reese witherspoon

Book Review: Wild

Anna Blankenheim Reading , , ,

I know, it’s officially been forever since my last post. Life has been busy (lots of work, lots of riding, lots of concerts). 

My friend Megan recommended the book Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed.

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone. Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

This was a really good book and I highly recommend it. Cheryl Strayed has a way of writing that made me want to go out and hike the trail (well, for about 2 seconds, then I decided it was a bad idea). I can’t even imagine how amazing, yet terrifying her journey must have been, and how wonderful it must have been to complete. 

In reading through Cheryl’s Wikipedia page, I discovered that a movie is being made about her journey, starring Reese Witherspoon. It looks like it’s due out in December of this year… I can’t wait to see it!

Devil’s Knot

Anna Blankenheim Movies , , , , ,

A while we rented a new movie called Devil’s Knot, another based on a true story movie.

Director: Atom Egoyan

Stars: Dane DeHaan, Reese Witherspoon, and Colin Firth

Runtime: 1 hour, 54 minutes

Plot Summary: (from IMDb) The savage murders of three young children sparks a controversial trial of three teenagers accused of killing the kids as part of a satanic ritual.

Rating: TV

This story in general is a heartbreaking story and parts of it are really hard to watch. I think Reese Witherspoon did a pretty good job depicting a heartbroken mother, but in all, the movie was so-so. There was a lot of jumping back and forth in time that got a little confusing. It’s a shame since this is based on a true story (the West Memphis 3 were released a couple of years ago, after a controversial deal with the prosecutor). I think I need to read the book instead! 

Ratings Explanation:

  • Theater: This means the movie is awesome. Go see this movie in the theater – well worth the $100 you’ll spend for a night out to see it on the big screen!
  • On Demand: Since no one actually rents movies anymore, this category has changed to On Demand. This means it’s a great movie, but it is as good at home as it is in the theater and worth seeing a little sooner.
  • TV: This means the movie is ok. Wait for it to show up on HBO and see it for free.
  • Skip It: Movie sucks, don’t waste your time.