Cinemascope: The Exception

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2016.

Plot line: German soldier Stefan Brandt goes on a mission to investigate exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Kaiser lives in a secluded mansion in the Netherlands, and as Germany is taking over Holland, the country's authorities are concerned that Dutch spies may be watching the Kaiser. As Brandt begins to infiltrate the Kaiser's life in search of clues, he finds himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with Mieke, one of the Kaiser's maids.

I cannot recall how it is that I requested this title, but it was certainly not what I expected. A wonderful period piece of a dark time in history told through the specific lives of a handful of characters. The themes explored gave me lots to think about. The only strange thing about it is that the characters are all German, yet everyone has a British accent. Not sure I understood that choice, but really good nonetheless.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

2017 Sketchbook Part 2: Inktober Journal Flip (Video)

A flip of the second section of my cheapo sketchbook, in which I discuss the art supplies used and pages created for Inktober this year.



If the embedded video doesn't work, click here.

Link to Part 1.
Link to Part 2.

Recent Reads

121. How to Make Friends with a Ghost

This picture book might well be the perfect Halloween read for the littles in your life. It didn't work as well for this adult reader however. The art is cute and colorful, and there are things that made me smile, but there isn't anything that made me want to hug this book, or give it to someone else and say, here read this! And given that it's targeted at kids, that ending is rather strange no? Rating: 2 stars.

122. Shadow of the Lions
DNFed at 47%.

I listened to the audiobook which is well narrated by James Anderson Foster.

Every year when the air gets chilly and the leaves start to fall I find myself in the mood for a campus novel. This one is set at elite Blackburne, a boys boarding school, with two main timelines, one when the main character is at the school as a student, and one where he comes back a decade later as a teacher. It does have an atmospheric setting, but this is mislabeled as a thriller. Yes, there is a mystery, but there wasn't much of a plot or a compelling enough reason to keep reading. I bailed at about the halfway point, at the play by play account of a football game. There is no character development to speak of, so the characters are all rather flat, and ultimately I didn't care enough to see how this story played out. The writing itself is not bad, but if I'd read it through it might have received a 2 star rating, so why bother? Rating: 1 stars,

123. Bitch Planet, Vol. 2: President Bitch
Rated M for Mature indeed.

The setting is the near future, and if you are woman who does not conform to what the men you encounter want you to be, you get shipped off to a the meanest penal planet in the galaxy. But how did this come to pass? This volume covers some of that back story.

I loved the first volume, but this one did not work as well for me. I am still totally on board for the premise, the hard look at patriarchal modes and the men and women who aid in keeping the system in place, but something was lost in this installment for me. I can't quite place a finger on it, as I continue to like the diverse characters in the story. My fave parts were the ads between story sections. Loved every one of those. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood and will continue on to see if the sparkle I found in the first volume returns. Rating: 3 stars.

Cinemascope: Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2017.

Plot line: Literary icon Joan Didion reflects on her remarkable career and personal struggles in this intimate documentary directed by her nephew, Griffin Dunne.

While I have not read all her work, Joan Didion is a author I admire, so was delighted when Netflix released this documentary. There are criticisms about this documentary, and I would agree with some of it. Having a nephew tell this story means that things are slanted a certain way. There is way too much about her husband and not nearly enough about the author and her critical mind, let alone the fashionista side to her. But then, maybe no-one other than family would have had enough access to make this documentary, so we've got to take what we're given. I'm fascinated by the public/private personas of celebrity figures, and this gave me insights into the woman.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

2017 Sketchbook Part 2: July to Sept Journal Flip (Video)

In which I share a chatty flip of the first section of my cheapo sketchbook.



If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Link to Part 1: https://youtu.be/Gef5pcUIqm0

Recent Reads

118. A Halloween Treat & Edward Gorey's Ghosts
This little book has two stories. Halloween Treat is a fun tale of trick or treating, and when you turn the book over and start from the back you find a curated sample of his Ghosts oeuvre. This is a fun little book, but I'd only recommend it to Edward Gorey fans. It's all about the art. The words are simply window dressing, and could be skipped entirely. The art though is something else. All that pen and ink. I would love to see some of these in a larger format as as to really appreciate the detailed cross hatching. I love this his artistic style, and it would be a fun exercise to make up your own stories for each page. Rating: 3 stars.

119. Pandora's Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong
Sometimes I wonder why I bother with fiction when there are nonfiction books like these waiting for me to dive into.

We often forget that what we consider advances today come at a cost. Sometimes the cost is bearable, other times it's not. Or at the very least it's not us that bear it. Smart people make mistakes. Smart people believe junk "science". Everyone is influenced by the cultural, political, social, economic, and scientific worlds they live in, and to pretend otherwise is naive. The path to hell is indeed often paved with good intentions, and as this book illuminates, there are many versions of hell.

