Posts about Books, Movies,

Short Reads for a Short Month: Book Recommendations for Renaissance Place Apartments

February is the shortest month of the entire year, which means it is the perfect month to read short books and escape (at least in your mind) from winter in western New York. Reading has many benefits, and one does not have to be a formal student or teacher to get them. Self-education is as close as the internet, your local bookstore, or library, within the pages of a book. Charles W. Eliot, Harvard's president in 1869, transformed what was a provincial college into the preeminent American research university we know today. He said this about books, “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” We agree. Grab a book and settle down in a cozy corner of your Renaissance Place Apartment and get lost in a different time and place. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of quick-to-read books (complete with reviews from Goodreads ) to check out this month. The Martian by Andy Weir “A mission to Mars. A freak accident. One man's struggle to survive. Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.” The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway “It is the story of an old Cuban fisherman and his supreme ordeal: a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Using the simple, powerful language of a fable, Hemingway takes the timeless themes of courage in the face of defeat and personal triumph won from loss and transforms them into a magnificent twentieth-century classic.” Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury “The terrifyingly prophetic novel of a post-literate future. Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicoptor.” Wings by Aprilynne Pike “Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words. Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.” “In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.” We hope you enjoy a short read during this short month! What is your favorite book? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for being a part of our apartment community here in Williamsville!

Movies for Valentine's Day

It’s February and that means Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us. Are you ready? Do you have plans? (Or are you ignoring the day?) Whatever situation you find yourself in, with something planned or no, we have some movie suggestions (romantic comedies, feel-good family films, or action/adventure) to get you through the day, complete with descriptions from IMDb . So grab some popcorn and that box of chocolates, and settle down for a movie tonight, or should you prefer head out to your favorite Williamsville, NY theater and check out what is new on the big screen. Romantic Comedies 500 Days of Summer An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her. Midnight in Paris While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight. Return to Me A man who falls in love with the woman who received his wife's heart must decide which woman it is who holds his heart. Feel Good Family Films Enchanted A princess, who is prepared to be wed, is sent away to New York by an evil queen, where she falls in love with a lawyer. Finding Neverland The heart-warming story of J.M. Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan. Inkheart A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook hero. Action/Adventure Mad Max Fury Road A woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in post-apocalyptic Australia in search for her homeland with the help of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper, and a drifter named Max. Casino Royale Armed with a license to kill, Secret Agent James Bond sets out on his first mission as 007 and must defeat a weapons dealer in a high stakes game of poker at Casino Royale, but things are not what they seem. Apollo 13 NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy. And of course, if you want to watch a movie that fits in all of these categories, we suggest you opt for The Princess Bride — it has romance, adventure, a sword fight atop the Cliffs of Insanity, and who doesn’t love Andre the Giant? Please feel free to share your favorite Valentine’s Day movie in the comment section of the Renaissance Place Apartments blog.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day in WNY

It’s September, and the 19th day of the month is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Prepare to walk the plan. . . errr, hear some piratical language — words like blimey, ahoy, and swab, for instance. To get a jump and be ready to talk like a pirate to get in on the fun, The Renaissance Place Apartments Blog has pulled together some pirate-themed books and movies to recommend to members of our apartment community here in Williamsville, New York — so blow the man down! Pirate-Themed Books Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates Written by David Cordingly, this book presents an overview of the history of pirates covering a range of topics about pirates for the general public. It’s a great jumping off point to learning more about the myths, legends, and pirate life. Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas An article from the Smithsonian, The Swashbuckling History of Women Pirates , touts Laura Sook Duncombe’s book as a tomb that “does more than revel in the mystery and infamy of lady pirates: It contextualizes them, providing history and background on the societies they came from.” For more reading, we like this selection of Recommended Books on Pirate History from the blog Colonies, Ships, and Pirates. Pirate-Themed Movies If you are looking for a good movie simply to get into a pirate-speaking-frame of mind, may we suggest The Pirates of Penzance? This movie, originally a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta (which is still regularly performed), is a delightful parody romping through pirate lore. A telling line from the movie sums up the role of pirates quite nicely. Geoffrey Rush, who plays Captain Hector Barbossa captain of the Black Pearl in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, is arguably the best-voiced pirate in cinema history. Check for yourself by watching (or rewatching) the movies from this Disney franchise and listening to the accents and phrasing of all the characters. The Princess Bride, while not exclusively about pirates, does make reference to The Dread Pirate Roberts. It is a wonderfully crafted tale, and as the grandfather says, it has “Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, True Love, miracles….” It’s definitely worth a watch! This Complete List of Every Pirate Movie Ever Made list is a great resource for finding movies and listening to a plethora of pirates speak. Thanks for taking the time to peruse our post today! Here’s luck and a fair wind to you. PS: To up your pirate speak, go ahead and pillage from this piratical resource from Autumn Creek Apartments!