. Ouch.

Finding out about Ethan’s upcoming movie, Callie goes into a wee bit of a tailspin. She gets more and more curious about what Ethan is up to (is he married? engaged?) and she needs to know more about this movie. She watches the the “Rerouting” trailer more than once and gets acquainted with its stars Nick Sykes, who is apparently playing the Ethan character, and Sarina Apple whose character may have been inspired by Callie herself.

All of this causes Callie to question the decisions she’s made in her life, especially when it comes to breaking up with Ethan. Should she have joined Ethan in San Francisco or is her college romance with Ethan left best in the past?

And now there is about to be more upending in Callie’s life. Nina, Callie’s older sister, along with her husband, Michael, and their little girl, Zoe, are moving in with Callie while their house is being remodeled. Callie is used to her peace and quiet, and now she has to deal with three other people underfoot, and Nina is pregnant with her second child. Michael is a workaholic, Nina is a bit of a know-it-all, and though Callie loves being an aunt to Zoe, having a pre-schooler around has its challenges.

Speaking of challenges, Callie has to deal with a difficult student named Liam and her best friend at work, Tess, is egging her on to get out there and date. Callie does try to date via a dating app but her dates aren’t exactly successful. Then there is Ben, the man who is helping Nina and Michael, remodel their house. Callie finds herself very attracted to Ben, and he seems to like her. But is Ben just being nice or could Callie have something real with him?

But throughout Typecast, Callie focuses on Ethan and what happened and what could have been. And it isn’t long before she and Ethan connect. Do they rekindle their college romance or are things best left in the past?

Typecast could have easily been a light-hearted chick lit read, but there is a lot more depth below the surface. It plays on the universal theme of “woulda, shoulda, coulda” when it comes to our past, especially when it comes to our romantic history. Callie is a character that is very relatable and likable. And I appreciated how Stein ignored the usual chick lit trope of having the main character working in a “glamourous” vocation like fashion, media, or PR. Having worked in education, I know teachers live interesting lives.

Another interesting twist, is how Typecast is written. In the modern day, Callie is written in third person. When the book goes back in time to Callie’s college years and her relationship with Ethan, the book was written in first person. I thought this was a clever touch.

If you’re looking for a enjoyable and engaging read, with characters that are fully actualized and realistic, I totally recommend Typecast. Andrea J. Stein is a writer to watch. I hope she has more books for us in store.

Reading to Reels: The Heiress

Directed by William Wyler and based on the Henry James novel, Washington Square, The Heiress is a drama that examines the issues of love, revenge, heartbreak, mental cruelty, wealth and class. And it does in a way that makes you think how people’s lives could be different if they were born in another time or place.

Olivia de Havilland plays Catherine Sloper, the daughter of a wealthy doctor, played by Sir Ralph Richardson. Catherine’s mother died giving birth to her, and Dr. Sloper seemingly blames Catherine for his beautiful wife’s death. Catherine, on the other hand, is plain and awkward, and her father never fails to let her know what a disappointment she is to him.

Catherine seems to be destined to live her gilded cage as a lonely spinster when Morris Townsend (Montgomery Clift) comes along. Morris is handsome and dashing. He charms Catherine and lavishes loving attention on her that she never received from her father. Catherine gains confidence and begins to bloom as Morris courts her. However, Morris is penniless, and Dr. Sloper believes he’s only with Catherine to gain access to her inheritance. He can’t imagine anyone being interested in his daughter beyond her money.

Morris asks for Catherine’s hand in marriage, telling her they can elope. But Dr. Sloper tells Catherine if she marries Morris he will disinherit her and there is no way Morris can support her. Catherine doesn’t care. She’s convinced Morris truly loves her, not her potential inheritance. Morris finds out but claims it doesn’t matter whether Catherine gets her father’s money or not. They will marry.

Catherine awaits for Morris to whisk her away and marry her. But he disappears, breaking her heart. Catherine hopes her father will show her some kind of compassion. Instead, he cuts her down with vicious remarks. Catherine tells her father she would have married Morris even if all he cared about was her inheritance. After all, being loved for one’s money is better than being not loved at all.

Time passes, and Catherine’s heart hardens Her father dies, and leaves her his entire estate. Years later, Morris returns. He went to California intent on making his fortune but comes back to New York making nothing of his life. Still, he professes his love for Catherine. He tells her he only left because he knew losing her inheritance would leave her destitute. Catherine says she forgives him. She also claims she wants to marry him. But is she telling the truth?

