BlueHippo
Johnson County Library
BlueHippo's Completed Shelf
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Falling for FigaroFalling for Figaro, DVD
DVD - 2022DVD, 2022
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Mar 19, 2024
EmilyEmily, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Mar 10, 2024
Comment:
An interesting film that focused on the life of Emily Bronte, who only lived to be 30 years old. Some of the story was based In fact - her character and her time in Belgium with her sister Charlotte, as well as her close relationship with her brother. However, much of this film is pure speculation. More factual biographies of Emily do not indicate that she had any kind of inappropriate relationship with her brother, merely that they were quite close. Overall, I did enjoy this film, although it does not really show where her inspiration for “Wuthering Heights” really came from (some speculate that it is from her brother’s writings and she used those after his deaths as her inspiration for the novel). English accents made some dialogue hard to understandAn interesting film that focused on the life of Emily Bronte, who only lived to be 30 years old. Some of the story was based In fact - her character and her time in Belgium with her sister Charlotte, as well as her close relationship with her…
GoldaGolda, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Mar 10, 2024
Comment:
This movie is not going to make sense to anyone who does not personally remember the vents of the Yom Kippur War or has rad the history of this situation. I took off stars for that, since I would like to think that this would be filed that would actually educate its audiences. Not so much. I did think that Helen MIrren did a fantastic job portraying Golda and kudos tot he make up and prosthetic artists. Someone mentioned Golda smoking through her radiation treatments- I know this looks really absurd, but, unfortunately, it is the fact of what happened.This movie is not going to make sense to anyone who does not personally remember the vents of the Yom Kippur War or has rad the history of this situation. I took off stars for that, since I would like to think that this would be filed that would…
Mansion on A HillMansion on A Hill, BookThe Story of The Willows Maternity Sanitarium and the Adoption Hub of America
by Parr, KelLeeBook - 2018Book, 2018
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Mar 10, 2024
Comment:
First of all, I find it interesting that there are a few people who have read this book who gave it a rating, but did not comment. I’m not sure why that is, but I hope it is not because there is still a stigma attached to this topic! I can’t remember how I became aware of this book-if I read about it in an article or saw it featured someplace. As an adoptee who was born in a similar place in Omaha, Nebraska, I was, of course interested in reading this book. Anyway, it looks like a “self-published” book, but I must say, it is very well done and the author clearly did a lot of research to provide an accurate history of The Willows, it’s owners, staff, and the environment for the women who stayed there. It was also interesting to see how the “rules” for the “girls” changed over the years-and how some did not! I found the information about the changing and sealing of birth certificates very interesting as Nebraska has had very similar laws. I do not know if the laws in Nebraska have changed in recent years like they have in Missouri or not. The stories of the “girls” and the adoptees are all very touching. Of course, these are stories of people who were successful in finding the woman who gave birth to them at the Willows, or the child a woman left at the Willows, and had happy reunions years later. The author notes that not all reunions go so well as these - it would have been interesting to have read the story of one or two “unhappy” reunions. Perhaps the author tried to get some of those, but people involved in those preferred not to have their stories published-I don’t know. Besides Ancestry, the author mentions in his text some other organizations that people have used to find birth parents or children-I don’t know if any of those organizations are still in operation, but it would have been nice if the author would have listed these organizations along with their contact information (website, phone number, etc.). Although the work this couple did to build the Willows and take such good care of these women and their babies is laudable, I am conflicted by the fact that, for the most part, this care was out of reach of poor women (unless, as in Leona’s case, someone besides the girl’s family was paying), and I seriously doubt they ever had a woman of color pass through their doors. I do understand that that the standards of the society in the early 1900’s was a far cry from that of today, and that by not accepting any kind of funding from outside sources they were able to set their own standards of care and standards for the adoptive parents with whom the babies were placed. I can also understand that even at it’s peak, The Willows could only accept a certain number of women at a time. I guess the “self pay” requirement did help to keep the number of women in the houses at any given time manageable, but it also had the effect of ensuring that most of the women there were of at least moderate means and all the babies would be white.First of all, I find it interesting that there are a few people who have read this book who gave it a rating, but did not comment. I’m not sure why that is, but I hope it is not because there is still a stigma attached to this topic! I can’t…
