Friday, February 02, 2007

New Fiction

Free Fall by Fern Michaels. Seventh book in the Revenge of the Sisterhood series. Yoko Akia's plans for revenge are put into action against the man who enslaved her mother, and fathered Yoko.

High Profile by Robert B. Parker. A Jesse Stone novel, not a Spencer novel. Police Chief Stone investigates the murders of a high-profile radio talk show host and a teen girl.

Step on a Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Step has newly widowed NYPD Detective Michael Bennett torn between stopping a vicious hostage taker and caring for his ten children.

White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz. Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle's latest Arcane Society Novel. Clare Lancaster can sense deception in anyone. Her lie detecting ability has harmed her love life and Clare has about given up on romance. When Clare is asked to investigate the death of her brother-in-law in Arizona she starts a romance with some dude named Jake who rides the line between truth and deception.

Montmorency and the Assassins by Eleanor Updale. International detective Montmorency, circa 1899, investigates the theft of a naturalists' rare specimens. The investigation leads to Florence, Italy where Montmorency and his partner Lord Fox-Selwyn uncover an anarchist ring intent on terror.

Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky. Dana grew up in a lousy family and never knew her father. Dana is now eagerly expecting the birth of her first child after marrying into a loving New England family. When Dana's daughter shows distinct African-American facial features Dana's husband suspects her fidelity. Now Dana is searching for her father and her family roots.

The Dark Streets by John Shannon. Another Jack Liffey mystery set in Los Angeles. Liffey specializes in investigating missing children throughout the grittier sections of L.A. Liffey is looking for a Korean film-student who is also being hunted by her militant friends and Homeland Security.

Monday, January 29, 2007

New DVDs

New DVDs

The Ringer starring Johnny Knoxville. Loser Steve Barker fakes his way into the Special Olympics to fix the track events and make some needed money.

Requiem for a Dream starring Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans and Jared Leto. A widowed mom, her son and her son's two friends all hit bottom after each one gets hooked on either diet pills, heroin or cocaine. Requiem has become something of a cult movie and is known for a realistic, and scary, look at drug addiction.

Pi directed by Darren Aronofsky. Mathematican Maximilian mulls stock market mysteries as he mistakenly trusts manipulative madmen and mislays his mind.

Clerks II starring Jeff Anderson, Brian O'Halloran and Rosario Dawson. Dante and Randal have not evolved much in the 10 years since they worked and hung out at convenience store in Clerks. Now Dante and Randal are two lousy employees of fast food joint Mooby's when Dante decides it's time to escape New Jersey.

Speak starring Kristen Stewart, Eric Lively, Steve Zahn and Elizabeth Perkins. From the novel by Laurie Halse Anderson. Already an outcast after calling the police on a summertime party, Melinda has no one to talk to after her rape. In fact, Melinda refuses to speak to anyone at all.

Super Troopers starring Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan and Brian Cox. Comedy from the makers of the recent film Beer Fest. Vermont state troopers battle boredom by messing with each other and the local city cops. An honest-to-goodness crime gives them something to do and is chance to prove their usefulness before budget cuts get their unit shut down.

Jackie Brown starring Pam Grier, Robert Forster, Samuel M. Jackson, Robert DeNiro and Bridget Fonda. This must be the least popular of director Quentin Tarantino's films. Flight stewardess Jackie Brown has been caught smuggling $500,000 for an arms dealer. She can either work with the cops and risk being killed, or do prison time. With the assistance of her bail bondsman (who is in love with her), Jackie hatches a plan to keep her freedom, keep alive and keep the money.