Book Review: "The Love Haters" by Katherine Center

Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book! I always love the arrival of a new Katherine Center book each year!

Katie enjoys her work as a video producer, helping companies raise their profile with promotional videos. On the side, she has a YouTube channel for which she films interviews with ordinary people who do heroic things.

When word gets a large number of employees will be fired to cut costs, Katie is a bit panicked. But then her coworker, Cole, taps her to film a recruiting video for the Coast Guard, by profiling Hutch, a rescue swimmer down in Key West. (He also happens to be Cole’s estranged brother.) Hutch had gotten some notoriety after a rescue, but he turned down any opportunities to cash in on his 15 minutes of fame.

Rather than stay and get fired, Katie agrees to the assignment. Of course, she can’t swim, but is that a big deal? She is quickly embraced by Hutch’s aunt Rue and her gaggle of friends, and is dazzled by Hutch in every way. But while Cole keeps pressuring her to get Hutch to film one of her hero videos, she understands why he is reluctant for publicity.

But then Cole arrives in Key West—with his and Katie’s boss in tow. Apparently Cole isn’t good with the truth, and to save his job—and hurt Hutch—he lies about his relationship with Katie. Lots of drama ensues.

I really love Center’s books, but sadly, this wasn’t a favorite of mine. I enjoyed the focus on self-esteem and body positivity, and loved Hutch (and George Bailey, his Great Dane), but miscommunication is one of my least favorite tropes.

The book publishes 5/20.

Book Review: "The Way They Were: How Epic Battles and Bruised Egos Brought a Classic Hollywood Love Story to the Screen" by Robert Hofler

This new book gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the classic love story.

Do you like to know the stories behind famous movies, the things that might have changed everything if they had come to fruition? I’m always fascinated by film history, so when Kensington Books offered me an advance copy of this book, which looks at the hard road to get The Way We Were onto the screen, I jumped at the chance.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, The Way We Were is a quintessential love story, about two completely different people in the 1930s—Katie, a Jewish activist who supports communism, and Hubbell, the handsome, privileged WASP—who fall in love and struggle with the world around them. The movie is on the American Film Institute’s list of top 10 movie romances.

While Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford seem tailor-made for their roles, the truth is, Redford didn’t want to make this movie. At first, he bristled against playing what he described as a “Ken doll” to Streisand, and he demanded that his role be expanded, so a bunch of screenwriters had to rework the script.

This was a really interesting story, a battle of egos, machinations, and compromises. What I found most fascinating is that Arthur Laurents, the original screenwriter, actually based the story on his own romance with his partner. Laurents was essentially the Streisand character while his partner, Tom Hatcher, was Redford.

Definitely a great read for film buffs and fans of this movie.

Book Review: "The Work Wife" by Alison B. Hart

Alison B. Hart's The Work Wife is a story about ambition, power, and what sacrifices you must make to fulfill your dreams.

When Zanne was struggling with her sexuality and addiction years ago, she never would’ve believed she’d land a job as a personal assistant to a powerful Hollywood couple, Ted and Holly Stabler. She’s exceptionally good at getting things done, solving crises and fulfilling the family’s often-ridiculous requests.

Tonight is a big fundraising party at the Stablers’ mansion in support of a charity. Zanne is hopeful that if the party is a success, she might get promoted to chief of staff, which would mean more money and the power she’s been craving.

If the party is going to succeed, Zanne and the team will have to contend with major chaos, from finding circus animals to dealing with a reporter stirring up scandal. But when Phoebe Lee, Ted’s former business partner, shows up, suddenly Zanne has to question if her unswerving loyalty to Ted and the family is worth sacrificing everything, including her happiness and her sense of right and wrong.

I love books about personal assistants to famous people and I love books about show business, but this one never really grabbed me. The pacing was quite slow and I felt like there were a lot of moving parts that didn’t quite mesh.

Oscar Nominations: How Did I Do?

So last night I posted my predictions for the Oscar nominations in the major categories.

After listening to the announcement of the nominations this morning, I found that I did well relative to my predictions in most categories and bombed in one. But more importantly, other than one major snub, I'm not really that unhappy with this year's nominations. Are there people or movies I wish were nominated? Sure, but this isn't that bad on the whole, despite the lack of diversity, which I never expect anyhow.

So, let's look at how I did.

Best Picture
1917
Ford v. Ferrari
The Irishman
Joker
Jojo Rabbit
Little Women
Marriage Story
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
Parasite

Analysis: I went 9/9 here. I would've loved to see Knives Out or The Farewell take the 10th slot, but this is a strong batch of nominees. (I wasn't a fan of one of them, and the second didn't wow me, but still.)

Best Actor
Antonion Banderas, Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Analysis: I overthought this one a lot, because I went 2/5. But I am thrilled that Banderas got his first nomination for his amazing performance, and I think this is one of Leo's best as well, better than the one he won his Oscar for! I'm also excited for Jonathan Pryce, who was dead-on as Pope Francis. I would've loved to see Eddie Murphy or Christian Bale, but I don't know which actor I would take out.

Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renee Zellweger, Judy

Analysis: I went 5/5 here. I would've put Awkwafina in, but I didn't think it would happen, sadly. I'm happy Ronan got in here, and it's exciting that Cynthia Erivo received nominations for Best Actress and Best Original Song. (If you've never heard this woman sing, go on YouTube. She is mesmerizing.) Amazingly, Theron got her first nomination since 2005 and Zellweger got her first since winning Best Supporting Actress in 2003.

Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood

Analysis: I went 4/5 here. I was hoping Song Kang-Ho might make it in here for Parasite, but I'm not surprised by Anthony Hopkins' inclusion on this list. Here's some interesting trivia: this is Tom Hanks' first nomination since 2000 (his first for Best Supporting Actor), Hopkins' first since 1997, and Pacino's first since his double nomination in 1992.

Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Analysis: I went 4/5 here, too. So if I'm mad about anything, it's that J. Lo was snubbed. I didn't buy into the conventional wisdom of some film bloggers who said she'd get passed over and I feel she deserved to be on this list. I also would have loved to see Zhao Shuzhen here, too, but I am thrilled Florence Pugh was nominated. Kathy Bates does get her first nomination since 2002.

Best Director
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Todd Phillips, Joker
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood

Analysis: I went 4/5 here as well. I am surprised Todd Phillips was included despite his, umm, less-than-stellar reputation in Hollywood, but I guess voters' love of Joker and admiration for his artistry outweighed his faults. I wish Greta Gerwig made the list, or even Pedro Almodovar, but the directors' branch is a funny one. Sam Mendes gets his first nomination since winning this award in 1999.

And there you have it! I feel better than I normally do on the day of the nominations announcement, so there's that. Will all of the expected choices win? Tune in on February 9!

Oscar Nominations: What I Think Will Happen

Those of you who know me well know that I've been fairly obsessed with the Oscars for years now. We do our best each year to see every movie and performance nominated for the major awards, and thanks to my ridiculous trivia-laden brain, I can tell you everyone nominated for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, and Director, as well as all of the movies nominated for Best Picture, since the Oscars started in 1927. (It's a super-useful skill on the open market.)

Tomorrow morning at around 8:37 a.m. ET this year's Oscar nominations will be announced. As I've done for a number of years, I am listing my predictions of what I think will get nominated for the major categories (along with some analysis of what I wish would happen), and then tomorrow I'll see how I did.

So, here goes!

Best Picture
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
Roma
A Star Is Born
Vice

Analysis: Every year since 2009 there has been a variable number of Best Picture nominees. Some years there are seven, eight, nine, even ten. No one knows how many there will be because of the way Best Picture nominees are voted for. I'm picking eight—if the Academy goes with one more I think it will be either If Beale Street Could Talk or First Man (which I loved); First Reformed, Mary Poppins Returns, or Crazy Rich Asians could surprise as well.


Best Actor
Christian Bale, Vice
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book
John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman

Analysis: If I had my picks, I'd have Lucas Hedges for Boy Erased and/or Ethan Hawke for First Reformed in there. While sadly, Hedges doesn't have a chance this year (and he also turned in another award-worthy performance in Ben is Back), Hawke could sneak in and replace Washington (Hawke has won more film critics' awards than any other actor). There's also a chance that Willem Dafoe could get a nod for his performance as Vincent Van Gogh in At Eternity's Gate.(Sadly, two other really strong performances—Ryan Gosling in First Man and Robert Redford for The Old Man and the Gun—don't even make the discussion.)


Best Actress
Yalitzia Aparicio, Roma
Glenn Close, The Wife
Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Analysis: While I believe that Close, Colman, Gaga, and McCarthy have their slots sewn up, that fifth one is anyone's guess. I'm betting Aparicio will ride a huge wave for Roma tomorrow, but other possibilities are Emily Blunt for Mary Poppins Returns, Viola Davis for Widows, Nicole Kidman for Destroyer, and critical favorite Toni Colette for Hereditary. (If everything was fair, Julia Roberts would get a nomination for her fantastic performance in Ben is Back, and Charlize Theron deserves a nod for Tully, but comedies never fare well.)


Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali, Green Book
Timothee Chalamet, Beautiful Boy
Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman
Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born
Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Analysis: One of the things that will make me so happy tomorrow is if Sam Elliott finally gets his first Oscar nomination after a long career. However, I think he's the one with the best chance of being left off the list, too, in favor of last year's winner, Sam Rockwell, for Vice. (It's also possible that Chalamet, who received Golden Globe and SAG nominations, could be overlooked instead. If The Favourite leads the nominations tomorrow, Nicholas Hoult could also sneak in.


Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Vice
Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
Emma Stone, The Favourite
Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Analysis: I really, really, really want Claire Foy to be nominated for First Man. I'm hoping she gets in over Blunt, who was the female lead (I hate when leading performances get nominated for supporting awards). I'd also like to see Nicole Kidman get nominated for Boy Erased, but that seems unlikely, as does my sentimental favorite, Michelle Yeoh, for Crazy Rich Asians. While King really should be the favorite for this award, there's an outside chance she could get passed over, like she did for the SAGs, although I doubt that will happen.


