ML's Worth a Watch: Book Trailers (January-June 2017)

Today I would like to share with you some of the trailers for books I have read between January and June 2017.

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

If You're Gone by Brittany Goodwin 

ML's Worth a Watch: A Man Called Ove

Last week I shared my review for the 2014 debut novel A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.

In this bestselling and delightfully quirky debut novel from Sweden, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.
Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him "the bitter neighbor from hell." But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.
A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Fredrik Backman’s novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful and charming exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. -Source

Just last year the book was adapted to a movie in its native Sweden. Although I haven't watched it yet myself, the trailer has really caught my interest and I hope to be able to see it soon.

Check it out below:

I think that I would get the emotional reaction from watching this movie, that I was hoping for with the book. This short clip seems to portray much more heart than the author was able to convey in his writing.

What do you think? Does the novel or the movie interest you? Leave me a message in the comments below. 

ML's Worth a Watch: The Shack Movie Trailer

One of the most profound books I have ever read is The Shack by Wm. Paul Young.

Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his "Great Sadness," Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.

Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!

(Description from Goodreads)

At the time it was a book I never would have chosen for myself, but it was picked by my book club, so I reluctantly gave it a try. It was an absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking reading experience and worthy of a 5 star rating. 

I recently learned that it has been turned into a movie staring Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer, Radha Mitchell and Tim McGraw. Today I would like to share with you the movie trailer:

Personally I can't wait to see it and hope that it does the book justice. 

I'd love to know what you think.. 

Have you read The Shack? Does this look like a movie you would like to see? Leave me a comment below. 

ML's Worth a Watch: Orange is the New Black Season 4 and Orange is the New Storytelling with the Real Piper and Larry

It has been quite a while since I did a Worth a Watch post. Today I have two videos to share with you.

June 17 marked the season 4 premier for the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black. As I type this I am just over half way through the season, however by the time this post is published, I'm sure I will have it finished. Like most shows on Netflix, once I sit down to watch it I can't stop.

Check out the trailer for the latest season:

Clearly it promises to be quite eventful and chalk full of funny moments. I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens.

The next video I have to share today is called Orange is the New Storytelling with the Real Piper and Larry. For those of you who are familiar with the series you know it is adapted from a book by Piper Kerman. It is based on the thirteen months she spent incarcerated for drug trafficking ten years prior. Click the link below for the Goodreads page for the book:

Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Woman's Prison by Piper Kerman 

In this video Piper Kerman and her husband Larry Smith sit down moderator Jessica Bennett for Internet Week. They talk about the show and the work Piper has done fighting for prisoners rights. I also found Larry's work as a writer himself, to be quite interesting as well.

I had never heard of 6 Word Memoirs before and I am looking forward to learning more about it. For those who are interested check out the website below:

http://www.sixwordmemoirs.com/

Monthly Favourites: March 2016

Monthly Favourites

March 2016

Today I would like to share with you a new segment I will be adding to my monthly wrap-ups. Here are some of my favourite random non-bookish favourites from the past few weeks. 

I've been on a yogurt and granola kick recently. 

Source

One of my favourite Easter treats are Lil' Scoops, especially the kind with the white chocolate mousse inside

Source

I probably sound like a broken record, but I've been really enjoying watching season one of When Calls the Heart. It is a Hallmark Channel television show that follows a young woman who takes a teaching position in a western Canadian coal mining town. 

Source: Hallmark Channel

My favourite movie that I watched in March was the 2014 remake of Annie, staring: Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhane Wallis, Cameron Diaz, Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale. This was a wonderfully modern remake of the classic tale about little orphan Annie. I had so much fun watching it and singing along to the familiar soundtrack. 

One of my favourite games to play on Facebook is SongPop. My username is mlsmanreads if anyone would like to send me a challenge.

It doesn't take much to get a song stuck in my head, especially if it is catchy. Lately I've have Renegade by Styx stuck in my head. Yes I know, very random but I can't stop singing it..

And last but not least I've been really into listening to the Australian pop-punk band 5 Seconds of Summer. 

Source

These guys are just as fun as their music. Take a listen to She's Kinda Hot, so catchy!

What are some of your favourites from the month of March? Are you into any of the things I've mentioned? I'd also love to hear what you think of this new segment. Should I keep it or scrap it? Leave me a message in the comments.

 

ML's Worth a Watch: The Mapmaker's Children Playlist

Last week I shared my TLC Book Tour stop and review for The Mapmaker's Children. As I mentioned in the book, it included a playlist of songs that would pair nicely with the story. I thought that this was a wonderful idea and one I hadn't seen an author include before. So today I thought I would share with you a couple songs off author Sarah McCoy's playlist. I only wish I had discovered this as I was reading because listening to these songs really put me into the mood for the story. Enjoy! 