This book is well researched and well written, and I was horrified, educated, and fascinated from the first page to the last. I knew about some of the events in these seven chapters, but the author does a wonderful job of connecting pieces in a way I had not know about, or even considered, but I don't want to review the specific histories mentioned as that would spoil the reveal. I was really disturbed by this one, so much so that I asked my partner to also read it so I'd have someone to discuss it with.

I listened to the audiobook which is well narrated by Paul Tremblay, and this should be required reading for every single person, even if the last time you attended a science class was in the 7th grade.

This book gave me a new framework with which to discuss these topics, educated me on things I didn't know about, and connected dots in a way that changed my understanding of the world. One of the best books I've read this year. Rating: 5 stars.

120. Night Waking
I've struggled with how to rate this book. There are 5 star sections, and 2 star sections. I was compelled to read on while I had it in my hands, but reluctant to pick it back up once I had put it down.

The setting is an isolated island in the Hebrides. Anna Bennett, her two kids, and husband have moved here so that hubby can count the puffins. Anna, a historian, in unable to get any work done as she is sleep deprived, and has her hands full with motherly and wifely duties. One day while digging in the garden the bones of an infant are uncovered. Whose bones are these?

There are stories within stories within stories in this novel. It is very atmospheric, and I was delighted with the frank and honest way Anna's ambivalence at being a mother is described. It is not often we get such direct light shed on this holy of holies. Work family balance? No such thing here. I was intrigued by the history of childhood, and the paper that Anna works on is interspersed throughout the novel. It was interesting reading about Anna's inner life and her struggles. However, I could have cared less about the mystery at the core of this story, though it was interesting to learn more about the natives and their history. All these various plot lines get rather muddled in the final telling, at least for me. This is a quiet, character driven story, so if you're looking for a fast paced plot, skip this one.

The author is wonderfully skilled at crafting these worlds within worlds, and as I've already said, there are sections of breathtaking beauty. I am still hard pressed to give this a higher rating because of my ambivalence with it overall. That being said, I do plan to read her other books as there is real talent here, and this is one of her earlier ones. Rating: 3 stars.

Cinemascope: Gerald's Game

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2017.

Plot line: While trying to spice up their marriage in their remote lake house, Jessie must fight to survive when her husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her handcuffed to their bed frame.

I'm not really a fan of scary movies, especially slasher types, but I do try to creep myself out with season books and movies around Halloween. When this showed up on Netflix, I started to watch it, got totally spooked so had to stop watching. Then went back after several days, during day light hours, and finished watching it. This is based on a Stephen King book of the same name, and it's really good. It's not what you think it's about when you start, but don't read any reviews, go in cold and see what you think.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

2017 Sketchbook Part 1: Supplies and Background Prep (video)

In which I answer questions about my current cheapo sketchbook and supplies.

If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Recent Reads

115. Paper Girls, Vol. 3
I think I might need one of those universal translator thingies so I can figure out what the heck is going on here. Every installment has the four girls and their future selves in different times and places, and this one is the craziest of them all so far. Are we in the future or the past? Does it matter? Time folds in on itself in dizzying ways, but the art continues to be really good, the girls continue to be brave and work on figuring out what is going on, and usual teen stuff keeps surfacing. Speaking of surfacing, monsters do that too. A fun if still confusing romp. Where the heck is this headed? Rating: 3 stars.

116. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 7: Damage Per Second
It actually hurts me to give this such a low rating. I love the premise of this graphic novel series, and I really admire the diversity of the characters and the issues discussed, but this installment felt like reading a PSA (public service announcement).

There are essentially three story lines. The first is a straight forward get out the vote pamphlet, and since it was released after the US elections I'm not sure why they bothered with it. The second story line is about the internet and gaming, and while I agree that we should all be kinder and treat each other respectfully, did we need this entire section for that PSA? And finally we zoom over to Bruno in Wakanda. Am I the only one who didn't recall what he was doing there? Anyways, hi-jinks ensue, but they seemed rather forced given the players involved.

I continue to like the art and the overall themes, but the writing felt really weak in this installment. Has it Ms. Marvel finally run out of steam? Rating: 2 stars.

117. Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002
30% in and on the DNF pile this goes.

I'm a fan of his essays, but this collection of diary entries felt tedious to read. While there is some humor, I found myself mostly annoyed with this one. The author expects us to dip in and out, and maybe I'll do that at some date if some reader I trust tells me it's worth pushing through, but in the meanwhile I'd be better off going back and reading my own old journals!

I listened to the audiobook which is well narrated by the author, but don't care enough to continue. Rating: 1 star.

