The Book Tower

This is based on Jack Pickard’s Three Meme, although I’ve shuffled it around. Nine questions, three answers for each. Three cubed. Here goes:

Objects Within One Metre of You

1. Cat litter tray
2. Bicycle pump
3. Deflated giant sized Union Jack toy hammer

Teachers at School

1. Mr H (now deceasd)
2. Mrs G (I let her down)
3. Mr C (what a card)

TV Programmes You Won’t Watch

1. Grease is the Word
2. Trinny and Tranny
3. Desperate Housewifes

Favourite Trivial Pursuit Categories

1. Pink
2. Brown
3. Yellow (least favourite: blue)

Superpowers You’d Like to Have

1. Ability to regenerate when the going gets tough
2. Ability to turn into a cat like Maggie Smith in Harry Potter
3. Ability to become invisible without need of invisibility cloak

Things on the Horizon

1. Spiderman 3
2. Harry Potter 7
3. Changing cat litter tray

Newspapers, Magazines or Periodicals Read Regularly

1. Fortean Times
2. Radio Times
3. Mojo

Songs You Dislike

1. Love Shack by B52s
2. Man on the Moon by REM
3. When the Going Gets Tough by Billy Ocean

Three Things to do Tomorrow

1. Take a deep breath
2. Open front door
3. Face world

Comments [2]

After looking forward so much to reading Don De Lillo’s Falling Man I’m unable to hide my bitter disappointment in the novel. This is a big subject tackled by one of America’s leading authors, but simply stamping “9/11” on a work of fiction isn’t enough to make it a great one. I just spent too long waiting for the book to kick in, and while I was nodding sagely throughout – attempting to gel with the novel intellectually – it didn’t grip me emotionally. I found the characters flat and unengaging, and although Keith – survivor of the attacks on the twin towers – may be written as an invisible person, walking back into his family’s life after the terrorist attacks like a virtual ghost – the undead survivor perhaps – this is way beyond my capabilities as a reader.

While I commended De Lillo for waiting so long to tackle “9/11” – while others (British authors, I won’t mention their names) were bashing away at their keyboards to produce articles for next morning’s press before the second tower had even fallen – I wish he hadn’t produced something so leaden and pretentious. This isn’t going on my list of recommendations for 2007.

Comments [4]

For our Bank Holiday film treat, my daughter asked if we could see Bridge to Terabithia. I agreed, although I wasn’t expecting great things from this film, and was ushered into the cinema imagining a poor rehash of The Chronicles of Narnia. After the titles had rolled I realised we were in for something different. The trailers and posters had wildly misrepresented the film; no abuse of CGI, no over egging of the Fantasy pudding and no British actors in mildly villainous roles. Bridge to Terabithia is a quite brilliant children’s film that doesn’t simply rely on technical wizardry and British thesps hamming it up.

This is an adaptation of Katherine Paterson book, where Jesse (Josh Hutcherson) is a quiet schoolkid who befriends new girl Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb). While only child Leslie’s parents are dreamy authors, Jesse has three sisters and his parents are struggling with their debts. His father (played by Robert Patrick – still as creepy as he was in Terminator II) berates his son, a gifted artist, for dwelling too long in imaginary worlds and not gaining a foothold on reality. Indeed, Jesse and Leslie do make a fine pair, escaping from the harsh real world of classroom anguish and school bullies to their imaginary world of Terabithia, just a short rope swing across a backyard river.

Bridge to Terabithia keeps its special effects in check, relying instead on the two excellent leads. It’s a very well paced and thoughtful film. There’s also one of the most shocking twists I’ve ever encountered in a children’s film. No spoilers here – but be warned. This is a film that might bore the under-eights, especially if they’re expecting their fill of imaginary creatures and fantasy. But my daughter, thinking we were in for another Narnia, really enjoyed it. Something different from the usual Multiplex fare and well worth seeing.

Comments [5]