Over the past several days, I have actually sat and watched several movies that have come out on DVD--don't go out to the theater that much anymore for a movie. Just the way things are right now; we generally just wait until the flicks become available on DVD (and no, I don't do Netflix either, at least not yet).

First up, saw the latest installment in the adventures of Harry Potter--"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" --and I must say, these movies definitely get darker and darker as they go along, but my kids (who are HUGE fans) tell me this is the way it should be. I can see why they are popular (just like the books); for me, it was enjoyable but not thrilling. The effects were excellent, the kids have matured in their roles and are very likeable, plenty of magic and mayhem, but I guess not really being into the whole Harry Potter thing, I can't say I've was totally blown away by it. I have enjoyed all the movies, but probably liked the first two best. I feel the same about the books, read the first two and that was enough for me.

My wife and I had wanted to see "Julie and Julia" ever since it was released, so we finally rented it. We thoroughly enjoyed this one. The two stories--Julia Child learning to cook while living in 1950's Paris with her husband, and Julie Powell, in present day New York, cooking her way through Child's French cookbook while coping with her life's issues--were quite involving, sometimes humorous, and very foody. Meryl Streep did an amazing job portraying Child, Stanley Tucci was fun as her husband, and Amy Adams was cute and sympathetic. Almost too leisurely paced, it did tell the stories well and the characters were remarkably realized. Filming in New York and Paris definitely was a plus. The film did not disappoint us at all, except perhaps with being a little slow at times.

"Star Trek" was our third film recently viewed, and it was quite enjoyable. Great special effects, decent storyline, good action, and it was fun to see Kirk and Spock and company all as young adults and how they came to meet and work together. Chris Pine did very well as the young Kirk, and it was a blast that Leonard Nimoy was on hand to portray the older Spock, and was in fact a major part of the story. I did not even recognize Winona Ryder as Spock's mother, which was a surprise. A very appealing film that I would watch again. Great set up for further adventures that will not tamper with the original TV storylines. I was never a huge Trek fan, but did enjoy the original series and some of the films.

THE QUEEN'S MISTAKE by Diane Haeger, 2009.

The story of Catherine Howard and Henry VIII, related in a moderately entertaining and romantic way. While I don't necessarily agree with some of Haeger's character portrayals--including Catherine herself and Jane Rochford, to mention two--she does a credible job with Henry and Anne of Cleves, and her descriptive details of the Tudor period in general seem fine. This depiction is the Howard episode is more heavy on the romance and very sympathetic to Catherine. Catherine, raised in a rather permissive household, is chosen by her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, to recover the family's prestige by becoming the fifth of Henry's wives. For her part, Catherine is both disgusted and intrigued, and at the same time finds herself unwilling to give up her relationship with Thomas Culpeper. She must also be on constant guard to keep all references to her unsavory past at bay. While the author has done research, I don't agree with her strong assertion that Catherine was removed and executed because she was Catholic--that may have played into it, but most accounts state it was more because of her adultery and that she was not a virgin when Henry married her. I also had trouble believing that Cranmer was such a villain as portrayed here. The book is very readable and pleasant and would recommend it to anyone who didn't get enough of this episode from The Boleyn Inheritance (which I personally found a bit more true to life than this novel, although I have issues with Gregory's work, too), but I did have issues with it concerning its accuracy.

Just finished reading ABIGAIL ADAMS: A LIFE by Woody Holton, 2009.

This biography of Abigail Adams is quite interesting and well written and readable. The author sheds light on an aspect of her life not well known before now: her financial savvy--for one thing, she was really into buying bonds big time, even though John wanted more real estate. Abigail had an uncle, Cotton Tufts, who acted as her agent/trustee, signed for her and advised her, but at the same time, she had great instinct concerning financial investments. Holton also discusses her belief in education and women's rights (especially as concerned owning property), her feelings on slavery, etc. He does much to illuminate her personal relationships with her mother (whom she considered overprotective), her siblings (especially her sisters), and with John, as well as her interactions with such notables as Mercy Otis Warren, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and others. Her relationship with Phoebe Abdee, one of her father's former slaves, is recounted in some detail over a period of years. Is there lots of new information here? Probably not, except for the financial stuff, but Holton writes so well and has utilized Abigail's own voluminous correspondence, other letters and papers and materials in such a way that this fascinating woman you may think you know all about is revealed in a different way. A very thorough and worthwhile bio.

I just finished reading

A RELIABLE WIFE by Robert Goolrick, 2009.

Set in Wisconsin in 1907-08, a wasteland of snow and ice, this novel really was just so engrossing and it's hard for me to describe it. It begins with a 50+ year old wealthy man, Ralph Truitt, advertising for "a reliable wife"; Catherine Land answers the ad and arrives by train from Chicago. Both characters have dark secrets and hidden plans, slowly revealed, and they are both involved with a third character, Antonio. There's drama and heartbreak and rage and guilt and misery and love and sex (lots of sex) and motives that at first are not clear. Some good surprises, and the ending, while sort of expected, still is rather shocking. Overall, very interesting, well written, good suspense, description, and complex characters in their emotions and motives. Not a quick read, but very satisfying.