Journal pages

Here are my final drawings for Inktober 2017. As always click on the images to view larger.

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I always have such a fun time with this challenge, and having done two of these now an certainly learned some things that I'll put into effect for next year. As usual I love some of the sketches better than others, but I'm quite proud of myself for holding to a daily sketching and posting schedule for 31 days. Done is better than perfect.

Journal pages

It's October which means it's time for another Inktober. I'll be posting daily on my Instagram page (@kisiwa82) and will update my blog every week or so with my sketches. I'm doing my own thing and not following the prompts. If you are playing along do let me know so I can see your art too. As always click on the photos for a larger image.

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Recent Reads

112. The Heart's Invisible Furies
Here I go swimming against the tide again. I see why so many people love this one, but it fell short in some significant ways for me.

This story starts in rural Ireland where a pregnant teenager is dragged out of the church one Sunday and booted out of town. The first line or two of this novel is pretty compelling and I settled in for the ride. This novel starts in the 1940s and spans about sixty five years (give or take a few), and the author is clearly making a statement about Ireland's trajectory over the course of those years. The story is initially told from the POV of this young girl, but then switches to the child, Cyril Avery, who is adopted by a wealthy couple in Dublin, and the rest of the story is told from his perspective. Life in Ireland, or most of the world, was not a friendly place for an unmarried mother, let alone a boy who might be attracted to other boys. Over the course of this story, the author uses Cyril's life to explore some of these issues.

The writing itself is good, and there are some wonderful sentences that I read again to savor the imagery invoked. My biggest complaint is that this book is all tell, tell, tell, and no show. This happened, then this, then this. Dramatic and tragic events all seem to happen of-page, and that might have worked if we got to dive into the depths of emotional turbulence these events caused, but at no point that does happen. So that left me looking into a life through a very thick pane of glass where the characters were not fully fleshed out, and I couldn't connect emotionally with them. The actual issues brought up are all important and there has been much suffering in Ireland and throughout the world because people insist on labels and boxes and everyone being the same, and I appreciated that the author exposed these issues to a reading public that might not know these stories. I however struggled with reading tragic events that didn't really make me feel anything. I didn't really know or care about these characters as they didn't seem real, but rather like props to express observations the author wanted to make. In terms of actual plot, the sheer number of coincidences boggle the mind, and it was hard to suspend disbelief. Yes, it's a small world in some ways, but not this small.

This is the first book I've read by the author and while I liked his writing, I'm reluctant to pick up any of his other books, because from what I can tell they all have some serious issues at their core, and unless he dives deeply emotionally I doubt they'll work for me.

If you have yet to read it, I would highly recommend And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts. Yes, it's non-fiction, but you will not be able to put it down. Rating: 3 stars.

113. Another Brooklyn
There are times when I wonder if the world will ever be a safe place for every girl and woman in it.

What is memory? This novella is a bit like watching a beautifully filmed old fashioned movie of your childhood. Not on DVD. I'm talking about movies on those reels where the frames are a tad jerky, and every now and then a frame bubbles up and burns out. I guess you have to be of a certain age to understand that reference, but I also think you have to be of a certain age to appreciate the wonder of this book. If you are looking for a straight forward linear story this is not for you. Like memory, this weaves moments in time, beauty, tragedy, and the trails and joys of growing up. This is not a story, but a long poem about girlhood, and I loved every minute with it. The only reason I docked a star is the length felt too short and I wanted more, but maybe that's the very point the author is making.

I listened to the audiobook which is wonderfully narrated by Robin Miles. I highly recommend this one on audio as you really get to hear the poetry in the telling. Rating: 4 stars.

114. Paper Girls, Vol. 2
I continue to be both amused and confused with this graphic novel series. I quite like these girls, and the time travel plot problems are fun to think about. What would your 12 year old self think about you if they stumbled across you in town one day? Questions like these give the reader much to think about, though the story itself is a bit garbled, but maybe that's just the effects of time travel. The art is fun and colorful, and I'll continue with the series to see where all this craziness is headed. Rating: 3 stars.

Journal pages

It's October which means it's time for another Inktober. I'll be posting daily on my Instagram page (@kisiwa82) and will update my blog every week or so with my sketches. I'm doing my own thing and not following the prompts. If you are playing along do let me know so I can see your art too. As always click on the photos for a larger image.

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Journal pages

It's October which means it's time for another Inktober. I'll be posting daily on my Instagram page (@kisiwa82) and will update my blog every week or so with my sketches. I'm doing my own thing and not following the prompts. If you are playing along do let me know so I can see your art too. As always click on the photos for a larger image.

