New DVD Review by Annie Gagne

 On the Basis of Sex Directed by: Mimi Leder

 Let me preface this by saying my opinion is completely biased since I’m a legal nerd, but this movie was amazing. On the Basis of Sex tells the true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her law school career at Harvard and Columbia, her struggles for equal rights and equal employment opportunities, and the early cases of an  immeasurable career. Justice Ginsburg, or RBG as she was affectionally called, was a strong advocate for equal rights, especially when it pertained to the equal rights of both sexes. This movie exams her struggles and triumphs during a time when women still only made up a fraction of the legal profession. Years later, RBG would be known for her response to the question, “when will there be enough women on the Supreme Court” with the answer, “when there are nine.” RBG was a legal advocate not quickly forgotten and this movie portrays only a brief period in a life riddled with the fight for equality and justice.

 

 Little Women Directed by: Greta Gerwig

 

I will be the first to admit that I did not see the original version of this movie, nor the first couple remakes, but this version I absolutely loved! The story is told from the point of view of Jo, one of the four March sisters, who reflects on their lives and their determination to live life according to their own rules. If you have siblings, you can certainly resonate with any number of the characters from independent Jo, to Amy who always felt she lived in Jo’s shadow, Meg, the eldest, who looked after the girls while their mother was away, and Beth, the quiet but musically inclined sister. Little Women does a great job portraying how different sibling and women can be, even when growing up in the same household, and that we can aspire to be anyone we want to be.

 

 Knives Out Directed by: Rian Johnson

 

IMMEDIATELY upon finishing this movie, it became one of my favorites. In fact, I’ve already seen it about a dozen times! In what, in my opinion, is Chris Evan’s first major movie post-Marvel Cinematic Universe, he absolutely nails his character of Ransom, a spoiled jerk of a human in a family full of selfish and narcissistic people. The premise of this film feels a little like Clue: you’ve got the rich patriarch of the family, a self-made man due to his success as a novelist, who has decided to financially cut off the members of his family; a homicide; and a very big who done it? The cherry on top of the stage is Daniel Craig who plays a private investigator with detective skills like you wouldn’t believe. It’s both extremely comical and frustrating at the same time, but so much fun!

 

 Joker Directed by: Todd Phillips

 

100% worth the watch if you haven’t already! To me, this is the first time anyone has really approached the portrayal of the Joker from the mentally disturbed human side of it, rather than the character of the Joker. This movie gives you a front row seat into the mental challenges Arthur Fleck faces, the emotional abuse that riddles his daily life, as well as how he copes with the various changes in society, the mental health system and his relationships. This is a vastly different human being than that of Jared Leto’s Joker or even Jack Nicholson’s. While all are visibly mentally unstable, you can almost empathize with Joaquin Pheonix’s version of the Joker and understand how he developed into one of DC’s most notorious villains.

 

 Battle of the Sexes Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

 

Battle of the Sexes tells the true story of the infamous tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, and boy is it a ride! Billie Jean was still in her 20’s and at the top of her career, while Bobby Riggs had become more of a professional gambler than a former professional tennis player. Bobby's gambling is what led to the first major competition between himself and Margaret Court, the #1 women's seed at the time, whom Bobby easily defeated.  The movie follows Billie Jean personal struggles with her sexuality, her fight for women's equality in tennis, and her eventual matchup and defeat of Bobby Riggs at the Houston Astrodome in 1973. This movie was an absolute joy to watch, especially having seen Steve Carrell and Emma Stone play opposite each other on the screen before. Both humorous and heartbreaking, Battle of the Sexes should definitely be on anyone's watch list!

It’s a Wrap - Let the Fall Fun Begin!

Summer is over and now that fall has officially arrived, I’m sure many of you are searching for fun things to do in our very autumn friendly state.  Let me make a few suggestions that may pique your interest.

1 Take a quick getaway weekend to view some of the prettiest foliage in New Hampshire. We have so many perfect leaf-peeping hikes throughout the state; the Great North Woods, North Percy Peak in the White Mountains, Mount Cube and Arethusa Falls in the Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee region as well as Gunstock, Belknap and Piper mountains in the Lakes Region to name just a few.

2. If you are not too keen about driving far from home, you can also stay close by and enjoy walks on the various rail trails located around the state, or even take advantage of the nature walks offered by the New Hampshire Audubon in Auburn.  Whether you travel near or far though, be sure to get out your camera to capture the maple, oak and beech trees in all their fall finery.  Who knows, you might even see some wildlife.

3. For more family fun, why not get lost in a corn maze?  You’ll find them around the state, but here are a few to get you going:  Beech Hill Farm in Hopkinton; Coppal House Farm in Lee; Riverview Farm in Plainfield; Scamman Farm in Stratham, and Sherman Farm in East Conway.

4. For those of you who would rather stay inside, warm up a nice mug of hot chocolate or spiced cider and get out those crafts that you put aside.  Pumpkin-carving is a great way to have fun with the family!  Get outside to your backyard and grab some leaves, pinecones and branches from trees and put them in a vase.  Create that autumn ambiance in your home with a fall wreath, scented candles, and add lights in the windows.

If all this sounds like fun but you are unsure where to start here are some books that will help you plan your journey or get you started with some craft ideas.

Fall Color and Woodland Harvests: A Guide to the More Colorful Fall Leaves and Fruits of teh Eastern Forests by Ritchie C. Bell

New Hampshire: An Autumn Sojourn by Ken Paulsen

National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England

The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts

Upcycling: Create Beautiful Things With the Stuff You Already Have by Danny Seo

English as a Second Language (ESL) Materials

The NHTI Library and Learning Commons tries to provide a place for those who are learning English to come for help and guidance. In addition to the ESOL office located in the building, we also have a large collection of ESL reading material to help students hone their English reading and usage skills

These volumes consist largely of classic novels in English that have been abridged and edited for brevity.  They remain true to the original story and have had the complexity of the vocabulary and grammar adjusted to enable readers of differing skills the ability to enjoy them.

We have placed these volumes along with a collection of dictionaries on shelves just outside of the ESOL office. Interested students can browse the titles and take the ones they’re interested in to the Service Desk in the Library to check out and enjoy at their leisure.

After finishing a shortened version of A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice or Treasure Island, the new English learner can begin to develop a list of favorites so that as their reading skills increase they can check out the original version and enjoy the complete story with all the beauty of the language intact.