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Mar 04, 2024
Comment:
I really did enjoy this book. It is a little slow in the beginning, and it is hard at first to see the “connections”, but all of that becomes more clear over time. There are a lot of notes and information on the sources the author used in constructing her story, and many of the people portrayed during the time of Wallis SImpson’s part in the story are real people and the story lines are based in fact. However, if you are a “Diana” fan, you will not find anything new or that exciting here. In facts, a couple of things in the story about Diana are (per the author’s notes at the end of the novel) purely fictional things the author made up for the purposes of the novel. All of this fine and I really did enjoy the book-it is historical “fiction” after all-but just wanting to warn anyone who thinks this is going o be a book focused on Princess Di: it is not. That said, the author does an excellent job of going back and forth in time and I really did love the true parts of the story bout Wallis and her friend Mary, her husbands, and their lives. I am hoping the library will have a couple of the books which are listed in the source notes of this one as they sound very interestingI really did enjoy this book. It is a little slow in the beginning, and it is hard at first to see the “connections”, but all of that becomes more clear over time. There are a lot of notes and information on the sources the author used in…
George VI and ElizabethGeorge VI and Elizabeth, Large PrintThe Marriage That Saved the Monarchy
by Smith, Sally BedellLarge Print - 2023Large Print, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Feb 27, 2024
Comment:
I gave this book 4 stars because of the incredible historical content. The detail was almost TMI. I am not sure I need 2-3 pages that are dedicated to describing what Elizabeth and the 2 princesses wore to some event. There was a lot of information gleaned from letters between George VI and his wife and his mother, as well as letters between Elizabeth and George’s mother, and diaries kept by George’s staff. I must say, while I am sure this couple did a lot of good things during George’s reign and it sounds like George was very astute, both politically and militarily, it was a little shocking to see how entitled they felt. Example - after they were married, they were looking for a house and it had to have 25 bedrooms. Really? And all through the war they traveled between London and their other castle-residences like this was nothing the rest of the population didn’t do. Elizabeth especially, was always complaining about how “stressed” they were (and particularly how “stressed” she was) and how much they needed “to get away”. That got old, but then, I guess the royals do live differently. Interesting information about how the family felt about David and Wallis, too. I took off a star because there were a couple of things missing from this book. First of all, a genealogy tree would have been helpful. Second, this author managed to have 200 pages of notes (in the large print edition), but there was no index. I would think that anyone who could come up with all those notes would have been able to put in some kind of family tree and certainly an Index!I gave this book 4 stars because of the incredible historical content. The detail was almost TMI. I am not sure I need 2-3 pages that are dedicated to describing what Elizabeth and the 2 princesses wore to some event. There was a lot of information…
What the Dead KnowWhat the Dead Know, Large PrintLearning About Life as A New York City Death Investigator
by Butcher, Barbara F.Large Print - 2023Large Print, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Feb 09, 2024
Comment:
I REALLY liked this book-could hardly put it down! It tells the story of how a well educated woman with a great job lost everything due to her alcoholism, got sober, and went on to spend 20 years on a job that would make most of drink to forget the work day we just had. I learned a lot about the situations a Medical Examiner finds (and note: this book is NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH) and how an ME evaluates a death scene. Along the way, we meet her work family: the immediate family of the colleagues in her own department, and the extended family of law enforcement and other first responders. Ms. Butcher makes these people come alive; we love them or are a little put off by them. I totally understood her dedication of this book to Dr Hirsch. I’m sure we both wish he had lived to see her have a new life after dealing with so much death.I REALLY liked this book-could hardly put it down! It tells the story of how a well educated woman with a great job lost everything due to her alcoholism, got sober, and went on to spend 20 years on a job that would make most of drink to forget the…
