Made In America - Blues Brothers (The)

Adapted in America

Advantages: Entertaining and educational
Disadvantages: Some bits are more interesting than others

It?s hard to define a book that incorporates etymology, history, culture, sociology and a huge amount of humour; the best I can do is to rather vaguely term it ?a complete success and a pleasure to read?. Literary Review puts it a little more succinctly as ?a triumph?, but I don?t think that even that high praise describes exactly how much information and entertainment Bill Bryson has managed to pack into this book. On the surface, it is an investigation of American English and how it?s been shaped through America?s relatively short history, but (as I hope you will see by reading this review) Made In America is so much more than that... This is a book for all those snobs who sneer at ?Americanisms? and claim that the influx of American words, phrases and usages are damaging English ? they will be shocked to learn just how much ...

DoubleFantasy11 09.07.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Made in America - Bill Bryson

The Blues Brothers

Advantages: great soundtrack, very funny
Disadvantages: none

I can't remember when I first saw this - after all it is quite old (1984). I remember I missed the first bit, but thought the rest of it was great - in fact I think it was on the end of a video of something else I had recorded. Years later I have seen the film several times and own my own DVD of it. The story is based on two brothers - Jake (James Belushi) and Elwood (Dan Acykroyd) Blues. Jake has just been released from prison and Elwood has just picked him up. Their first stop is the Penguin - in fact the Penguin is a nun. She tells them that the orphanage they grew up in is about to be closed down because it owes so much tax. The only way it can be saved is by raising the money - legally. There is only on answer - reform the Blues Brothers Band. And so starts a bizzare series of adventures as our two heroes travel round ...

Xcom 26.05.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Blues Brothers (DVD)

Angels in America-a gay fantasia?

Advantages: Fabulous acting and beautiful cinematography
Disadvantages: possibly length

. Joe's mother also focuses prominently in the second part of the programme. Whilst Angels in America is compelling in dealing with the relationships of the main characters and the subtlities involved in human interaction, it also has a whole other level when Prior possibly sinks into insanity and believes he is visited by the 'Angel of America' and is given a mission to halt human progress which has driven God away from earth leaving only the angels. It is left to the viewer to decide whether the fantastical element is real or imagined but regardless each time the angel appears it adds to the understanding of the characters and raises important questions about the difficulties they are experiencing. Angels in America won four Golden Globes for its acting and this is a case where they were certainly all well deserved. Meryl Streep manages ...

flyingllamas 22.06.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Angels In America (DVD)