July In A Nutshell

Why, hello there.

 

 

First of all, can I lodge an official protest that OVER HALF OF 2018 IS OVER AND I FEEL LIKE THE SUMMER JUST STARTED. #help

 

 

Ahem.  But I digress.  This is the monthly wrap up post where I reflect on what happened in the previous month and what I accomplished.  I got quite a bit done in July, in spite of everything!
Let’s take a look, shall we?

 – WATCHED –
I shall refrain from going over everything I watched and just list my top favorites of July!

 

Search for Spock

 

The Search For Spock is my favorite Star Trek movie of all time. Every time I watch this gem, I tear up.  There’s more truthful emotions and beautiful relationships in Star Trek than a gazillion Hallmark movies put together!
Perfect movie making, incredible acting, dynamite pacing, heart-moving music (James Horner actually had the genius to use silence more than score in this movie) and themes of sacrifice and the love of family.

 

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It’s one of the most emotional movies I have ever watched.  When I first watched it years ago, I burst into cheers and applause at the end (I was in my living room).  Anyone who hasn’t watched the Original Series though will not be able to appreciate the power and beauty of this chapter of our heroes journey.

 

The Patriot

 

I watched this one for the 4th of July and got to show it to my sister!  You can’t get much more patriotic than this.

 

 

The Patriot is a beautifully crafted film made by true artisans.  Unlike the desensitized, chaotic, senseless film-making of many modern films – The Patriot’s editing and pacing harks back to a better time of movie making.
Mel Gibson carries this movie with powerful acting and subtle skill and is the highlight of the cast.
My other favorite aspect of the film is that it focuses on a family – and how each member contributes in their own way based on their unique abilities.
Aside from its technical aspects, The Patriot is backed with beautiful themes – the best of them being that it is impossible to stay out of the fight.  There is no third option – it’s one side or the other.  Those that try to hide will find the battle follows them to their doorstep.

 

Crime Travelers (TV show)

 

This series is amazing!  The episodes are so mind-bending that there are still scenes and elements that I have yet to figure out.
This show was so good, that we literally re-watched the entire series a week later and I wouldn’t mind rewatching them again.  I hardly ever do that with a film or a show.
All six of my family members have diverse tastes, and it’s a rare show that can entrance all of us.

 

 

These two are the most adorable pair of buddies.  They complement each other perfectly.  Slade’s wild, impetuous personality and his ironic sense of humor plays off of Holly’s cerebral, by-the-book, intensity.

 

 

Oh my goodness, guys.  You know how picky I am – and YET I SHALL TELL YOU LOUD AND CLEAR – THIS PAIR IS ONE OF THE BEST!!!

 

 

And by the way, if you’re looking for a “strong female character” – Holly is a fantastic character without being an obnoxious teeth-kicking prima donna.  She’s a female mad scientist (since when do we see that?) with a Sherlock-esque mental intensity and focus that the actress portrays perfectly.

 

Ellery Queen (TV show)

 

Jim Hutton plays the eternally distracted but ever-pleasant Ellery to perfection, and his vague, kind personality is balanced wonderfully by David Wayne, who plays his practical, sharp-eyed and salty-tongued father.
Ellery Queen also features one of my favorite character actors of all time, John Hillerman, who is delightfully obnoxious in a British version of Crying Bryan Dern from Adventures in Odyssey.
Fun and engaging mysteries with a fantastic 1930s setting.  It also had a “Choose Your Own Adventure” vibe to it that makes it extra fun.  Watch it, and you’ll see what I mean.

– READ –

 

 

I only read 11 books for the month of July.  I had a lot of eyestrain in July so it really cut into my reading but on the plus side, I began listening to more audio books.
I’m an impatient reader, and I read so quickly I have a tendency to inhale a book to the point where my comprehension isn’t always as good as it should be.  When I started listening to more audio books last month, it forced me to slow down and to really live in the book.  It was an utterly immersive experience that overtook all my senses and I slipped effortless into the book.  I’m really enjoying it, even if I do sometimes miss the old binge-reading days.