Morris comes back that night and that’s when Catherine gets her revenge. She was not sincere in her forgiveness. Coldly, she tells her maid to bolt the door as Morris knocks and knocks, shouting her name. Catherine’s aunt is appalled by Catherine’s behavior, bemoaning her cruelty towards Morris. Catherine turns to her and says, “I have been taught by masters.” Is she wiser or is she bitter? Perhaps she is both. The film fades with Morris still shouting Catherine’s name as she walks up a staircase.

Olivia de Havilland (who won an Oscar for this role) is brilliant as Catherine naturally conveying Catherine’s transformation from victim to victimizer. Montgomery Clift is so beautiful he takes your breath away. He’s also very adept at being a charming manipulator. You’re not surprised Catherine is drawn to him even though you want her to keep him at arm’s length. Sir Ralph Richardson is chilling as Dr. Sloper, yet you also understand he wants to protect his daughter of Morris’ less than sincere intentions.

While watching The Heiress I kept wondering how Catherine’s life could have been different if she had been born in another time. She could have earned a college education, struck out on her own and had some semblance of independence. She could gain confidence and learn to love herself, and maybe, just maybe, attract the right kind of man. Money is wonderful, but it’s not everything, and Catherine proves one can be surrounded by luxury yet be emotionally and mentally impoverished.

Book Review: The Last Days of Video by Jeremy Hawkins

Back in the day, long before streaming, the only way you could see a movie you actually had to watch in at a movie theater or hope you could catch a rerun on the TV. That all changed when video cassettes came out in the 1980s. Finally, you could go some place and check out one of your favorites or you had chance to find a new cinematic treasure. Sure, we checked out movies from chains like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, but many of us have fond memories of going to our local independent video stores where you could rent out everything from monster hit movies to indie gems to the classics, and so much more. The staff of these treasured places were true film buffs and very knowledgeable about various genres. They were committed to the craft of film and shared that commitment with other film buffs.

Nowadays, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, and the indie places are misty memories. Though you can stream movies via various services, maybe find a Redbox at your local grocery store, or maybe check out videos/DVDs from your local library. But being able to peruse the shelves of your favorite video store was truly a glorious thing.

Author Jeremy Hawkins takes us down memory lane in a time where video stores were waning, Netflix was sending out videos through the mail, and streaming was in its infancy in his funny and heartbreaking novel The Last Days of Video.

Wax Waring is the proprietor of the indie video store Star Video in the fictional college town of Appleton, North Carolina. For the longest time, Star Video is where the denizens of Appleton rented their tapes and then DVDs. Now its the year of our Lord 2007, and there is a threat on the horizon. A Blockbuster is opening up not far from Star Video, and Wax and his employees are not happy about this development.

Wax is a hot damn mess to begin with. He’s misanthropic, incorrigible, and a little too fond of getting drunk. But being a huge movie buff since he was a kid, Star Video should be Wax’s passion. Wax has dealt with a lot of obstacles in his way, and a Blockbuster is just another obstacle, a huge corporate behemoth that threatens Star Video and Wax’s way of life. What can Wax do to make Star Video survive this horrible onslaught?

Along for the ride are two of Wax’s employees at Star Video, Alaura and Jeff. Alaura is a rapidly aging manic pixie girl crossed with a goth. She has a penchant for getting involved with Mr. Wrongs and different types of religion looking for a sense of belonging (which also inspire her tattoo collection). But she does have enough sense to keep Star Video running as smoothly as possible (not always easy with Wax’s outbursts and frequent drinking and hangovers). Jeff is new to both Star Video and Appleton. He’s a student at Appleton University, a film buff begrudgingly studying business, but wanting to know more about different kinds of movies, and is developing a mad crush on Alaura, an older women.

The threat of Blockbuster behooves Wax, Alaura, and Jeff to save Star Video. There are also other situations that threaten their beloved video store, including a faith based video distribution company that isn’t thrilled about some of the videos Star Video rents out (porn and R-rated movies), and a weird life training cult that nearly sucks in Alaura. And then there is Netflix mailing out DVDs and the advent of streaming.

Wax, Alaura, and Jeff conspire different ways to save Star Video. One includes an old high school chum of Alaura’s a once rising star film director who sadly has released a couple of flops and is now seeing the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock.