Best Director
Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Alfonso Cuaron, Roma
Peter Farrelly, Green Book
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite
Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Analysis: I'm sticking my neck out with my prediction of Lanthimos over Adam McKay for Vice (who received a Directors Guild of America nomination along with Cooper, Cuaron, Farrelly, and Lee), but there's often one surprise. There are many times that actor-turned-directors don't get nominated when their films do (Ron Howard for Apollo 13, Ben Affleck for Argo, Penny Marshall for Awakenings), so Cooper could get left out, although I'd be surprised. Other possibilities include Damien Chazelle for First Man, Ryan Coogler for Black Panther, and Barry Jenkins for If Beale Street Could Talk.


How off will I be? Check back tomorrow and I'll let you know. (If you listen closely, you might hear me cheering or crying, "Why?", tomorrow, too.)

Book Review: "The Great American Whatever" by Tim Federle

"When I'm about to do something that makes me nervous, I imagine how the ideal screenplay version of events would play out. As in: I wish my life were a screenplay that I could write. Because if you leave it all up to fate, who knows how your movie's going to turn out? So far mine's a fairly standard coming-of-age LGBT genre film, with a somewhat macabre horror twist."

The last six months have been quite tough for 16-year-old Quinn Roberts. There was a time when all he really cared about was writing screenplays for movies his sister Annabeth would direct, hanging out with his best friend Geoff, and trying to work up the courage to come out of the closet. But that was before the car accident which changed everything, leaving him and his mother to wallow in their grief and basically hibernate in their house. Quinn hasn't been to school, or even in public, in six months, and he certainly hasn't thought about writing any more screenplays.

Geoff has decided six months of grief is enough, and he's determined to get Quinn out of the house and back into life again. And he's pulling Quinn straight into the deep end, taking him to his first college party, where he meets Amir, a guy (a college guy!) who gets his pulse racing. But how do you try to charm someone when your knack for witty dialogue has abandoned you?

Quinn is unprepared for how Amir makes him feel, despite the fact he can never do or say the right thing when he's around him. (And don't even talk about their bowling date.) But what Quinn is even less prepared for is the secrets that everyone has been keeping with him. How was life going on around him and he wasn't even aware of what was happening among those he cared about? Should he feel betrayed, angry, sad, or some combination of all three? And how is he supposed to get on with his life?

The Great American Whatever is a sweet, sappy, quirky book about how you find the strength to pull your life together when it's been ripped apart. It's about friendship, love, infatuation, grief, secrets, and the movies—not in that order. And it's about finding out the things you've always believed in aren't always true. You really feel for Quinn, even if you wish that someone in his life would just shake him from time to time to snap him out of his funk. But that being said, he's definitely a memorable character.

I enjoyed this book, although I felt Quinn's narration a little hard to follow at times, but I guess that was a reflection of his ADD. Tim Federle draws you into the story very quickly, and makes you care about these characters. It's definitely a book that makes you smile, makes you chuckle, and may even make you tear up from time to time. This is another book I'm so glad kids coming to terms with their sexuality will have to rely on.

Book Review: "The Life and Death of Sophie Stark" by Anna North

"I thought making movies would make me more like other people. But sometimes I think it just makes me even more like me."

Anna North's fascinating, thought-provoking The Life and Death of Sophie Stark looks at the rise and ultimate fall (no surprise, given the book's title) of a young film director whose work causes people to marvel even while they're feeling unsettled or uncomfortable, told by a chorus of the people who perhaps knew her best.

Sophie Stark gets her start when she decides to film a documentary about a college basketball player she has a crush on. Her near-obsession with Daniel puts her younger brother on edge, as he is a student at the same college and only wants to be popular and meet girls. It also makes her more than her share of enemies. But her single-handed pursuit of her craft, even as it comes at great personal sacrifice, characterizes her style, and starts catching the eye of the film community, noting that she is a talent to watch.

As Sophie's career blossoms, she connects with people whose stories intrigue her, and she uses those stories to make her films. She is dogged in her vision and knows exactly what truths she wants to convey in each film, even as she alienates those closest to her. She wants to succeed and will not compromise her vision to do so, and she recognizes that success might take an emotional toll, but she appears all too willing to take those risks and move on.

Is Sophie a true artist, or is she simply a troubled, emotionally distant person willing to sacrifice those who care about her for the sake of her art? Does she recognize that she hurts or offends people, and if she does, does she care?

"I used to think I was special and that was why I seemed to fuck everything up all the time. But now I know it's just because I'm not a very good person."

Sophie Stark is one of the most fascinating characters I've come across in at least the last several years. At times she is utterly unlikeable, almost asocial, but you have to admire her drive to succeed and her passion for her craft. You also can't help but wonder whether the emotional connections she forges are legitimate or if she is simply using them to advance her career.

A number of my Goodreads friends absolutely raved about this book. While I was reading it, I honestly wasn't sure what to make of it because Anna North kept me guessing at where she'd take Sophie and the plot. North is a tremendously talented writer, as it takes skill to keep you intrigued by an unsympathetic character. But as someone who loves movies and those who make them, this book really resonated with me. Pick this one up.