Lois McMaster Bujold is renowned for her Hugo and Nebula Award-winning series, the Vorkosigan Saga, featuring Miles Vorkosigan and his family. These beloved sci-fi books can go from humorous to heartbreaking in an instant, and are a unique mix of space opera, adventure, mystery and romance.
When Tristan vows to retrieve a fallen star, played by the radiant Claire Danes, from the magical realm beyond the town of Wall, he tangles with evil witches, evil dead princes and some unique pirates. This whimsical film, based on the award winning novel by Neil Gaiman, shines brightly.
It’s exhilarating to watch the balletic movement of great martial artists. Try Jet Li in Fist of Legend, Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, Jackie Chan in The Legend of Drunken Master, Tony Jaa in Ong Bak, and Iron Monkey with Donnie Yen and Yu Rong Guang.
The winner of fourteen awards, including Best Picture, at the 1997 Japanese Academy Awards, Shall We Dance? is the story of a depressed salaryman whose infatuation with a ballroom dancer leads him to discover meaning and joy in life.
Bollywood cinema’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (commonly DDLJ) recently set a record by completing 750 weeks (over 15 years) of continuous play in Mumbai cinemas. Starring the king of Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan, and multiple best actress winner, Kajol, DDLJ is a joyful, musical love story for everyone.
In what film did Gloria Swanson utter this immortal line: “All right Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.” Hint: it was among the first group of twenty-five films deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
“Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” Take a ride with the inimitable Bette Davis as Broadway star Margo Channing in 1950’s Best Picture, All About Eve. This smart, cynical and entertaining film deserves its place on the American Film Institute‘s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time.
Created by The Shield’s Kurt Sutter and starring a charismatic cast including Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman, the television series Sons of Anarchy keeps the action moving at full speed while delivering a new twist on a classic – Hamlet played out in an outlaw biker gang.
The brilliant HBO miniseries Generation Kill is based on journalist Evan Wright‘s book about his time with Recon Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Created by The Wire‘s David Simon and starring True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard, this series is a fairly judgment-free look at modern warfare and its cost.
If you’re looking for a linear storyline (or a story that actually makes sense!), this probably isn’t the film you want. If you’re interested in lavishly designed martial arts fantasy, try the wuxia film which eventually inspired Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tsui Hark’s legendary Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain.
