Ender on camera

I spent last night at the premiere of Ender's Game at Grauman's Chinese Theatre! It was such a fun experience. I saw Asa (who is so tall in person), Harrison, and a handful of (until now) unknown kids. I'm not going to say much about the movie because I don't want to influence anyone's opinion. It was an interesting experience having finished the book just a few days before seeing the movie. It made me realize just how difficult a project it would be to adapt Ender to the screen.

I will mention two things. 1. Remember this? The kids look like kids (not 6-11-year-old kids, but they look young). I think we're so accustomed to seeing 25-year-olds play teenagers, that when you see actual teenagers, they do look young. So it didn't bother me like I thought it might. 2. The effects are impressive. It looks fantastic.

Be sure to talk to me when you've seen it and formed your own opinions.

"I believe and believe that a good movie can be made of Ender’s Game, but it won’t be the book. It won’t be identical to the book. So if you go there expecting that please don’t be angry that it’s not just like the book. It can’t be. I don’t want it to be. You don’t want it to be, ok? You want it to be a good movie which the book would not have been. So we’ll all find out whether they’re successful or not, but I know everyone involved in this movie is doing their very best they can to do this."

"If you’d like to see some of the much more filmable works from me, go to ‘Ender’s Game’! Go often! Bring friends! Because if ‘Ender’s Game’ does not do well, you know how Hollywood works [...] They’ll say Orson Scott Card books don’t work on film. [...] Do us a favor, go to the movie even if you’re going to throw fruit! Just go! Pay your admission, don’t sneak in. I really have high hopes for this to be a good film. I think you’ll like it, so we’ll find out. You’ll let me know."

        -Orson Scott Card, at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (btw, this whole interview/panel is really interesting)

Go see it!

Laura at Immanuel Presbyterian

Just this past Monday I saw Laura Marling live at Immanuel Presbyterian. I got there early and had a seat in the second row. On my way to get in line, a blond girl exited the side of the church. I thought, hey she almost looks like--it's Laura! I walked right past her--about a foot away. I didn't say anything because I didn't know what I would say. So I smiled, satisfied, knowing that I had seen her off stage.

When it's a concert like this, with no band, my favorite part becomes the new songs. One in particular was quite beautiful. And someone--bless them--recorded it. Make sure you listen to the lyrics.

I've been up late with the night birds,
begging the dawn not to come.
Oh how I don't want to leave you
so much I can't hardly bear.
I have some things I must tend to.
Would you stay as you are lying there?

You are too much a man
to let go.
I am too much a woman
not to know.

Kissing the rain off your shoulders
answering questions with stares
holding my chest like I'm a wild horse
running my hands through your hair.
The sun kicks the moon off the mountain.
That is my cue to leave
The long tears of women are silent
so they don't wake those who sleep

You are too much a man to let go.
I am too much a woman not to know

I'm coming to get you
hoping that you haven't changed your mind, baby
Be mine.

So intimate. It's enough to make me wonder if she has a new man in her life. But it could just as easily be a new book with her. I love that line "answering questions with stares." The other new song she played is here.

Picture This: Mary Wrightly, So Politely

Mary Wrightly, So Politely by Shirin Yim Bridges, illustrated by Maria Monescillo

Mary Wrightly is very polite. She always says please and thank you. She always speaks in a soft voice. She decides she'd like to get her baby brother a birthday present at the toy store, but every time she reaches for the right toy, someone takes it before she can get there. Will she speak up enough to get her baby brother a birthday present?

I really, really liked this one. Mary's voice is "so small and soft, she often had to say things more than once." When someone steps on her toe, she apologizes for getting in the way. She's good-hearted and sweet, and all she wants to do is get a good gift for her baby brother! It's when she finds the perfect gift, and someone picks it up and starts to walk away that she is forced to speak up. Her reward for speaking up isn't so much the stuffed elephant as the exclamation from her not-quite-speaking-in-coherent-language-brother's exclamation of pleasure. It's a sweet and funny story, told and illustrated well. Monescillo's pastel-on-cardboard illustrations are soft and saturated with color. Love it.

Photographer Spotlight: Jodi Cobb

I learned about Jodi Cobb through a brochure about upcoming events at the Broad Stage. Next to her name was this fabulous photo of a bedecked Miss Hawaii:

Miss Hawaii, 1998, by Jodi Cobb

I found that this was part of a project she undertook to photograph beauty and perceptions of beauty around the world. She went to 10 countries on 6 continents "to explore cultural notions of beauty and attraction." Here are a few others from the same series:

Huli Wigman, Papua New Guinea, by Jodi Cobb

Louisiana Swoop, Georgia, 1998 by Jodi Cobb

Mud Boys, Papua New Guinea, by Jodi Cobb

Bound Foot, China, 1998 by Jodi Cobb

Aren't those something?

She also did a book on Geishas.

Geisha Lips, Kyoto, 1993 by Jodi Cobb

The Youngest Geisha, The Oldest Geisha, by Jodi Cobb

Backstage Horoscopes, Kyoto, 1993 by Jodi Cobb

See more of her work here, here, and here.

Picture This: Have You Seen My New Blue Socks?

Have You Seen My New Blue Socks? by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier

I have lost my new blue socks.
Did I put them in my box?
I know I put them somewhere near.
How could they simply disapper?

I love a good rhyming book. And what's even better--duck searches everywhere for his socks, and where does he find them? (spoiler alert) On his feet!

I love that ox is in the middle of painting.

Picture This: Flora and the Flamingo

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

In this wordless picture book, Flora and the flamingo navigate friendship through dance.

I don't know how else to describe this unique picture book. We are introduced to Flora through her right, finned foot. Once fully in the frame, we see that Flora is not only outfitted with fins, but with a swimsuit and a floral swim cap. Flora watches and copies her friend flamingo, but plays dumb when flamingo takes a peek. When flamingo finally catches Flora, she gets angry at her, leaving Flora hurt. Seeing this, flamingo invites Flora to join her. Together they dance a lovely ballet.

The book contains flaps that can be folded down to reveal movement, facial expressions and gestures (to be honest I don't know that i loved this feature or thought it entirely necessary). Idle, not surprisingly, got her start in animation. Her understanding of movement and facial expressions is apparent on every page. The dancing is elegant, while the facial expression vary from funny to serene. It truly is a lovely dance they perform together, and the bliss they feel in dancing is visible.

Arctic Monkeys, you rock my world

I saw them in concert last night. This is the second or third time I've seen them live and it was the best yet. They even played my favorite song! (well, there's more than one, but this one for sure) Alex wore a glittery copper blazer, with his 50's greaser hair, skinny black pants, pinky ring, and what were probably Beatle boots. He spent the evening moving to the music with twisting feet and jutting hips. When I think of trying to describe how good he looked, how sexy he is, I mostly come up with phrases involving expletives, so I'm not gonna try.