Will Star Video survive or will it end up in the dustbin of cinematic and retail history? I absolutely loved The Last Days of Video. The characters are fully-sketched, and despite being total screw ups, you can’t help but root for Wax, Alaura, Jeff, and Star Video. This book made me nostalgic for one of my favorite independent places to rent videos, Video Adventures (RIP) on Milwaukee’s lower east side. Whether you remember the last days of video or just think of those days as ancient history, The Last Days of Video is a great read.

Reading to Reels: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

It’s been over fifty years since the Judy Blume classic book Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret was released to making it to the silver screen. And I’m telling you; it’s well worth the wait.

Not surprisingly, Judy Blume was a bit hesitant about making Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret into a film. And I can’t blame her. This book is a touchstone for generations of women and girls covering topics like wanting to fill out a bra, worrying about getting your first period, religion, family, school, and discovering boys. The film adaptation had to be made with the right touch, and with director Kelly Fremon Craig, and a wonderful cast it has.

When the film version of Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret begins, 11-year-old Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Forston) is finishing up summer camp and going to back to her parents, Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and Herb (Benny Safdie),in New York City. But there is a surprise in store for Margaret. Due to her father’s job, the Simon family is packing up and moving from the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple to the bucolic suburbs of New Jersey. Margaret is horrified. She’s going to miss the city, her friends, and her devoted bubbe Sylvia Simon (Kathy Bates).

Just as the Simon family is settling in their new home, Margaret is befriended by neighbor girl, Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham). It turns out Margaret and Nancy will be attending the same sixth grade class at the local elementary school. Nancy wants Margaret to join a super duper secret club along with new friends Gretchen Potter (Katherine Kupferer) and Janie Loomis (Amari Alexis Price). This secret club has quite a few rules, including not wearing socks, which causes Margaret to get some painful blisters.

Margaret and Nancy, along with Gretchen and Janie, are all in the same sixth grade class. Their teacher is Mr. Benedict (Echo Kellum), and the girls are thrilled to find Philip Leroy (Zack Brooks), a total grade school hottie is in their class. They all have a crush on him. But sadly, the girls also slut shame Laura Danker (Isol Young) for developing earlier than the other girls. There are horrible rumors that Laura lets the older boys have their way with her, and unfortunately the girls believe them.

While traversing the trials and tribulations of sixth grade, Margaret and her friends deal with the various growing pains of getting older. Nancy tells the girls they all must wear a bra to be in the club, and yes, they all chant, “We must, we must. We must increase our bust!” I wanted to get up in the theater and shout at the screen, “Stop! Don’t do that. It doesn’t work. Believe me, I’ve tried!”

The girls worry about getting their periods and once they do, they must tell the others exactly what it’s like. In one funny scene, Margaret and Janie (who want to be prepared for when the time comes), buy pads at the drugstore and nearly die from embarrassment when a teenage boy rings up their packages of “Teenage Softies.”

And yes, the girls are also obsessed with the opposite sex. They get a gander at the male anatomy by looking Gretchen’s doctor father’s anatomy books. And they wonder if they’ll ever be stacked as the playmates in Margaret’s father’s copies of Playboy so they can attract boys. As previously mentioned, all the girls crush on Philip Leroy. And when Margaret is kissed twice by Philip during a party game she is on cloud nine. Sadly, Philip acts like a jerk and later makes fun of Margaret’s small boobs.

Religion is also a central theme of Are You There, God” It’s Me, Margaret, and it’s one Margaret muses on for a year long research assignment given by Mr. Benedict. Margaret was raised without religion, yet has frequent talks with God. Her parents are of different faiths. Her mother was raised in a Christian home, and her father is Jewish. Barbara Simon is pretty much estranged from her parents for marrying a Jew. And though Sylvia at first wasn’t too thrilled with Herb marrying a shiksa, she does come around and is a devoted grandmother to Margaret.

Margaret decides to examine various religions. She goes to temple with Sylvia. She attends separate church services with Janie and Nancy. She even follows Laura Danker to confession at a Catholic parish. And Margaret continues to talk to God. Sure, she asks for bigger boobs, but she also wants to know is she Jewish? Is she Catholic? All of this leaves Margaret with more questions than answers. And when things come to blows when her maternal grandparents come for a visit, you heart breaks for young Margaret.