PrequelPrequel, Large PrintAn American Fight Against Fascism
by Maddow, RachelLarge Print - 2023Large Print, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Feb 04, 2024
Comment:
Not your standard history lesson. A rather chilling account of the extent of the infiltration and influence Hitler and the Nazi government had in the United States (and horrifyingly easily, too), during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. While most of the names are no longer recognized by us, there were rich and powerful people (some even in Congress ) helping to make sure the average American of that day saw the benefits of staying out a European War (unless we wanted to fight on the side of Nazi Germany), having a fascist form of government here in the US, ridding the world of all people and things Jewish, and, oh by the way, Africa-American or anything other than straight, white “Christian Americans” as well. There is also the revelation of the significant role that our own country’s racial history played in the tactics and strategies of Hitler, a very sorry legacy for us indeed, But there are also the stories of other people you’ve probably never heard of who worked tirelessly to bring to light this web of lies and deceit and hold those involved accountable. One only has to wonder what would have been the outcome had all of these people had the internet then as we do now. Is this revelation of the history of our past dance with fascism a story of ourselves in our modern times? Perhaps. And if so, may we be so lucky as to have the dance end at least as well as it did in the 40’s and early 50’s. Of course, the music never stops-the hate is always playing in the background. Hopefully those who can hear it will be as brave about exposing it for what it is as were some of the people we meet in “Prequel”.Not your standard history lesson. A rather chilling account of the extent of the infiltration and influence Hitler and the Nazi government had in the United States (and horrifyingly easily, too), during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. While most of the…
The LessonThe Lesson, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Feb 01, 2024
Comment:
The story line was very good and held my interest, even though I thought there were some very slow-moving parts (comment on this later). The acting was excellent - there were only 5 people in the cast and the characters ranged from a robotic wife to an almost maniac husband. I took off one star for the film’s attempt at being “artsy” (for lack of a better word). By that I mean, long shots of a character doing nothing, or of a door (yes, 5 seconds of looking at nothing but a door), or a lake, or whatever, while semi-classical music plays in the background. If the story line had not been so interesting, I would have given up! Also (and I did not deduct stars for this, but just as an FYI): this is a British film with British actors. The accents of the actors make it hard sometimes to understand what they are saying. This is particularly true of the character of the son. He speaks very fast and not very clearly (which is actually the way a kid his age would speak), so he was the hardest for me to understand. Well worth the viewing time. If you get a bit bored during the first part of the show, please just hang on; it gets a lot better toward the middle and then you will be hooked and want to see the end!The story line was very good and held my interest, even though I thought there were some very slow-moving parts (comment on this later). The acting was excellent - there were only 5 people in the cast and the characters ranged from a robotic wife to…
Gender QueerGender Queer, Graphic NovelA Memoir
by Kobabe, MaiaGraphic Novel - 2019Graphic Novel, 2019
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jan 16, 2024
Comment:
NOTE TO READERS: THIS REVIEW IS LONG!
DISCLAIMER: I am 74 years old. Please understand that I grew up in a totally different world than the one children group up in today! That said, I read this book because I wanted to understand for myself what all the “hub-bub” over this book was about.
Well, here are my conclusions: This is not a children’s book, meaning that it does not belong in an elementary school library. I think it is fine for high school and beyond. I am conflicted about having it available for kids in the junior high or middle school age range. I don’t think it should be shelved in the “children’s” section of a public library-it should be shelved in the “young adult” or even the “adult” section.
I did not find the book “pornographic” and I am unclear as to why some of the reviewers have said there are pictures or texts of “pedophilia” in the book. HOWEVER……..
