Even kickass self-rescuing princesses need to take a break and enjoy a good book or movie once in a while, right? Here are some of my favorite entertainment recommendations -- all with a healthy dose of awesome female characters, and fantastic female stars.
I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that I have been eagerly awaiting the premier of Supergirl. I've had October 26th marked on my calendar for a while now. I'm sure like many of you, I've been more than a little anxious about how good the show would be. Well, I've watched it twice already this week (and plan to watch it again once I'm done here), and I'm here to report that it is, in fact, very, very good!
Just some of the things I love about this show, with no spoilers for those who aren't caught up. Secretary McCord is consistently underestimated by her political opponents, much to their detriment. She is brilliant, thoughtful, and reserved. They think because she's a "newbie" they can get away with their conniving tricks, but she sees them and sets her own traps. Far too many of them get caught.
Some great conversation between Phryne and Mac and we learn a little about what has brought her back to Melbourne -- something sad, something about revenge perhaps? Then Miss Fisher is invited off to a meeting with her Aunt Prudence at the very same home where the earlier drama happened! Of course! She arrives just as Mr. Andrews' body is being carried out the very same front door she is entering. Double of course!
The decision to live as a single mother in this world was a dangerous one, she knew, but she also hoped it would give her life meaning; make it worthwhile. And, in its own way, her ultimate decision simply confirms that. It is her undying love for her daughter that drives everything she does. She cannot change the very system they are both trapped in. So she works within her constraints to give her daughter the very best chance.
My more careful thoughts about the movie are a bit more complicated. It's not that I didn't enjoy the movie. I did. I liked the story. I liked the mixing of modern times in with history, and the mix of political with personal. I liked seeing the whole life of such a strong woman who influenced history. We see her as young woman starting out with passion and verve, and as a middle-aged woman learning how to appreciate her power and seeking to use it to actually do something in life.
I would have loved to have known about Doris Sams and the other professional womens baseball players when I was a girl! No telling how I would have used that info. I wasn't especially athletically inclined, but it certainly would have been inspirational anyway. I'm sure I would have devoured biographies about women ball players if I had found any, the same way I read through every book I could find on Amelia Earhart.
Today is the birthday of the remarkable Celia Cruz, the "Queen of Salsa." I don't know when I first heard her sing. I suspect it was in Mambo Kings, but it's hard to remember. Maybe it was when I would listen to Tito Puente with my parents. It feels like she's been around on my playlists for ages. What an amazing voice. And now we get to learn more about her life, thanks to the fantastic telenovela Celia.
I just heard this new song by Flint Eastwood for the first time earlier this week, and it has pretty much got me enthralled. It's beautiful and touching and gives me chills every time I listen to it. And I've listened to it a dozen times or more. It's haunting, but in a bittersweet way. Jax's voice is perfectly ethereal and sweet. And the acoustics are amazing. It turns out that it was recorded in a church.
I love La Santa Cecilia, and have been listening to them a lot lately. This song, in particular, has been rolling around in my head. I love their take on the Beatles' classic. It's exactly as you'd expect it to be. Only more beautiful and poignant.
The ever amazing Meguey Baker has done it again. She's come up with another wonderful game, Playing Nature's Year. I'm sooooo excited for this game. I have long been fascinated by the stories we tell about our environment, and about the importance of each season and the subtle changes that occur throughout them.
I spent the weekend before PAX playing in the Guild Wars 2 head-start, but didn't play at all during our time in Seattle, and for the week after our return because of lots of fun school events. (White water rafting trip? Oh, yeah, baby!) So, when things finally settled down a little this week, I finally got to get back to my characters and figure out what I want to focus on in my limited weekly gaming time.
We got a copy of Cards Against Humanity and have been playing it quite a bit lately. I have to admit that when I first heard about it, I was a bit skeptical. I'm no prude or a member of the Politically Correct police, but I was worried about some of the cards being too offensive, or triggering for some of our friends. But after the first round, I was sold. I don't think I've laughed that hard in ages!
A while back I wrote about a Kickstarter for a great book -- Shay & Ivy: Beyond the Kingdom, by Sheena McFeely and Casie Trace. Recently I received a digital copy to review. I was pretty sure going in I was going to love this book based on what I already know about it from writing about their Kickstarter, but I was still excited about seeing the book for myself.
The A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls ABC Board Book, by Charles Dowd is a fantastic book featuring his adorable illustrations showing girls doing all kinds of amazing jobs. It's got kung fu champions and jackhammer operators and astronauts. You may already know Charles C. Dowd from his other awesomely geeky projects such as Lilith Dark and Kidthulhu. Both are excellent and worth reading.
About a year ago, one of the truly awesome women I follow on G+ posted a link to her ebook, Finding Gaia, and on a whim I bought it. I downloaded it to my Kindle, and then pretty much relegated it to my virtually teetering ebook stack, which rivals the teetering stack of actual books on my bedside table, only easier to ignore. But even though it wasn't blocking my ability to see the surface of my nightstand, it was always there in my brain, nagging me to read it. Page settings Options Feedback
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