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The first installment of Westâs Saga of the Century trilogyâ"now available as an ebook
Westâs semi-autobiographical novel introduces the multi-talented Aubrey family as they strive to find their place in the world
Papa Aubreyâs wife and twin daughters, Mary and Rose, are piano prodigies, his young son Richard Quin is a lively boy, and his eldest daughter Cordelia is a beautiful and driven young woman with musical aspirations. But the talented and eccentric Aubrey family rarely enjoys a moment of harmony, as its members struggle to overcome the effects of their patriarchâs spendthrift ways. Now they must move so that their father, a noted journalist, can find stable employment. Throughout, it is the Aubreysâ hop! e that art will save them from the cacophony of a life sliding toward poverty.
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In this eloquent and winning portrait, Westâs compelling characters must uncover their true talent for kindness in order to thrive in the world that exists outside of their life as a family.
The first installment of Westâs Saga of the Century trilogyâ"now available as an ebook
Westâs semi-autobiographical novel introduces the multi-talented Aubrey family as they strive to find their place in the world
Papa Aubreyâs wife and twin daughters, Mary and Rose, are piano prodigies, his young son Richard Quin is a lively boy, and his eldest daughter Cordelia is a beautiful and driven young woman with musical aspirations. But the talented and eccentric Aubrey family rarely enjoys a moment of harmony, as its members struggle to overcome the effects of their patriarchâs spendthrift ways. Now they must mov! e so that their father, a noted journalist, can find stable em! ployment . Throughout, it is the Aubreysâ hope that art will save them from the cacophony of a life sliding toward poverty.
Â
In this eloquent and winning portrait, Westâs compelling characters must uncover their true talent for kindness in order to thrive in the world that exists outside of their life as a family.
Yesterday, today, tomorrow. Past, present, future. Through time and space, one man embarks on a bold 1000-year odyssey to defeat humankind's most indomitable foe: Death. Hugh Jackman plays that man, devoted to one woman (Rachel Weisz) and determined to protect her from forces that threaten her existence. His quest leads him to a Tree of Life...and to an adventure into eternity. Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream) directs, continuing his string of imaginative, involving filmmaking with a tale alive with ideas and filled with astonishing vistas. "Not many films can blow your mind and break your heart at the same time, but this o! ne will" (Drew McWeeny, Ain't It Cool News).Science fiction and romance collide in
The Fountain, the ambitious third feature from director Darren Aronofsky (
Pi, Requiem for a Dream), who labored for four years to complete this epic-sized love story that stretches across centuries and galaxies. Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (Aronofsky's real-life companion) play lovers in each of the film's three settings--16th century Europe and America (Jackman is a Spanish explorer searching for Incan magic), the present day (Jackman is a doctor attempting to cure his dying wife), and the 26th century (Jackman is a space traveler seeking a gateway to the afterlife)-â"who struggle mightily to stay united, only to lose each other time and again. Aronofsky may not have chosen the easiest presentation for audiences to absorb his theories on the lasting qualities of life and the transformative powers of death-â"the final sequence, in particular, with a bald Jackman floating thr! ough space in a bubble, harks back uncomfortably to "head movi! es" of t he late '60s-â"but his leads have considerable chemistry (and look terrific to boot), which goes a long way towards securing viewers' hopes for a happy ending. Critical reception for
The Fountain has been nothing short of bloodthirsty, with Cannes audiences booing, but there are elements to enjoy here, even if the premise throws one for a loop. Ellen Burstyn (who earned an Oscar nomination for
Requiem) delivers a typically solid performance as Jackman's boss in the present day sequence, and special effects (most done without the benefit of CGI) are also impressive given the film's low budget (spurred by a mid-production shutdown after original stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett ankled the picture). And science-fiction fans whose tastes run towards the metaphysical (Asimov, Le Guin) will appreciate the attempt to present the genre in a serious light.
--Paul Gaita