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Journal pages

It's October which means it's time for another Inktober. I'll be posting daily on my Instagram page (@kisiwa82) and will update my blog every week or so with my sketches. I'm doing my own thing and not following the prompts. If you are playing along do let me know so I can see your art too. As always click on the photos for a larger image.

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Cinemascope: Mona Lisa Smile

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2003.

Plot line: Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts) is a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College, in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students including Betty (Kirsten Dunst) and Joan (Julia Stiles) to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

Remember how I said I really enjoy campus stories this time of year? This is the second time I've watched this movie, and it's a fun one this time of year. It's not without its flaws, but I enjoy the themes explored, and the setting is lovely.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Recent Reads

109. Imagine Wanting Only This
The thing about navel gazing is that it's only interesting to the person with the navel being gazed at.

This is a graphic memoir about a twenty-something woman who is mourning the death of a beloved uncle. She somehow connects ruins and dilapidated places with this loss, and the book is her working through all her feelings. The art is really good, but the book itself felt pointless, almost like a final project for her MFA. If not for the art I would have bailed on this one, so for the art alone I'll add an additional star. Rating: 2 stars.

110. Paper Girls, Vol. 1
I was excited to pick up this graphic novel series. The story centers around four 12-year old girls who have a paper route. It's Halloween, so you know things are going to get weird, but this weird I did not expect. The art is fun, but I was left confused as to what was going on with all the strange happenings. Hopefully things make more sense in future installments. Rating: 3 stars.

111. The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus
Narrative non-fiction is probably my favorite genre, so I was really looking forward to this one. An Ebola outbreak in Virginia? What? How did I not know about this? Where was the 24/7 media coverage on stuff that actually matters? Yes, I realize I'm getting of topic, so back to the book.

This book starts in Kenya, and takes you along on the experience of a person who is infected and dies in such a horrible manner that you certainly do not, under any circumstances, want to catch this disease. We are talking about Marburg and Ebola. We are introduced to various people, doctors, military personnel, and ordinary people who were affected and infected both in Kenya and the US. There's a monkey facility in Reston VA, and the monkeys suddenly start dying. What happens next is the stuff of horror movies, and that we are all even alive to read this review (or book) is pure luck.

This is a compelling story that is equal parts fascinating and horrifying. For the first several sections I thought I had found my next five star read, but then the author starts to meander. I didn't care about what people made for dinner, and learning about the pets they had at home didn't add to the story one bit. There were simply too many tangents that detracted from the urgency of the main event. The final sections where the author goes to Kenya to see for himself this cave which might be the source is simply gratuitous and annoyed me.

This is still a worth while read, and with tighter editing I would have rated it five stars. If nothing else it gave me lots to think about in terms of pandemics and the experiments carried out on animals. This book was first published in 1994 and I can only hope that we have better processes and systems in place to handle the next pandemic, which denial aside we know is coming.

I listened to the audiobook which is well narrated by Richard M. Davidson, and if you have not read about this event, this book would make an excellent entry point. Rating: 3 stars.

Cinemascope: First Position

Cinemascope is a regular blog post where I will share with you movies and TV shows I think are worth watching.



Released in 2011.

Plot line: Every year, thousands of aspiring dancers enter one of the world's most prestigious ballet competitions, the Youth America Grand Prix, where lifelong dreams are at stake. In the final round, with hundreds competing for only a handful of elite scholarships and contracts, practice and discipline are paramount, and nothing short of perfection is expected. Bess Kargman's award-winning documentary, First Position, follows six young dancers as they prepare for a chance to enter the world of professional ballet, struggling through bloodied feet, near exhaustion and debilitating injuries, all while navigating the drama of adolescence. A showcase of awe-inspiring talent, tenacity and passion, First Position paints a thrilling and moving portrait of the most gifted young ballet stars of tomorrow.

This is the second time I've watched this documentary, and I loved it just as much as the first time. I smiled, I was amazed, and I was in tears. This is a wonderful documentary about talent, skill, hard work and resilience in young people, and I am in awe of such dedication.

You can see the trailer here. If you have yet to see it, this is a movie worth watching.

Travel Art Supplies - Summer 2017 Edition (Video)

It's been over a month since my Oregon trip, but I'm finally getting around to uploading this video.

I love seeing what supplies people take on trips too, so please do share a link to your videos/blog posts. Do you travel with the kitchen sink? :-)



Link to the Pre-trip journal prep video.

If the embedded video does not work, click here.

Journal pages

It's October which means it's time for another Inktober. I'll be posting daily on my Instagram page (@kisiwa82) and will update my blog every week or so with my sketches. I'm doing my own thing and not following the prompts. If you are playing along do let me know so I can see your art too. As always click on the photos for a larger image.

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