“In the moonlight, black boys look blue.” Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, is perhaps the most beautiful film I’ve seen all season. While I have doubts about it’s ability to beat La La Land, mostly because the Academy likes pretentious films, it’s the film most worthy of the title of Best Picture in 2017. I…
Dear Bookworms, This year I have decided to take up the Genre Challenge (see January’s article on Three Types of Reading Goals for 2017) and delve into some types of literature I don’t normally read. To begin, I decided to start with one glaring hole on my bookshelves: the graphic novel. Graphic novels have become…
“I’m slowly learning that my happiest, most special moments happen when the circus is at its peak.” – Emily Ley Goodness. It’s 11:38pm and I’m writing this review. I know, it sounds crazy. But there were classes to teach, and rehearsal to run, and phone calls to be made, and dinner to be had. Sound familiar? But…
Moana is the kind of film and female role model we need this year. She’s physically and emotionally strong, she speaks her mind, and she is a community leader. That’s a lot to achieve in 1 hour and 43 minutes! Moana is in good hands with the directing team that brought you “The Little Mermaid,”…
By now, almost everyone who loves Stars Hollow and its eccentric cast of characters has watched Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. I consumed it in one weekend and enjoyed new material from old, reliable characters. I was most looking forward to these new episodes because I felt like there was no closure at…
La La Land, written and directed by Damien Chazelle, follows aspiring actress Mia, played by Emma Stone, and jazz purist Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, as they navigate the challenges of pursing career success in Los Angeles. What does it take? How do you get there? And, above all, what will it cost? These are…
GOODNESS. Let the record show – I had absolutely no intention of writing anything about Nastasha. Or Pierre. Or The Great Comet of 1812. I wasn’t there in a work capacity. I was just there to see the show. I was on a date with my boyfriend. It was pure leisure. But OH! What an evening….
Last week I went to see The Scarlet Letter at Bay Street Theater. Full disclosure – it’s directed by my father, Joe Minutillo, and written by Scott Eck, and my father. I truly had no intention of writing about it – I honestly don’t even like The Scarlet Letter that much. I mean, come on…
Dear Bookworms, This summer, I stumbled across a book called The Great Typo Hunt: Two Friends Changing The World, One Correction At A Time at a library book sale. As a writer, editor, and general lover of all things English, I was immediately drawn to it. Written by Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson, The Great…
The Bookshop on the Corner, one of our September picks, was my first experience with a Jenny Colgan novel. Before the story started, Colgan left a message for the reader, reminding us that books are beautiful and often change lives. She offered a list of places she recommends taking out your book along with the…