The book is graphic, both in terms of the pictures and the text. But I seriously doubt that there is anything in this book that kids from about age 11 or 12 and older have not seen, heard, and discussed with their friends. Whether we like it or not, the reality of the world today is that kids have access to information that we (and even our now adult children) did not-the internet and social media are full of this stuff. So kids in this age group know more about a lot of things than we or our kids ever did at this age. We have a grandchild who is in 8th grade and I am always amazed when we go to school events how the kids are dressed, what piercings they have, and their hair colors! To say nothing of the fact that many times I cannot tell if a kid is boy or a girl! And don’t kid yourself-I remember when some kids I grew up with did not have a tv home because their parents didn’t want them watching it - and they just went to friend’s house and watched stuff there! Same with the internet today-you can put all kinds of things on your computers to keep your kids from certain sites (and I’m NOT saying you shouldn’t do that) and you can NOT give your kids a cell phone, but they will just go someplace else and see stuff on other people’s computers and they will use other kids’ cell phones.
I respect the freedom of people to live how they choose and raise their kids they way they choose, but I can tell you that this person who wrote the book did not grow up in, shall we say, an “environment”, that was anything like mine. I understand that part of this is due to the time period in which this person grew up. But it is clear to me that this person was somewhat socially “backward” (for lack of a better term) and did not have the same experiences as her peers did (especially in elementary school). I am not sure if this ”environment” was the reason, or part of the reason, that the author was (to me) focused on gender and sexuality more than I think is “normal” for kids as they grow up or not.
Aside from that, I do think that more kids and even adults struggle with their sexuality more than we probably know, and for those people, I think this book is good to let them know they are not alone and they do have choices- choices people really did not have at the time I was growing up.
I must admit though, that by the end of this book, given all this author’s fantasies and obsession with male genitalia, I am left wondering why she didn’t choose to transition to male and become a gay man. But, in the end, that is not for me to decide and it really does not matter if I understand it or not.
I appreciated the honesty in this book and the fact that it gave me more insight and compassion for people who do have this struggle.NOTE TO READERS: THIS REVIEW IS LONG!
DISCLAIMER: I am 74 years old. Please understand that I grew up in a totally different world than the one children group up in today! That said, I read this book because I wanted to understand for myself what…
Haunted Mansion (2023 Version)Haunted Mansion (2023 Version), DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jan 04, 2024
Comment:
I had no trouble with the disk I got. This movie was fun, fun, fun! The characters were great! Many years ago we took our kids to Disneyland inCalifornia a couple of times and the Haunted Mansion ride was always my favorite! I loved it when the ride ended up on the balcony and. You could see the ghosts dancing in the ballroom below. The ghosts were all transparent and I always (still do) wondered how they did that! This movie ends up with the ghosts dancing and the story lined tells you what the party is all about!I had no trouble with the disk I got. This movie was fun, fun, fun! The characters were great! Many years ago we took our kids to Disneyland inCalifornia a couple of times and the Haunted Mansion ride was always my favorite! I loved it when the ride…
The CrownThe Crown, DVDThe Complete Fifth Season
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jan 04, 2024
Comment:
It is interesting to read all the comments about this season’s show and how different people reacted to the actress who played DIana as well as to the story line. I thought this was one of the better seasons in the series. I liked the background info on DoDi Fayed and was amazed at Johnny Lee Miller’s portrayal of John Major. The actress playing the Queen’s sister, Margaret, in this season is now playing a main character in the PBS drama series “World on Fire”-she is excellent! As for the portrayal of Diana, I thought the actress who played this part did a very good job, but I agree that there was just something about her that never quite convinced me she was Diana. As for the story line, I think that anyone who worships at the feet of Princess Di is going to be a little unhappy with this portrayal of her. There was an undertone of deviousness in the way she was portrayed. Whether that is true or not, I have no idea, but I seriously doubt that she was lily-white and as dumb about things as many people would like to believe. However, I felt the portrayal of Charles was a little too kind. This guy did, after all, continue an affair with Parker-Bowles throughout his marriage to Diana, and did not seem to find anything wrong with this. As for Camilla, who knows? She did stay pretty much out of the spotlight, but she, too, seemed to think her affair with a married man (and she was a married woman) was ok. I understand that people often end up in very unhappy marriages and can’t help it if they find they really love someone else, but most people who find themselves in that situation feel at least a little bit of guilt - these people seemed to feel none. It was like they felt entitled to behave this way. As for the Queen, I thought the actress playing her did an excellent job of showing the emotions she must have had as she entered into her later years and took stock of how she felt about things and how the world around her had changed.It is interesting to read all the comments about this season’s show and how different people reacted to the actress who played DIana as well as to the story line. I thought this was one of the better seasons in the series. I liked the background…