As the movie commences, Margaret has finished sixth grade and is looking forward to junior high and is about to go to summer camp. She has learned a lot and yet, has so much more to learn. And spoiler alert. Margaret gets her period.

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret is completely delightful. I really appreciated that this movie sticks with its early 1970s timeline long before smart phones, Netflix, the internet, and doing dances on Tik Tok. Everything from the clothing to the furniture to the music is faithful to the time period. All the performances ring true. Kathy Bates is a treasure as Sylvia Simon. But Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret is truly Abby Ryder Forston’s film. She just embodies Margaret, endearing, awkward and oh, so relatable. And if you see this movie, keep your eyes peeled. The Judy Blume shows up as an extra.

Reading to Reels: To Die For

Based on a novel by Joyce Maynard, with a script by Buck Henry, and directed by Gus Van Zant, To Die For combines dark comedy, traditional drama and “mockumentary” interviews to very entertaining results.

Nicole Kidman plays Suzanne Stone, a local cable weather girl with huge dreams of finding fame and fortune as the next Barbara Walters. What Suzanne lacks in talent and intelligence, she makes up for in manipulation and ruthlessness, and nothing, including her marriage, will get in her way.

The movie commences with Suzanne marrying Larry Moretto (Matt Dillon), the biggest catch in Little Hope, New Hampshire. It’s not certain why Suzanne falls for Larry other than she thinks his close Italian-American family has mob connections, which can help her achieve her goals. Larry is lovable, albeit a bit dim, and completely clueless to Suzanne’s calculating ways. All Larry wants to do is settle down in Little Hope, run the family restaurant and makes lots of babies with Suzanne.

Of course, Suzanne has different plans. Despite her lack of journalistic and television experience she’s able to charm a local cable TV manager in giving her a gofer job. She parlays this lowly position into a regular stint as a weather girl. It’s not long before she recruits some local teens in producing a subpar TV special called “Teens Speak Out.” Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), Russell (Casey Affleck) and Lydia (Alison Folland) are the hardly the type-A achievers you’d expect on a teen-oriented TV show. They’re inarticulate and not good students, but apparently being in awe of Suzanne is the only job requirement necessary.

Larry gets a bit fed up with Suzanne’s ambitions and tells her it’s time to get busy with making babies. But Suzanne will have none of this. She tells her mother-in-law that being pregnant on TV is a career killer. Oh, if only Suzanne had waited a decade or so. Today, baby bumps and stupidly named off-spring are the “must have” for any celebrity. You can even become famous for simply having kids.

Suzanne realizes Larry, and his meddling family, is getting in her way of achieving TV success. There is only one thing she can do, recruit Jimmy, Russell and Lydia in bumping off her husband. Now having an affair with the devious, yet seductive Suzanne, Jimmy does the deadly deed. This local murder becomes national news making Suzanne the “star” she always desired and she revels in her tabloid notoriety. Not surprisingly, the hapless Jimmy is not so lucky.

However, Larry’s family is very wise to Suzanne’s scheming ways and they make sure Suzanne gets her comeuppance. The mousy Lydia, who Suzanne disdained as “white trash,” tells her story in a television interview and becomes famous in her own right.

Every performance in To Die For is near perfection. Matt Dillon is very good as a man who’s happy to have the prettiest girl in town but really wants the homebound hausfrau. Illeana Douglas as Larry’s sister Janice is dryly sarcastic and figures out Suzanne’s BS early on in the game. Both Phoenix and Affleck show a great deal of promise early in their careers in their respective roles.

But To Die For is truly Nicole Kidman’s film. With Kidman’s acting chops, Suzanne Stone is hugely self-absorbed but not very self-aware. Her calculation and cunning is as transparent as a plate of glass, but her telegenic beauty and media-savvy charm succeeds in drawing you closer. Despite ourselves, we want Suzanne Stone to be in front of the camera. Kidman won a very deserved Golden Globe for her portrayal of Suzanne Stone. She is simply a bewitching mix of evil and charisma, and Suzanne Stone is a person we recognize in everything from reality TV to national politics (ahem, or both).

Both the film and the novel were inspired by Pamela Smart, a teacher and wannabe TV personality who convinced a young man to kill her husband. But instead of telling this story straight, the film takes a very satirical look at our obsession with celebrity, fame and notoriety. Merely entertaining when it was released over ten years ago, in our celebrity-entrenched culture, To Die For is a pointed take on a very interesting phenomenon, the desperate need for fame at any cost.

