Category: Books, Music, and Film to Wake Up Your Muse and Help You Change the World

Books, Music, and Film to Wake Up Your Muse and Help You Change the WorldLeave a comment

Mindful Bard Film Review: Mary and Max

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Film: Mary and Max (IFC Films 2010) Writer/Director: Adam Elliot Cast: Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Humphries, Eric Bana, Bethany Whitmore, Reneé Geyer “God gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends.” Ethel Watts Mumford “Her mother had told her that she was an ‘accident.’ How could someone be an accident? Grandpoppy Ralph had told her that babies were deliberate, and found by dads at the bottom of their beer.” From Mary and Max Eight-year-old Mary Daisy Dinkle likes to shrink potato chip bags in the oven to make trinkets. She has a pet rooster named Ethel. Her father works in … Continue reading Mindful Bard Film Review: Mary and Max

Books, Music, and Film to Wake Up Your Muse and Help You Change the WorldLeave a comment

Gregor’s Bed: Album Review

wandawaterman@themindfulbard.com

Album: Jack Djeyim, Show Me the Way (2010) Acoustic and Electric Guitars: Jack Djeyim Bass: Etienne Mbappé, Guy Sangué, Raymond Noël Ekwabi Drums: Brice Wouassi, Valerie Lobé, Dennis Tchangou Keyboards: Mario Canongue, Don Dieu Divin, Patrick Bebey Guests: Idrissa Diop, Manu Dibango Isn’t it a treat to find an album that gets you out of bed in the morning, throws a dose of enthusiasm into your exercise routine, and smoothes your day’s rough patches? I’m talking about one that is just there for you, one that understands all your angst and pain and yet still says, “Let’s dance!” (read more) Continue reading Gregor’s Bed: Album Review

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Waiting for Superman (Mindful Bard Pick of the Week)

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A common prejudice sees failing schools as an affliction of poor neighbourhoods, yet the film shows that failing schools are an epidemic and that the posh suburban schools are likely to be as ill-equipped to prepare children for university as are inner city schools in violent neighbourhoods. It’s even suggested that failing schools create failing neighbourhoods due to a high dropout rate that spawns growing populations of unemployable youth. (Read the whole article here.) Continue reading Waiting for Superman (Mindful Bard Pick of the Week)

Books, Music, and Film to Wake Up Your Muse and Help You Change the WorldLeave a comment

CD Review of Sintonia Da Mata, by Conjunto Roque Moreira

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  Books, Music, and Film to Wake Up Your Muse and Help You Change the World Wanda Waterman St. Louis “This band of Brazilian musicians is every bit as world-influenced as any self-righteous American pop celebrity, and probably more creative and socially conscious. In fact, in addition to the samba, reggae, classical, Indian, African, baião, xote, samba, embolada, repente, and bossa nova, the music also references American blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, acid rock, British prog rock, and 60s folk anthems—challenging the notion that world music is any music that’s not American or British.” (Read the article.)   Continue reading CD Review of Sintonia Da Mata, by Conjunto Roque Moreira