February in review

Films and television shows

1. Born Yesterday: This classic 1950 comedy stars the wonderful Judy Holliday and William Holden, one of my favourite actors. William Holden is impossibly gorgeous. Broderick Crawford chews scenery as only he could. But this film is all about the brilliant Judy Holliday, who deservedly won an Oscar for her performance. Holliday perfected the “dumb blonde” portrayal, even though she was an extremely intelligent woman. She left the world far too soon. I own the digital version of the film and have watched it many times.
2. All Quiet on the Western Front: This 2022 film version of this story is particularly moving, since it features German actors. The original 1930 film, which I watched when I was a about 12 or 13 and it made a lasting impression on me, as did the book by Remarque. This 2022 version does the legacy of this story proud. It’s a very tough film to watch because of its unflinching look at trench warfare. Watched on Netflix
3. Wonder Woman: This was my second viewing of the 2017 film. I thought the director did a very good job of portraying the heroic characteristics of Diana, while showing also her vulnerability and naivety. What I liked best about the film is that all the male characters were fully aware that Diana was in charge and were happy to defer to her. Watched on Netflix
4. Wonder Woman 1984: I had put off watching this 2020 sequel of the 2017 film because the reviews had been negative; I can well understand why. Although the two primary characters and the director are the same, the magic of the 2020 film is nowhere to be seen. Pedro Pascal overacts as the archvillain, and not in a funny or ironic way. Chris Pine is just there for the added scenery, and the storyline is plodding. The only bright feature of the film was the all-too-brief cameo by Lynda Carter.

Books

1. The extraordinary live of an ordinary man: A memoir. This 2022 biography provides a fascinating insight into the life and mind of Paul Newman. This posthumous autobiography is the result of a project Newman did with his friend, screenwriter Stewart Stern, to record an oral history of Newman’s life. It’s an often brutal look at Newman’s life, his personality, and his attitude towards the film industry. Newman on the screen and in real life was a fascinating combination of toughness and cynicism in the body and face of a beautiful angel. Borrowed from Halifax Public Library.
2. Silence in the library: This is the second entry in the Lily Adler mystery series written by Katharine Schellman. This series is set in Regency England and features recently-widowed Lily Adler and her involvement in solving mysteries. The series is utterly charming, and the period is always so compelling. Borrowed from Halifax Public Library.
3. Bleeding heart yard: This mystery series, by Elly Griffiths, is new to me. I came across this entry, which is the third in the series. I prefer to read series chronologically, but I hadn’t actually realized it was a series until I received it from document delivery. I knew Griffiths from her excellent Ruth Galloway series. This book is the third entry in the Harbinder Kaur series, which features a Met Detective Inspector. I’m definitely going to read the rest of this series. Borrowed from Halifax Public Library.
4. The last Templar: I came across this book in my Kobo Plus subscription feed. The book is the first entry in the Michael Jecks’ Knights Templar series. There are 32 books in the series, which features bailiff Simon Puttock and Sir Baldwin Furnshill, a former Templar. These mysteries are set in 14th Century Devon. This first book was a little weak in its plotline and story development, so it will be interesting to see what the second book will be like. Read via my Kobo Plus subscription.

Clothing and food

1. Another Shop: I had been wanting to visit this shop for a while. It’s located near the Queen’s Marque on the Halifax waterfront. This shop is owned by Sarah Andrews, and is the sister store to Sattva, on Agricola Street. Both shops carry sustainably-made clothing. I was very pleased to find a few pieces from Indi & Cold, one of my favourite brands.
2. Terra Cafe: One of my favourite slow-living activities is to visit locally-owned coffee shops and enjoy an Americano while I read my book and people watch. This cafe is on Lower Water street and in the premises that have been occupied previously by two other coffee shops. I hope that this cafe will survive a little longer. They have a breakfast and lunch menu, as well as beer and wine.
3. East Cup Cafe: This cafe is located in one of the new residential buildings on Robie street, next to Quinpool. The cafe was packed when I visited it on a Saturday afternoon. My double espresso was excellent. They have a nice selection of sandwiches and pastries.