2008 Woodie Awards
Picks of the Week
Mallary Jean Tenore '07
Issue date: 10/12/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Movie
Under the Tuscan Sun
Directed by Audrey Wells
If you're looking for a little Italian romance, you'll find it in this movie. Yes, this movie is a chick flick, but it's a chick flick with more depth than one might expect. Frances, played by the wonderful Diane Lane, decides to go on a bus tour of Tuscany to escape her failed marriage. While on the tour, she spots a dilapidated villa and decides to buy it on a whim. The interactions she has with the men who come to fix up her house are hilarious, but the tears later come when she is thrust into new relationships-some painful, some rewarding. In the end, though, she finds what she's looking for under the Tuscan sun.
Music
Indie.Arie
Testimony: Vol 1, Life and Relationship
Universal Motown Records
It's always a wonder to me why Indie Arie isn't more popular. You may remember her for her first hit single, "Video," with lyrics such as, "My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes." Some may find her cheesy, but her lyrics are confidence boosters that can put anyone at ease. Arie's new album features duets with an eclectic mix of musical artists, including Akon and Rascal Flatts, as well as a soulful rendering of Don Henley's "Heart of the Matter." This song, and "I'm Not My Hair," which features Akon, are two of the best tracks on the album.
Book
Bowling Alone
By Robert Putnam
Do you ever feel lonely? You aren't alone. Harvard University professor Robert Putnam interviewed more than 5,000 people throughout the last quarter of the 20th century to show how Americans have become increasingly disconnected. His studies show that we sign fewer petitions, join fewer social organizations, and interact less with family and friends. Putnam offers his thoughts as to why this decline has occurred and provides insight as to how it can change. This isn't necessarily a fun, bring-to-the-beach book, but it's definitely worth a read.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Directed by Audrey Wells
If you're looking for a little Italian romance, you'll find it in this movie. Yes, this movie is a chick flick, but it's a chick flick with more depth than one might expect. Frances, played by the wonderful Diane Lane, decides to go on a bus tour of Tuscany to escape her failed marriage. While on the tour, she spots a dilapidated villa and decides to buy it on a whim. The interactions she has with the men who come to fix up her house are hilarious, but the tears later come when she is thrust into new relationships-some painful, some rewarding. In the end, though, she finds what she's looking for under the Tuscan sun.
Music
Indie.Arie
Testimony: Vol 1, Life and Relationship
Universal Motown Records
It's always a wonder to me why Indie Arie isn't more popular. You may remember her for her first hit single, "Video," with lyrics such as, "My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes." Some may find her cheesy, but her lyrics are confidence boosters that can put anyone at ease. Arie's new album features duets with an eclectic mix of musical artists, including Akon and Rascal Flatts, as well as a soulful rendering of Don Henley's "Heart of the Matter." This song, and "I'm Not My Hair," which features Akon, are two of the best tracks on the album.
Book
Bowling Alone
By Robert Putnam
Do you ever feel lonely? You aren't alone. Harvard University professor Robert Putnam interviewed more than 5,000 people throughout the last quarter of the 20th century to show how Americans have become increasingly disconnected. His studies show that we sign fewer petitions, join fewer social organizations, and interact less with family and friends. Putnam offers his thoughts as to why this decline has occurred and provides insight as to how it can change. This isn't necessarily a fun, bring-to-the-beach book, but it's definitely worth a read.