Book Review: I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron

It was such a loss when Nora Ephron died in 2012. Ms. Ephron is mostly known for writing movie scripts for films like Silkwood and the rom com classic, When Harry Met Sally. She was also a director who directed films like You’ve Got Mail and Julie and Julia. Ephron also wrote the novel Heartburn, which was closely based on her messed up marriage to journalist Carl Bernstein and was later made into a movie starring Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep.

But before all that, Ephron was a journalist and she wrote several books filled with essay about the female condition. Her essay, “A Few Words About Breasts” is iconic.

In 2006, Ephron published I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman.” In this book, Ephron opines about entering her dotage and all that getting older entails.

In the opening essay, the same as the title of the book, Ephron is not happy about her neck. A woman can get a face lift and use fancy creams costing 150 bucks. But your wrinkly, spotted neck is going to give away your age, sweetie. Sure, you can complain about your neck. But you can also cover it up with a turtleneck sweater or a pretty scarf.

Ephron continues this theme in her essay “Maintenance.” She muses about all the products we use in order to maintain glossy hair, smooth skin, and a taut body. We need day cream and we need night cream. And don’t forget about eye cream. A long time there was just shampoo. Now my bathroom contains shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair, a deep conditioner, and a color enhancer for my dyed red hair.

Ephron tells us about her time working as an intern in the Kennedy White House. No, she didn’t have an affair with him. He barely noticed her. Ephron is also candid when discussing marriage and the varied stages on parenthood. Ephron talks about finding the perfect apartment and finding the perfect strudel in New York City.

But my one favorite essays in I Feel Bad About My Neck is “Rapture.” No, this isn’t the type of rapture Evangelical Christians warn us about. Ephron was Jewish. I was raised Catholic. We don’t do the rapture. No, instead, Ephron talks about the rapture of reading and finding a treasured book. Being such a great writer, I’m not surprised Ephron was a voracious reader. In “Rapture” talks about her favorite books from childhood onto her adult life.

I Feel About My Neck is a charming, intimate, and quick read. If you are a fan of relatable essays and funny ladies, you should probably pick up I Feel Bad About My Neck. Though unfortunately, Nora Ephron is no longer with us, she had left us a legacy of books and films to treasure.

Book Review: Guts-The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster by Kristen Johnston

“I’m convinced that the only people worth knowing are those who’ve had at least one dark night of the soul.”-Kristen Johnston-Guts

Many of you probably best know actress and funny lady, Kristen Johnston, from the long-running sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun for which she won two Emmy awards. She had a stint on the TV show Mom and did countless plays. Johnston also had a memorable turn on Sex and the City where she played faded party girl Lexi Featherston who falls to her death from a window after declaring, “God, I’m so bored, I could die!” and did just that. Splat! She’s also been in quite a few movies, including the charming yet criminally underrated Music and Lyrics, and the recently released Small Town Wisconsin, which I saw this past spring at its movie theater premier here in Milwaukee. Bragging rights-I sat several rows behind her. Jealous?

Like me, Ms. Johnston is a Gen X-er, a Cheesehead, and a recovering Catholic. I like those qualities in a person. She’s also gone through some seriously bad shit, and she describes all of the grizzly details in her book Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster.

Johnston was in London doing a play, when she suffered a horrible medical catastrophe. Her intestines exploded and expelled into her stomach. She ended up in the hospital where she had to endure a very difficult recovery and come to terms with her addiction to both alcohol and pills. It was her addiction that brutalized her both physically and mentally. While hospitalized, Johnston had to face facts. She was completely fucked up. Her addiction nearly killed her.

Nobody wants to be an addict, and Johnston was no different. But a simple drink turned into far too many. And taking a pill turned into a severe compulsion. Johnston even stole medication from her mother.

Johnston’s stay at the hospital was hardly a trip to a spa. Her description of her stay is horrifying. It was a wonder how she survived. Yet, at the same time, Johnston’s tale of her hospitalization and road to recovery is quite funny. And this is where Johnston’s oddball humor shines. Her take on one particular exasperated nurse had me in stitches.

Post her time in the hospital was also a struggle for Johnston as she travelled the tricky path to recovery and getting off alcohol and pills. These passages are also written candidly and with humor.