Sarah McCoy's The Mapmaker's Children Playlist 

ML's Worth a Watch: Secret in Their Eyes

Last week I went to the movies for the first time in months. It was a nice night out and I saw a movie I hadn't heard of before until that day: Secret in Their Eyes. Below is my review:

 

 

Title: Secret in Their Eyes
Director: Billy Ray
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Released: November 20 2015
Rating: 14A
Staring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts

Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games), and produced by Academy Award® winner Mark Johnson (Rain Man, “Breaking Bad”), Secret In Their Eyes is an intense, powerful, haunting thriller starring Academy Award® nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Academy Award® winners Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts. A tight-knit team of rising FBI investigators – Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Jess (Julia Roberts), along with their District Attorney supervisor Claire (Nicole Kidman) – is suddenly torn apart when they discover that Jess’s teenage daughter has been brutally and inexplicably murdered. Now, thirteen years later, after obsessively searching every day for the elusive killer, Ray finally uncovers a new lead that he’s certain can permanently resolve the case, nail the vicious murderer, and bring long-desired closure to his team. No one is prepared, however, for the shocking, unspeakable secret that will reveal the enduring, destructive effects of personal vengeance on the human soul. Interweaving past and present, this deeply layered mystery explores the murky boundaries between justice and revenge, and asks the question: how far would you go to right an unfathomable wrong?

Source: Cineplex

Secret in Their Eyes was a gripping mystery that offered twists right to the end. Although this tells the story of catching the man who murdered a young woman, there are also brief aspects of American politics after the attacks of September 11th. I found that there were parts of this movie that lacked some description, most specifically regarding the development of the friendship between Ray and Jess. The details regarding why the murder took place also felt skimmed over. However at just under two hours, this movie did feel quite long. Secret in Their Eyes had a great cast, but none shone more than Julia Roberts. Her role as a grieving mother was portrayed with so much passion. Jess's mental and physical transformation after the death of her daughter was so believable.

I would recommend this movie to fans of Mystery/Thrillers.

ML's Worth a Watch: Murdoch Mysteries

Today I would like to share with you one of my favourite television shows. Since cancelling our cable package well over a year ago, there are only a couple of shows I made a point to keep up with. One of those shows is called Murdoch Mysteries.

Image from IMDB

Adapted from a series of books by Maureen Jennings, Murdoch Mysteries follows a detective in the late 1800's - early 1900's Toronto. It was originally aired as a 2 part made for television movie in 2004 and was picked up as a series in 2008 on City TV. It ran on this channel until 2013 when it was moved to CBC.

The 9th season of Murdoch Mysteries is currently airs Monday night at 8 PM, E.S.T.

It features a wonderful cast of characters ranging from the handsome Yannick Bisson as Detective Murdoch himself and comedian Jonny Harris as Constable Crabtree. It has also been host to many guest stars portraying public figures from the time period. Most recently William Shatner guest starred as Mark Twain.

Here is a preview of the current season:

For more information about the show, visit  http://www.cbc.ca/murdochmysteries/

To learn more about Maureen Jennings Detective Murdoch book series click the link for her Goodreads page.

I would recommend this show to those who enjoy period mysteries with a side of humor.

ML's Worth a Watch: Straight Outta Compton

The weekend after I got back from my vacation, we wanted to go to see the Minions movie, but unfortunately it was only playing in 3D. I’ve seen one movie in 3D (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and almost had to leave because I felt so nauseous. I had to keep alternating between wearing the 3D glasses and taking them off, just to get through the show. Going to the movies is expensive enough without the added cost for the enhanced screens, so not being able to enjoy it was quite disappointing. Now I either opt to watch movies in regular format or just wait until they come out on DVD. Needless to say we didn’t end up seeing the Minions that night and last weekend was too busy to try again. Friday night however we finally got our date night and saw Straight Outta Compton. 

Title: Straight Outta Compton
Director: F. Gary Gray
Genre: Drama, Biography, Music
Released: August 14 2015
Rating: R
Staring:  O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Paul Giamatti

Synopsis from IMDB:
 The group NWA emerges from the streets of Compton, California in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.

My Thoughts:
It turns out we saw this on opening weekend, which would explain why the theater was packed and we were left sitting in the very front row breaking our necks. We thought of leaving, but in the end we were glad we stayed because this movie was great. Sure I knew who N.W.A was and I am quite familiar with the more current careers of Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, but I can’t say that I knew much about them or how they got their start. Starting in the mid-80’s, Straight Outta Compton chronicles how they rose from the dangerous streets of California, to fame and hardships ending with the death of Eazy-E. When I heard that this movie was going to be released, I knew that I wanted to see it. I am glad that I read Ice-T’s book Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption.. earlier this year because it touched on many of the same struggles the guys in N.W.A faced including; police brutality in L.A. and just how much of an impact their music had on the culture. This is a story that needed to be told again and again, especially to an audience who were too young (or not even born) during the formative years of their careers. Another point worth mentioning about Straight Outta Compton, is that the actor who played the role of Ice Cube, is in fact the son of the rapper turned actor himself. Can’t get any closer to the man than that eh?

My Rating: 4/5.

Recommended For: Mature audiences and fans of musical biographies. 

Source:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1398426/?ref_=hm_otw_t0