Saturday movie review (and giveaway!): Love & Mercy

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Most baby boomers grew up on the music of the Beach Boys. But few of us, I think, know the story behind singer-songwriter Brian Wilson other than that he took to his bed for several years at one point. The dramatic biography LOVE & MERCY delves into Wilson's genius, his madness, his years under the physical, financial and psychological control of a therapist, and his miraculous comeback to music—and life—thanks to a woman who never gave up on him and eventually became his second wife.

 Love & Mercy

LOVE & MERCY (which I received free for review) tells the story of two pivotal periods in the life of Brian Wilson (with full cooperation of Brian Wilson and...

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Saturday movie review: Mavis!

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Most folks are familiar with Aretha Franklin and her impact on the music scene—and the hearts and souls of listeners—for generation upon generation. It seems not as many folks may know as much about her contemporary, though: the equally soulful singer Mavis Staples.

mavis! documentary

The documentary MAVIS! is about to change all that, introducing younger generations to the inimitable powerhouse and...

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Saturday movie review: Alive Inside

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I shared a video a few years ago here on Grandma's Briefs of an elderly nursing home resident who amazingly comes out of the fog of dementia when headphones connected to an iPod are placed on his head. ALIVE INSIDE is the full documentary of that magical moment as well as others experienced by several dementia and Alzheimer's patients when given the opportunity to once again hear beloved tunes from days long gone. Joyous moments that prove music is far more powerful than pharmaceuticals.

Alive Inside documentary

In ALIVE INSIDE—winner of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award (Documentary)—filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett follows social worker and founder of Music & Memory, Dan Cohen, as he brings music to nursing home residents, via iPods and headphones. The results...

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Saturday movie review: Like Sunday, Like Rain

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I've been intrigued with the idea of nannies since long-ago watching Julie Andrews make a magical, musical difference with her charges in MARY POPPINS and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. While parents seemingly blew off their children, a nanny could make a child's world far more enriched and delightful than parents would likely ever manage.

Like Sunday, Like Rain

I longed for such adventures as a child. I still can't help but fall in love with books and movies featuring nannies who—often unexpectedly—become far more beloved, important, and relevant to the children they care for than the kiddos' parents could hope to be.

LIKE SUNDAY, LIKE RAIN is one such movie. And though...

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