Mira_

Monsoon Wedding (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
$39.95
I will refrain from reviewing the actual movie. The DVD page for it and also other reviews for this release do an excellent job of reviewing the colorful expositio of emotions and life in India through the eyes of Mira Nair.
The guys at Criterion did a great job with this Blu-ray release. The transfer is excellent. Given the moods of the movie that varies from a misty morning in Delhi to the hullabaloo that is the city to the gorgeous colors of the wedding, everything looks as it is supposed to. The tones are natural- neither overblown or too subtle. The audio quality is excellent. I have a minimal home setup with a Sony AV receiver and a 2.1 Sony sound system which doesn't do justice to the audio from the movie.
I have not had a chance to see all the documentaries as part of the packed extra features in the selection. Of what I saw, I enjoyed the September 11 one and Migration. While I appreciated the one about the laughing club, it didnt do as much for me.
Overall, a worthy movie for the Criterion treatment and the effort is top notch. If you liked the movie, the blu-ray is a must buy. If you havent seen the movie yet and enjoy the work of the fine folks at Criterion, even more reason to pick this up.

Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help You Decide Whether to Stay In or Get Out of Your Relationship
$15.00
This book is a great tool for someone trying to decide if they should "stick in there" and work on the relationship, or move on and get on with your life. I personally have been in marriage counseling off and on for more than 10 years. This book has given me more clarity and peace about the situation than even the counseling. I feel that it is neutral - it doesn't seem slanted towards or away from divorce. It provides practical, logical questions for you to answer and get real about your situation. It gives 36 diagnostic questions for you to plow through and think about. In addition it gives examples of individual stories of people who have "been there" regarding the topic at hand.

I feel this is a practical, logical book to help you get off the fence and either spur you on to invest more in a relationship that has hope, or gives you clarity that it might be better to move on.

Cash Cabin Sessions
$9.99
I was very disappointed in the Vince Mira Cash Cabin Sessions CD. I liked the singing very much but thought the CD was a little overpriced for only having 7 songs on the CD. Had I realized that I would not have purchased it.

Apart
$16.98
There's something to be said for a band that has the talent to literally transform an emotion into a song. The only problem in this case - the emotion lasts the entire record.

Mira make good music. To call it outstanding would be a little bit of a stretch, though technically, they're all good musicians with an incredible knack for creating an atmosphere as opposed to simply a song, and herein lies the heart of Apart. These songs have a very surreal, yet very grounded quality to them. The vocals are startlingly fragile and melancholy against the music, which although isn't riff-laden, still has a very noticeable direction and drive to it. The guitar work is often sparse at best, which allows the vocals and the melody to infuse a powerful dose of heartache to each song. Indeed, this entire album sounds like one long, hazy lament. It is excellent for those days when you're the only soul on the planet, as well as for the days when you just want to listen to something hauntingly infectious.