Movie and Book Blog

The Devil's Backbone (Guillermo del Toro)
Twelve-year-old Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is the latest arrival at Santa Lucia School, an imposing stone building that shelters orphans of the Republican militia and politicians during the last days of the Spanish Civil War. Carlos gradually uncovers the dark ties that bind the inhabitants of the school: hidden riches, sexual intrigue and the restless ghost of a murdered student, who may be the only one to provide resolution.

I read in an interview that del Toro considers this the 'older brother' and Pan's Labyrinth the 'little sister.' Pan had the main storyline with the fairy tale backdrop and this does the same but with with horror. As with all of his movies, the visuals/effects were great. What I really liked was how uncomfortable he could make me feel with just sound. If you liked Pan's Labyrinth then this is an obvious choice.

8/10

movie count
8 of 156



Nickle and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America (Barbara Ehrenreich)
Millions of Americans work full-time, year-round, for poverty-level wages. Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them, inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that any job equals a better life. But how can anyone survive, let alone prosper, on six to seven dollars an hour? To find out, Ehrenreich moved from Florida to Maine to Minnesota, taking the cheapest lodgings available and accepting work as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing home aide, and Wal-Mart salesperson. She soon discovered that even the "lowliest" occupations require exhausting mental and physical efforts. And one job is not enough; you need at least two if you intend to live indoors.

This book had potential, but failed. This mainly had to do with the author.

• She spends most of the book talking about herself, and not the people she works with/encounters while working.
• She is in no way objective. Throughout she makes smug comments about anything does not fit her political agenda.
• She used a credit card to pay for a rental car, and did not count this into her expenses. All working class knows that the top three things that suck up your money: rent, food, gas/car repair.
• Did not socialize with her co-workers so was unable to see how much money many lower, working class people waste on alcohol/drugs, eating out, and material things they cannot afford.
  

And the list could go on. I've worked minimum wage jobs since high school, and most of my co-workers are lazy and care more about cigarette breaks and doing just little enough work to get by.

Pass.

2/10

book count
7 of 104