The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Top 10 books and DVDs of 2008
By Joan Elmouchi, In Review: With Joan Elmouchi
PUBLISHED: January 8, 2009
Another year has come and gone, which means it's time for a top 10 list! From documentaries to comedies, stark family sagas to revealing memoirs, here are my recommendations, in alphabetical order, for titles that you may enjoy.
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Books
Helene Cooper - "The House at Sugar Beach"
A privileged childhood in Liberia comes to an end when civil war forces the author and her family to flee to America, leaving behind the girl that Cooper considered her sister. An excellent memoir.
Janet Evanovich - "Fearless Fourteen"
Another funny, sly Stephanie Plum novel from the ever-reliable Evanovich, who seems to get better every year.
Carrie Fisher - "Wishful Drinking"
From Princess Leia to rehab, Fisher dishes about her famous parents and her troubled life.
Tess Gerritsen - "The Bone Garden"
A new divorcee impulsively buys an old house and discovers a skeleton in the garden, which leads to some surprising discoveries.
Jennifer Haigh - "The Condition"
When the McKotch family's youngest, Gwen, is diagnosed with Turner's Syndrome, a genetic condition that prevents entry into puberty, the event leaves the previously happy family in tatters.
Penelope Livesly - "The House on Fortune Street"
The intertwined lives of four fascinating characters brought together by a tragic suicide.
Garth Stein - "The Art of Racing in the Rain"
Life, love, loss and auto racing told from the point of view of a wise and highly evolved dog named Enzo.
Elizabeth Strout - "Olive Kitteridge"
Thirteen interconnected stories featuring an outspoken retired teacher, Olive Kitteridge, and her family and friends. Profound and beautifully written.
Joanna Trollope - "Friday Nights"
Friendships begin to unravel for six diverse women when one of them brings a new man into her life.
Barbara Walters - "Audition"
Frank and fascinating look at Barbara's personal and professional life, as well as the inside stories behind those groundbreaking interviews.
DVDs
"Dark Knight"
Arguably the best superhero movie ever made. Heath Ledger's over the top performance as the Joker is worth the price of popcorn alone.
"Gone Baby Gone"
A PI and his partner help the police search for a missing child in this clever, twisty tale of secrets and deception.
"In Bruges"
Two hitmen, a novice and a pro, flee to Bruges, Belgium after a job goes awry. Funny and thrilling, with some shocks along the way.
"Lars and the Real Girl"
Sad, delusional Lars is convinced that an anatomically correct sex doll is his girlfriend. A touching, sweet film.
"The Mist"
My choice for top horror DVD of the year is based on a Stephen King novella. In small town Maine, an illustrator and his young son become trapped in a supermarket, surrounded by a malevolent, blinding fog.
"The Savages"
Siblings with problems of their own travel to Arizona to deal with their father's increasing dementia. Strong performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney.
"Transsiberian"
A well done Hitchcockian thriller about a young couple who get caught up in a nightmare while traveling to Moscow on the Transsiberian Express train.
"Tropic Thunder"
Four self-absorbed actors get dropped into the jungle where they cross swords with real drug runners. My pick for funniest DVD of the year.
"Wall-e"
My favorite animated picture of the year. A lonely robot is left on a decimated earth with only a cockroach for companionship, until an egg-shaped probe drops from the sky. Adorable, with a eco-message as well.
"Young at Heart"
A documentary about a Massachusetts senior citizen's chorus who sings contemporary rock music. The very meaning of "heartwarming".
Joan Elmouchi is the Director of the McKune Memorial Library in Chelsea. All titles are available through the Chelsea Library.
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