Frank B.

  • Peculiar Nonfiction

    ~posted by Frank Nonfiction is vast. When you look beyond cookbooks and biographies, you’ll find some niche titles that you may not have known there was an audience for. Here are some of the most singular works of nonfiction published in the past year; perhaps one of these oddball titles is just the one for you.… Continue reading

  • LGBTQ memoirs

    ~posted by Frank It’s Gay Pride month, and it’s time to take a look at some forthcoming and recently released memoirs celebrating the richness and diversity of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lives. For a good laugh, check out Bad Kid by David Crabb as he recounts growing up goth and gay in Texas in the… Continue reading

  • You Must Read This: A Little Life

    Last year, I attended a workshop with sales representatives from the major publishing houses promoting forthcoming books. One particular rep discussed dozens of titles, but she stopped and reflected on A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. She read the manuscript and knew that it was special, and that it would be one of the most outstanding fiction titles of 2015.… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Searching for Missing Persons

    ~posted by Frank People watch movies about lost or missing people because they want to see if they will be found. While there’s nothing greater than an emotional reunion, it’s often the journey and trials of those doing the searching that are so compelling. These four films are a testament to that. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Director J.C. Chandor and Money

    ~posted by Frank Director J.C. Chandor has only made three films, but he has emerged as one of America’s most accomplished young directors. Two of his films are smart, thrilling, engaging dramas about money, and are ideal viewing during Money Smart Week. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Recently Set in Seattle

    ~posted by Frank In the past year, four movies have been set in Seattle – one needs no introduction, two flew under the radar but deserve to be watched, and the fourth…well, um, hmmm. Fifty Shades of Grey is based on the publishing phenomenon of the same name by British novelist E.L. James. Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson)… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: One of a Kind

    ~posted by Frank These films are definitely different. Singularly weird, completely original, and if they borrow elements from other films, they put a new spin on them and make them their own. So get ready for four wild rides. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Chamber Films

    ~posted by Frank You’ve likely heard of chamber music and chamber plays, but chamber films? Similar in principle to their counterparts, chamber films feature a handful of actors, primarily in a single location. Chamber films have been made for decades – think Rope, 12 Angry Men and My Dinner with Andre. Here are four contemporary examples that fit the bill. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Unpredictable

    ~posted by Frank Predictability can be lethal to a film. Sure, sometimes it’s fine going into a film knowing exactly how it’s going to play out and how it will make you feel, but more often than not I end up feeling disappointed once the credits roll. These four films surprised me, for different reasons, and… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Horror from Down Under

    ~posted by Frank Horror fans are hard to please. Film critics are generally not kind to most horror films (justifiably), and often moviegoers are even more critical. These three films from Down Under – two from Australia, one from New Zealand – are notable not only for pleasing critics and audiences, but for also putting women… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Indies Rule the Rom-Com

    ~posted by Frank There was a time when romantic comedies ruled the box office. Today? Not so much, according to this article from Vanity Fair. In 2014, the most popular rom-com at the box office was the well-regarded remake of About Last Night with an African-American cast – and it ranked 65th for the year. The only other… Continue reading

  • Soundtrack Serenade

    ~ posted by Frank The beauty of a movie soundtrack is that it introduces me to music that I wouldn’t seek out on my own. For me, the music from these five films that I loved has stayed with me and become part of my regular rotation these past few months. Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: African American Films you may have missed

    ~posted by Frank 2014 was another banner year for African American films and filmmakers, capped off by Chris Rock’s hysterical turn as star and director of Top Five and Selma, which has earned a Best Picture nod at this year’s Academy Awards as well as a nearly perfect 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While you’re waiting for these on… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Unofficial Trilogies

    ~posted by Frank Most trilogies are in-depth stories told over the course of three films. But some films that we accept as being part of a trilogy were not originally conceived that way. The links between the films in these trilogies are the cinematic style and themes of four outstanding directors rather than a continuous story line.   Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Love on the Rocks

    2014 brought audiences three excellent, and disturbing, portraits of marriages tested and challenged. These three films are smart, mature works that are sure to make every couple examine their relationships, with blinders off. Gone Girl needs little introduction, but for those unfamiliar with the phenomenal bestseller that the movie is based on, here we go. Nick (Ben Affleck)… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Top 10 DVD releases of 2014

    MIKE’S TOP 10 1. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. After years of unavailability on home video, French director Jacques Demy’s magnificent, one-of-a-kind musical gets a deluxe release from Criterion. This is what movies were meant for. 2. Sleeping Beauty. Disney opens the vault once again to give us another look at this gorgeous film, the last… Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: best of 2014 on hoopla

    hoopla has been adding some noteworthy new releases to its collection. While they’re not blockbusters, these limited release films from 2014 include critical darlings and star power – and are available at this very moment! Continue reading

  • Movie Mondays: Amazing Amy…Poehler

    Who doesn’t love Amy Poehler? Just look at the author photo from her new book, Yes, Please and try not to crack a smile. It’s impossible, right? Let’s follow the arc of her career, from improv to television and film. Continue reading