Johnston also covers her childhood in Guts, which wasn’t easy. She shot up to nearly 6 feet tall before she was in high school, and was tormented by her peers who called her a freak. Fortunately, she found herself in the world of performing and comedy, and ended up studying at NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. She found success as an actor soon after graduation, but was still gripped with the idea that she wasn’t enough.

One thing Johnston discusses in Guts was her inability to ask for help. It is so ingrained in many of us that asking for help in a sign of weakness. Help. The other four-letter word. Perhaps many of Johnston’s (and our) difficulties could have been alleviated if she had reached out and asked for help much sooner.

While reading Guts I found myself at turns, teary-eyed, laughing, gasping in horror, and being so damn proud of Kristen for overcoming her addictions I could totally plotz. And in one segment where she gets back at one of high school bullies years after graduation, I couldn’t help but smile. Hey, sometimes not being the better person feels pretty good.

As stated above, Johnston thinks the only people worth knowing are those who have had one dark night of the soul. I totally agree. It’s good to know you, Kristen.

Reading to Reels: The Devil Wears Prada

I realized I haven’t done a Reading to Reels post in quite a while so I decided to revisit the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, which was based on the novel of the same name by author Lauren Weisberger.

I read The Devil Wears Prada when it was released in 2003, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an entertaining tale of the world of both fashion and media, and I wondered if the movie would due the book justice. Did it? Read on.

Meat Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Ann Hathaway). She has just graduated from Northwestern and wants a job in journalism. Andy wants to get hired by a serious magazine but is finding these type of magazines aren’t beating a path to her door, Andy gets an interview with the premier fashion magazine Runway. Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is Runway’s intimidating and exacting editor-in-chief who isn’t impressed by Andy but decides to hire her as a junior personal assistant.

Andy takes the job even though she finds fashion to be shallow and beneath her. Miranda wastes no time telling Andy a million girls would kill to have her job, and she better be grateful for her position.

Andy’s early days at Runway are hardly impressive. She makes a lot of mistakes and Miranda is icily exasperated by Andy’s stumbles as she navigates her job duties. Plus, Andy is surrounded by shallow, sniping colleagues for whom the length of hemlines is of utmost importance. Once such colleague is Emily (Emily Blunt), who is Miranda’s senior assistant. Emily looks at the lowly, un-stylish Andy with withering contempt.

Andy soon realizes she better step up her fashion game. She reaches out to art director Nigel (Stanley Tucci) who schools her on fashion dos and don’ts and gives her make-over to help her impress her colleagues and especially, Miranda.

Now decked out in a much more stylish wardrobe, Andy also puts more effort into her job and is fulfilling Miranda’s every wish no matter how outrageous. Andy is getting more and more immersed in the schemes of Runway and proves to be a better employee than Emily. Emily isn’t thrilled by this.

Andy’s job at Runway also doesn’t sit well with her boyfriend, Nate, and their friends. They feel Andy’s responsibilities at Runway have taken precedence over everything else. Interestingly enough, they don’t complain about some of the freebies thrown their way.

Through various twists and turns, Andy ends up going to Paris with Miranda for Paris Fashion Week. What should be the pinnacle of her career at Runway causes Andy to question her role as Miranda’s assistant and her future at Runway. She finds a lot of the underhanded treachery and backstabbing quite bothersome, and has to make a very critical choice. Does she stay with Runway or does she leave?

I found the movie version of The Devil Wears Prada very enjoyable and entertaining, almost more than the novel (and remember, I really loved the novel). Meryl Streep is terrific as the icy and imperious Miranda, but at times, she also shows to be vulnerable and fallible. Emily Blunt is deliciously bitchy as Andy’s nemesis and Stanley Tucci’s Nigel is a worthy mentor to our novice Andy as she finds her fashion voice. And Ann Hathaway is at turns stubborn, clueless, hard-working, and ambitious just like a lot of young people starting out their careers.

The high stakes of both media and fashion is cleverly drawn and the fashions are to die for. Andy’s transformation from frump to fabulous is inspiring, and when Nigel opens the inner sanctum of the fashion closet at Runway, I nearly fell out of my seat at the theater. Designer frocks, handbags, accessories, and high-heeled stilettoes, what more could a follower of fashion want?

Whether you’re a fashion fanatic or wouldn’t know an “It” bag if it slapped you in the face, The Devil Wears Prada is tremendous tale of one young woman navigating the world of fashion, media, and learning more about herself and her values.