BarbieBarbie, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jan 04, 2024
Comment:
Ok - I admit that the first scene was disturbing to me because I am old and had lots of baby dolls as a child. I was probably 10 or 12 years old when the first Barbie came out for sale. Yes,I got one! But I really did like this movie, but do agree that it is really not for kids! This was one of the most imaginative movies I have seen in ages! Loved the references to all the “discontinued” or “cancelled” dolls. People who are younger may not understand or appreciate some of the references, but for us oldsters, it was really funny! I suggest setting the movie to the one that is “English with descriptive notes” or whatever it is - with the banners of the dialogue and narration at the bottom of the screen, you won’t miss a thing! Margot Robbie was a great Barbie, but Ryan Gosling was WONDERFUL as Ken! Loved the narration by Helen Mirren and the dancing was terrific! I think every woman alive can relate to something in the speech given by America Ferreira and there is a part of all of us that feel like “Weird Barbie” (Kate McKinnon was great!). The ending was a little predictable, but yet the last line was a surprise!Ok - I admit that the first scene was disturbing to me because I am old and had lots of baby dolls as a child. I was probably 10 or 12 years old when the first Barbie came out for sale. Yes,I got one! But I really did like this movie, but do agree…
No Hard FeelingsNo Hard Feelings, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Dec 05, 2023
Comment:
This was really a fun movie! I gave it 4 stars, not 5, because it is a little predictable, but the acting and the comedic writing makes up for that! Enjoy!
The Handmaid's TaleThe Handmaid's Tale, DVDSeason Five
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Oct 06, 2023
Comment:
I am glad to see more development of characters other than June-in this season, Serena gets highlighted and I love it-the actress who plays this part does so beautifully. I am a little tired of seeing closeups for several seconds of June thinking, staring into space, or (in one scene) chewing her food. I am also getting a little tired of how manic she gets. But the story this season is very good and does not totally focus on June.I am glad to see more development of characters other than June-in this season, Serena gets highlighted and I love it-the actress who plays this part does so beautifully. I am a little tired of seeing closeups for several seconds of June thinking,…
GaslitGaslit, DVDThe Complete Limited Series
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Sep 11, 2023
Comment:
Disclaimer: I am in my 70’s, so I actually remember the Watergate scandal and most of the people involved pretty well. That said, I think if you are younger and this is totally “history” for you, you would be doing yourself a favor to do a little homework before watching this series, particularly to get acquainted with the people involved and what they all did. I gave this series 4 1/2 stars because I think it was a pretty accurate description of what all happened. There was some nudity and sex that I felt was gratuitous and could have been left out because it added nothing to the actual story, but hey, this is what sells, right? Anyway, Julia Roberts did an excellent job as Martha Mitchell (and yes, all this stuff really did happen to her). Sean Penn was a great John Mitchell, and Shea Whigham was an unreal match for G. Gordon Liddy. Kudos to the make-up artists-it was like seeing these people in the flesh. I did not even recognize Sean Penn and had to keep looking at the DVD jacket to be sure I read it correctly that Sean Penn was playing George Mitchell. And if you are thinking that the flower arrangement at the end is fiction (“Martha Was Right”) -nope-that flower arrangement really was there in white carnations because Martha loved carnations. Although this was Martha’s story, there was a lot of focus on John Dean as well, and, unlike the other actors, I felt like the John Dean part was a bit over-played. But i highly recommend this series for anyone wanting to learn more about this part of history.Disclaimer: I am in my 70’s, so I actually remember the Watergate scandal and most of the people involved pretty well. That said, I think if you are younger and this is totally “history” for you, you would be doing yourself a favor to do a little…
PlanePlane, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Aug 27, 2023
Comment:
These are not usually my favorite kinds of movies, but I found this one to be very well done-good acting, well-written script, and very engaging.
MissingMissing, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Aug 27, 2023
Comment:
I actually thought this was pretty good. It took a little while to get used to following the movie on her computer plus in “person” so-to-speak, but overall, I thought it was clever and the plot kept me very interested.
Triangle of Sadness (Criterion Collection)Triangle of Sadness (Criterion Collection), DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Aug 04, 2023
Comment:
I gave this movie 1/2 star and that was only because there was nothing lower. Believe me, 1/2 star is way too high a rating for this piece of trash. It was boring and stupid, and that’s being kind about it.
The Pope's ExorcistThe Pope's Exorcist, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Aug 04, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Aug 04, 2023
Comment:
This was a very strange, but very good book! At first I was not sure what the book was about, but as the different “books” unfolded, the actual overarching story became clear. Very well done and worth the read!
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jul 23, 2023
Comment:
This was a wonderful quick read and I love that it was in large print! It was half mystery and half romance. It easily went back and forth between a young woman who left New York and her job and rented a house boat in Seattle and the woman who had lived in the same houseboat many years before. The ending was a nice surprise. No, it’s not a Pulitzer Prize winner, but it was a nice way to spend a couple of afternoons of reading that leaves you feeling positive and uplifted.This was a wonderful quick read and I love that it was in large print! It was half mystery and half romance. It easily went back and forth between a young woman who left New York and her job and rented a house boat in Seattle and the woman who had…
The WhaleThe Whale, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jul 21, 2023
Comment:
Brandon Frasier was wonderful in the lead role. As for some of the other actors, not so much. The friend/caretaker was good, as was the young man who showed up on his door step unannounced. But the other two women-the daughter and the ex-wife, were terrible. Both of them shouted their way through the film, as thought they were on stage and needed to be heard in that last row! The daughter overacted to the point that she was ridiculous. The woman who played his ex-wife sounded like she was reading the script for the first time. And, to add insult to injury, the movie was pretty much a downer. Brandon Frasier is much too good for this film.Brandon Frasier was wonderful in the lead role. As for some of the other actors, not so much. The friend/caretaker was good, as was the young man who showed up on his door step unannounced. But the other two women-the daughter and the ex-wife, were…
My Happy EndingMy Happy Ending, DVD
DVD - 2023DVD, 2023
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jul 17, 2023
Comment:
I found the review by “new dog”very interesting since she has had the actual experience which this film purposes to be about. I had much the same feelings as “new dog”-I didn’t actually DISLIKE the film, and appreciated the message that everyone must decide what is best for them in these circumstances, but there was just something about the movie that put me off. Maybe it was the “vacation” scenes - bet someone who has actually been thorough this will tell you that you don’t just hold hands with your fellow sufferers and take a “vacation”.I found the review by “new dog”very interesting since she has had the actual experience which this film purposes to be about. I had much the same feelings as “new dog”-I didn’t actually DISLIKE the film, and appreciated the message that everyone…
The Man Who Fell to EarthThe Man Who Fell to Earth, DVD
DVD - 2005DVD, 2005
BlueHippo's rating:
Added Jul 17, 2023
Comment:
I read the book before seeing this movie. The book is better. At the beginning of the movie, I had high hopes for it as it starts out being pretty true to the book. Unfortunately, the movie spirals downward into a series of sex scenes that are completely unnecessary and which replace a lot of the better parts of the book’s examination of the characters.I read the book before seeing this movie. The book is better. At the beginning of the movie, I had high hopes for it as it starts out being pretty true to the book. Unfortunately, the movie spirals downward into a series of sex scenes that are…
Comment: