It’s time for an animal update from Canterbury. Yesterday we said good-bye to Alex, our beloved 14-year old sheep. (Pokey and Scout, the “babies” are still alive and well, although missing their companion.)
Alex died peacefully and was buried near Nicholas (yes, they were Nicholas and Alexandra) at the edge of our field. I can see the newly-turned soil as I write this.
It was very nice that RPE was home and able to say good-bye (as well as helping with the digging). She recalled taking Alex and Nicky to the Canterbury Children’s Center for show and tell 14 years ago when they first came to us. That’s quite a span of sheep years – from 2nd grade to junior year in college!
Farewell Alex – we will think of you often – and especially when we pull on our mittens!
Willie continues to be lame – and may require another vet visit (much to his eventual consternation, I have no doubt).
Ruby is thriving and turned 5 today! We are still deciding exactly how to celebrate this momentous milestone … and she is hoping that whatever we decide, it will somehow involve extra treats!
Here is a poem from today’s Writer’s Almanac – that could easily be about Ruby! Just substitute Westie for spaniel, and she for he … and you pretty much get the picture …
Lyrical
by Joseph Millar
The spaniel next door yaps at the sparrows,
he yaps at the crows and the mailman,
yaps at the compost pile and the sunflower,
yaps at the rain and the sky. He yaps
at the steps leading down to the creek
where the flax plants bloom high as my waist
and blue flowers force their way up
though small stones the color of night. He
yaps at the garbage truck’s back-up beeper,
iron bell song of the priest and bridegroom,
song of the lone ship, song of the train,
song of the big waves rolling and breaking
over the western reefs. He yaps at the rosebush,
yaps at the fence, song of the sidewalk cracked
in half, the wine bottle resting against the curb,
the neighbor who doesn’t come home.
All I can say is Yahoo! Today’s the day that RPE comes home … landing at Logan this afternoon after logging lots of hours in the sky. She’ll be home and telling stories by dinnertime if everything goes according to schedule. (Did I say Yahoo??!!)
Also yahoo-worthy was the USWNT’s defeat of Canada last night — although I must say by the end I was beginning to feel a little sorry for Carolina Morace and the Canadian side by the end. It was interesting to see that without Carli Lloyd the US women still seem to do just fine. I thought that the “new” players that Pia was taking a look at did quite well — especially Megan Rapinoe and Amy Lepeilbut. A-Rod continues to seem a little bit out of sorts. Neither Sinclair nor Wambach got their 100th goals in this match-up. Stay tuned!
Of course I’m rushing off to work — what else is new? But here’s the complete travelogue video of my recent trip to New York — enjoy!
(Double click and watch on YouTube if you want to see the annotations …) 😉
I got back from HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew’s house yesterday afternoon after a wonderful visit. We got the dock in up at the lake and even had time to catch a few rays on a lovely warm Saturday afternoon. I thought about going swimming — but then thought better of it!
The lilacs at their house were amazing, as were the hops climbing the hop trellis. Check out this video.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCN0ns6bDsU
HollyCornblog’s homebrews just keep getting better and better– it’ll be interesting to see what she does with her homegrown hops once she gets them harvested.
Got home last night and was able to catch up on the news. RPE comes home tomorrow evening, after her time in Tanzania. Can’t wait to see her and hear about it all!
The Phillies beat the Yankees yesterday while the Red Sox beat the Mets. Nicely done! And I’ve got a brand spanking new Chase Utley Phillies T-shirt compliments of HollyCornblog! (Everyone here is quite jealous!)
This afternoon Dewd is cooking on the grill and Karen and Alice will be coming out later. I’ve got mowing on my schedule, along with the USWNT versus Canada game this evening (7 PM ET on the Fox Soccer Channel).
It’s finally Friday, and after work today I’ll be driving over Hogback to HollyCornblog’s house! She says she’ll have the chiminea going and some homebrews ready for sampling when I get there!
In soccer news I see that, apparently, a share of the LA Sol is going to be up for grabs soon. Any buyers? Any suggestions? I wrote in and suggested Geena Davis … wouldn’t that be nice?
Speaking of the Sol, their final game against the Breakers (August 9) has been made the final regular-season TV game for the WPS — smart move. That means that the start time for this matchup will be 6 PM, not 7 PM as originally listed. This could determine the number one spot for the playoffs — it would be sweet if Boston snagged it!
Here’s a nice piece, too, about Pia’s plans for the USWNT. The Olympic win was nice, but Pia isn’t satisfied — nor should she be. Watching WPS play, it is clear that the internationals are tactically and technically way beyond the US players. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do before the 2011 Women’s World Cup. If anyone can do it, Pia can!
In other sports news the Phillies won and, I am assuming, the Red Sox did as well. I saw enough of the Sox game to see Big Papi get another hit!
On the news front, Obama continues to overturn Bush era encroachments on the Constitution (thanks, AMR, for the tip). Former VP Dick continues to speak and snarl. I wish the news venues (other than Fox, of course) would stop covering him. But then I guess I shouldn’t be mentioning him, either. It’s hard to pass up the temptation to snarl back.
Oh, and this exchange between Sean Hannity and Jesse Ventura was too good to not post …
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeMuDN9Ewyc
I’ll probably be writing from HollyCornblog’s, but if not, have a great weekend!
I am in the midst of preparing for an annual retreat that I attend every June — an opportunity to reflect and explore. This year, I find myself thinking a lot about my father — appreciating and missing him in ways that I’d never have imagined several years ago. As I’ve been walking Willie, this week, it’s provided some nice quiet spans of time for thinking. Note to self: keep it up!
I’ll be writing about Dad more in the coming weeks. There’s something I like about the idea of random people Googling William L. Cornog, Jr. and finding out about him. (I am also fighting the inclination to post with equal candor and feeling about my mother — so that people can learn about Ann Murphy Cornog via my recollections and perceptions — perhaps not such a good idea right now — although it’s hard to write about one without including something about the other … to be continued.)
But anyway, what we have in the news this morning? I notice that the Breakers and the Freedom have garnered some fines and suspensions after last weekend’s game. Christine Latham and Tony DiCicco have both been spanked, as the WPS continues to take a hard line on what they see as bad behavior. Joanna Lohman also shared the hot water. I do have to say that the elbow Latham threw looked pretty egregious on the replay. But what is it about the Freedom? I find it interesting that they have been somehow involved in every disciplinary matter thus far in this young season.
I loved the piece about Kristine Luckenbill, the pride of Paoli! She seems an interesting person, and I’m inclined to stop holding her Dartmouth connection against her. There is also a nice write up about a Texas product who doesn’t make my skin crawl-the Breakers’ Kasey Moore.
Ah, but since were on the subject of Texas, I can’t pass up the opportunity to post these photos (found among the Huffington Post) of the luxurious but tacky looking Bush residence down in the Lone Star State. What an empty looking domicile — fitting for its occupants. More bathrooms than bedrooms … hmmmm.
Finally, we’ve got the USWNT facing off against Canada on Monday. The game is slated to be televised on Fox soccer Channel — 7PM ET — should be fun to watch!
Yup – next year Philly gets its own WPS Team – and they’ll be playing at the new soccer-specific stadium in Chester – a venue they will share with Philly’s new MLS team. I like the combo and am glad that the City of Brotherly Love will be playing WPS soccer next summer!
Turning to the Breakers, here’s a profile of defender Sue Weber – a third round pick out of Hofstra who’s a solid defender for the Blue!
It’s looking cloudy here in Canterbury this morning, and rumor has it that the temperatures are going to soar. Phillies and Red Sox won … life is good!
I’ll be getting packed up tomorrow night, as I’m heading off to HollyCornblog’s and CharlieHopbrew’s for the weekend — leaving from work on Friday.
If the weather cooperates, we’ll be putting in the dock up at the lake! Let summer begin!
Here’s a nice write up of the WPS weekend activity from over in the UK. I love the snippet about how it was really Alex Scott’s fear of her housemate Kelly Smith that led to her goal (and an important point for the Boston Breakers). Who knows, maybe I’d have scored as well, if I lived with Kelly Smith!
That’s not a typo – but I’m morose as well, after Rebecca Moros scored for the Freedom against the Breakers, and all the blue team could come up with was a tie in yesterday’s match. I am sure that they wanted to pull off the win against the Abby-less Freedom … and with Maren Meinert there, no less.
Ah well, it was not to be …
Alex Scott saved the day for the Breakers – while Lil missed on a great chance that could have won it – and left Kristine flat on her back in the box, holding her head and wishing she could have that one back! Here’s how it went …
A perfect chance for the Breakers in the 83d minute sailed out of play when Candace Chapman laced a pass right to Kristine Lilly who had a clear shot in front of the goal, but rushed the shot.
“I should have finished that,” Lilly said. “There was no excuse. It as a great ball by Candace. . . . I wish I could have it back.”
Meanwhile, Tony had a few words about the officiating … and I’m still wondering what’s got A-Rod so out of sync with her mates. Pia … can you give Tony et al any insights?
Speaking of Pia – she’s predicting an exciting Women’s EURO 2009 – and why not? The finals run from August 23 until September 10 in Finland … and personally, I’m thinking that England is going to surprise everyone this year.
Morning everybody! It’s looking like a good reading day here in New Hampshire, although it’s early yet!
The Bookeaters had an excellent meeting at the Exeter Inn last night, where we broke bread and discussed The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage. We all loved (and most of us read) the book, and I would highly recommend it as a portrait, not only of a marriage but of a period of time. The everyday details were captivating. Life was hard, and life with Mary was not always a picnic. Hitting Mr. Lincoln in the face with a log, or dumping a bucket of water on his head? Yikes. There were aspects of their story that definitely reminded me of home life back in the 60s but I’ll spare you the gory details.
Aside from the fact that I repeatedly and inexplicably stole both crockery and cutlery from an adjacent Bookeater, the evening went off without a hitch. We did have an odd discovery, though — one of those little factoids that you mull and ponder long after you discover it …
Our server pointed out to us that the candle on our table was actually a rechargeable, battery operated votive, put there presumably so that nothing would catch fire. At some point in the course of our meal we examined the candle more closely and discovered fine print on the bottom which none of us could decipher for sure — but it looked like it said “Please do not steal.”
“Please do not steal?” How incredibly odd! First, because it was such small print that a thief would need to have really good eyes to read it. Second, it was on the bottom of the candle, so a thief would have to check very carefully to find it. Third, it said “Please” which seems an oddly polite way to address a potential thief. Fourth, why would anyone be deterred by a message like that?
We asked our server, who did confirm that, yes indeed, it said, “Please do not steal.”
I nearly bought a set of rechargeable votive candles when I got home, but there was no way to be sure that the message would be on the bottom. I should’ve checked for the manufacturer before I left. This may necessitate another trip to the Exeter Inn — no sacrifice there — the food was excellent! (And why buy ’em when you can steal ’em?!)
In other news I seeded FC Gold Pride defeated the Red Stars last night on the strength of a goal by Canada’s Christine Sinclair. Tonight it’s the Breakers versus the Freedom down in Cambridge. I hope the weather clears up and the crowd is good — and of course, hope the Breakers win!
There’s an excellent op-ed in the New York Times by Frank Rich about the need for Obama to continue toward increased transparency — including releasing the prisoner abuse photos — in order to one day emerge from the shadow of the Bush administration. Aside from the fact that it is simply the right thing to do, I agree with Rich that the photos are gonna leak out anyway. Obama’s reluctance, while perhaps understandable in some ways, only makes him appear to be similar to the previous cabal of evildoers. If you’re gonna turn a page, you have to turn it.
In other news, Michelle Obama delivered a commencement address yesterday — in California — while Notre Dame’s valedictorian and some priests and lay ministers in Chicago who knew him back in the day, addressed the somewhat overblown controversy about Barack’s scheduled address there head on. It seems odd that the President has experienced such weirdness, this graduation season. Why not just say no to Notre Dame and Arizona State? Especially ASU – that was just bizarre.
One other odd thing of note this morning … Sarah Palin is now on Twitter. What kind of trouble can she get herself into in 140 characters? A lot, I’ll wager. Haven’t found r real account yet … stopped looking … why other …
Licorice Pizza: I'm starting anew here and have now been, twice, to Vax and Snax at Red River. These are Thursday night movies for vaccinated and masked folks, and you can get POPCORN! But I digress...Licorice Pizza was a sweet, coming-of-age in The Valley in the Seventies sort of movie that managed to include waterbeds and Jon Peters and two new stars -- Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman (son of Philip Seymour Hoffman).
If Beale Street Could Talk: Quiet, beautiful, heartfelt, devastating. America wears many masks. This movie strips a few of them away. It shines a light on quite a lot of ugliness. As well, it illuminates dignity and resilience in the face of a system built on the abuse of privilege and power. A perfect movie to see on the eve of what is hopefully Donald Trump's last SOTU.
Shoplifters: A beautifully honest, quiet movie that is at once uplifting and devastating. Universal questions are raised and left open for pondering. What is a family? How do people survive in our world today? And how do we judge their choices?
Green Book: Very enjoyable movie and yet deeply flawed. The white guy comes across as the hero in ways that are typical for the American movie industry, and comfortably misleading in terms of the realities of our culture. Especially in the current socio/political atmosphere, can't we do better than this?
On the Basis of Sex: We applauded, we cried, we felt so glad that RBG was as prescient as she was. And I felt personally glad that her love of opera clearly predates her connection with Scalia. What an inspiring woman -- and a good movie about her early years as a student, professor, and attorney.
The Favourite: Did I say that being a queen was no fun? This definitely seems to have carried forward to Queen Anne's reign. Strong performances again, and more belly laughs than you'd think. And right along with it, grief, emptiness, ambition, and gouty excess.
Mary Queen of Scots: Being a queen was no fun in the 16th century. Excellent, complex performances in this one. I found Elizabeth especially compelling. Very unclear who actually wins out in this one.
Another Year: Loved this one! It's about a couple, and their friends, and their lives – painful in spots, and wonderfully everyday and enriching, to my mind. Great performances – and who knew there was so much wine being drunk in England!?
Tiny Furniture: A young woman (aka Lena Dunham) comes home after graduating from college and tries to find herself – or not. A character study that I found humorous and touching – and sometimes a little disturbing and/or self-indulgent. It's definitely a privilege to have the leisure to "find oneself." After this..."Girls."
Rabbit Hole: Painful/powerful movie about loss and grieving. Hard to watch but well worth the effort, with a strong cast and an especially on the mark performance by Nicole Kidman. I continue to be glad to see that she is clearly outstripping Tom Cruise as an artist. You go girl!
The Kids Are Alright: Very enjoyable movie with great performances and an excellent cast. Two kids whose moms are lesbians decide they want to find out something about their "father" – and everything moves on from that point.
The King's Speech: Warm, funny, inspiring – and apparently a bit of a rewrite of history, to boot! Colin Firth puts out an amazing performance – and was well rewarded for it. Everyone else is great too, and if you're one of the few people left who hasn't seen it, it's definitely worth a look!
Black Swan: This is a disturbing movie that I really loved – and in case you haven't noticed, I do have a tendency to like disturbing movies. What's real and what isn't? You be the judge. Also, be on the lookout for Winona Ryder – you'll never recognize her!
Blue Valentine: A couple in trouble – how they started and how they got to where they are. A good movie with excellent performances that left me wondering, especially in Michelle Williams' case, whether she was thinking about what's his name (her partner who died suddenly – the guy who starred in Broke Back Mountain – for some reason I can't remember his name – oh yeah, Heath Ledger).
Shutter Island: A dark period piece that has the creepy feel of the 1950s (creepy to me at any rate) and has stayed with me more than I would've thought. A movie with surprises – definitely worth a look.
Cyrus: I don't remember this one so well, but have a vague recollection of walking out of the theater feeling not so enthralled. I believe it's supposed to be funny – but as you can tell it didn't really make an impression.
I Am Love: Really beautiful, sumptuous movie that made me hungry, just watching it. A keeper!
The Girl Who Played with Fire: The second in the three part series involving the girl with the dragon tattoo, this movie was much harder to watch than the first, as Salander's triumph isn't quite so clear at the end. Painful, painful, painful.
Scott Pilgrim Versus the World: I loved this comic book take on young love. Went to the movie on a whim and came away very happy to have seen it! Quite a few laugh out loud moments – and touching, as well.
Going the Distance: A very lightweight romcom that kinda left me feeling like I had just spent an hour and a half reading People magazine. In other words, pretty much a waste of time.
Never Let Me Go: Wow! This was an amazing, stark, and moving movie about kids who are basically raised to become organ donors. Very much worth seeing.
The Town: Ben Affleck's movie about bank robbers. It's okay. Not great, but okay. It does make me curious about Charlestown – will have to go there one day.
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger: A Woody Allen movie that I honestly don't remember very well. It's pretty much about adults behaving badly – something that Woody knows a little something about.
The Social Network: The movie about Facebook. I found it very interesting and well done, and was especially fascinated/disturbed by the window on the incredible privilege and elitism still thriving at undergrad Harvard.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest: Number three in the Dragon trilogy. I found this, in many ways, the weakest of the three movies – although that's not to say that it was weak. Perhaps my enjoyment was affected by the fact that I hadn't read the book. Anyway, it's a great trilogy and I was sorry to see it come to an end.
Fair Game: The movie about the Valerie Plame affair. One of the things that I found most interesting was how it uncovered my own biases, as she was clearly a very serious and talented agent, but because of her blonde haired beauty, I pretty much assumed that she was a lightweight in real life. I appreciated, also, the depiction of her husband as a bit of a media hound, which was how he seemed to me at the time. And of course, there are the despicable characters of the Bush administration. Glad they were on display in all their glory!
City Island: This was a fine, if predictable, movie about a family in which everyone has a secret and is telling lies. I mostly loved it because it gave me a glimpse of where my friend CB lives!
Winter's Bone: Wow! Unrelenting, stark, and ultimately uplifting – at least to my mind. This is a painful movie about life when you're the daughter of someone who runs a meth lab. Winter's Bone is a perfect title. J-Law is amazing!
Please Give: Quirky, sweet, slice-of-life movie. I loved the low-key character development and good humor of it all. Enjoyable, with a great cast and few false notes.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Tho' parts of the book were missing, this was an excellent rendition of an excellent book. Not for the faint of heart, tho'! Lisbeth Salander is an Emma Peel for the 21st Century (watch for more from Noomi Rapace - I will be)!
Me and Orson Welles: Or was it Orson Welles and me? (If Orson had anything to do with the title, I'm guessing the latter.) I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, even as it reminded me of why the world of the theatre holds absolutely no appeal for yours truly! Nice to see Claire Danes back ... still have to finish watching Temple Grandin, too!
Crazy Heart: I left this movie thinking ... "Eh?" but it has stayed with me. Jeff Bridges does give a wonderful performance. The amount of smoking and drinking was nauseating - as I guess it was supposed to be - all in an understated, Jeff Bridges sort of a way.
A Single Man: One of the best movies of the year in my book. Haunting, beautifully acted and filmed ... marred only by an unnecessarily heavy-handed ending, IMHO. That was the only flaw in an otherwise brilliant bit of artistry. Colin Firth was perfect, and this was an amazing writing/directing debut for Tom Ford! See it!!!
Young Victoria: I am eternally grateful to have not been born the heir to a throne. Life was confusing enough! This was an enjoyable, tear-jerker of a movie that left me wanting to know more about the details. Perhaps a bio for Bookeaters?
Precious: Wow, wow, wow. Two weeks in a row - another amazing movie at Red River. This is a challenging and important movie ... about life in America ... every single day ... everywhere.
The Messenger: Wow, wow, wow. This is one of the best movies I have seen in quite some time. Its focus is on two men who notifiy NOK (next of kin) when a soldier dies. It is a raw, wrenching, unflinching and uplifting journey - not to be missed. Seriously
Damned United: This was a study in soccer, ambition, and friendship. For soccer buffs who actually know the players (I'm a late-comer to the game) the movie would be that much better. I loved it, though - and recommend it highly.
A Serious Man: The Book of Job envisioned by the Coen brothers evoked the early sixties and suburbia with humor, pathos ... and a slightly nauseating quality that tells me they pretty much hit the nail on the head. As one of the goyim, I am sure there were hundreds of nuances that were lost on me ... but I loved it (nausea aside) nonetheless!
Cold Souls: The premise of this movie is deeply strange, yet it is presented in an entirely believable way. It's by turns very moving and then hilarious (in ways that, in retrospect, are hard to capture/explain). The ending leaves a puzzled feeling - but that's not really bothersome. In many ways, puzzled is the appropriate way to walk out of the theater after "Cold Souls." Check it out!
Adam: Nicely done! Not a movie that will stay with you for a long time, but I liked it. The father (Peter Gallagher) seemed a tad overdone -and unnecessarily so. Unmemorable soundtrack - but since I mention it, does that make it memorable? Now I'm starting to feel like Steven Wright - not necessarily a bad thing!
Taking Woodstock: Even going in with low expectations, this offering from Ang Lee just wasn't good. Vilma was a high point in an otherwise shoddy effort. Harsh, eh? And watch out, world - it's only 6:30 AM!
Julie and Julia: I was not as bothered by Julie as some reviewers were - maybe because I liked seeing a blogger hit the big time. Meryl Streep was amazing as Julia .. and this is definitely not a movie to see on an empty stomach! Never have I enjoyed watching people eat as much as I did watching this flick!
500 Days of Summer: I think I wasn't supposed to, but I loved it. Engaging characters and script, great soundtrack. Not as quirky and lovable as "Away We Go" - but not far behind, either.
Whatever Works: People either like or hate this latest offering from Woody Allen. I must admit that it's a little weird to see this May-December relationship on-screen, feeling so creeped out by Woody's real-life choices. But I'd say he pulls it off. There are some really great lines throughout the movie, and while not entirely believable, I didn't mind being along for the ride. A pleasant diversion for sure.
Goodbye, Solo: Interesting movie that basically contrasts life energy and death energy, IMHO. Solo is the epitome of resilience - love him! Meanwhile William seems bent on being miserable, for reasons that the movie leaves mysterious. I didn't find him very a likable or compelling character - but Solo makes up for it.
Moon: I hesitate to write this one up, as I was tired when I saw it - and missed portions. But form my bleary vantage point, this seemed an intriguing movie set on the moon and exploring themes of identity, isolation, etc. It was not my usual fare - and I wasn't up to snuff - but at least had the wherewithall to be able tell that it was quality work!
Cheri: I liked this a lot better than Easy Virtue - maybe because I went into it having already seen EV and had my expectations lowered. Michelle Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates are fun to watch as always - and I liked Rupert Friend in the title role. It all got a little too serious at the end - a tone-shift that didn't quite fit with the bulk of the movie. Still - a pleasant diversion on a rainy July evening!
Away We Go: This was an excellent movie in every regard. Great dialogue and plot line, endearing cast/characters, heartwarming/funny story that avoids tipping over into overly-sweet territory ... and great soundtrack, to boot! See it, if you haven't already.
Easy Virtue: Not my cup of tea - but I suspect it would have helped, going in, to know that this was a movie based on a Noel Coward play. The characters felt stilted and unbelievable to me, as it was - and I couldn't muster much concern for what became of them. All things considered, I'd rather have been in Philadelphia!
Sugar: Sugar is a baseball flick that is sweetly and realistically done - and definitely like no Hollywood film on the subject. The characters are real and the life is hard - and the film depicts it all in a matter-of-fact way that brings the realities home more surely than something more "dramatic" ever could. Two thumbs up on this one!
Sunshine Cleaning: Director Christine Jeffs has a winner in this tale about the hard times and resiliency of the Lorkowski family. Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin shine in this movie about a bio-hazard clean-up company. Yes, that's correct. And the movie had the potential to cross the line into sappiness several times but demurred. For that I am eternally thankful. (Okay, eternally may be a little over the top.) Darn good flick, though - check it out.
Milk: Sean Penn deserves an Oscar for his amazing portrayal of Harvey Milk. It actually didn't even feel like a portrayal - more a channeling. Such a loss - that yet another creative and energetic and good leader, was senselessly murdered all those years ago. Fear, hatred and guns - why don't we remove at least the last ingredient in the tragic mix?
Doubt: Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are amazing, and Viola Davis is a heartbreaking revelation in this battle royale. I was left with less doubt at the end than some of my compatriots ... but that took nothing away from the experience. Meryl Streep deserves an Oscar, IMHO ... and I definitely want her on my side, always!
Slumdog Millionaire: Just a great movie, start to finish. Magical,epic, and a nail-biter (even though you know what's going to happen ... pretty much. The dancing at the end did my heart good - and having M.I.A. in the soundtrack didn't hurt, either!
The Secret Life of Bees: Or was it The Secret Lives of Bees? Anyway, whatever - I want Queen Latifah to be my mother!!! (What was Bill Clinton thinking, throwing her under the bus all those years ago?) The movie was entertaining but not a home run by any means. Too predictable ... but Alicia Keys was wonderfully cranky-verging-on-scary and the Queen was queenly and the honey looked delicious and it was nice hearing India Arie in the soundtrack!
Happy Go Lucky: I think I was supposed to like this more than I did. Perhaps it suffered by being seen pretty much on the heels of Rachel. I found Poppy to be a sometimes intriguing and sometimes annoying character. The relentless joking and "upbeatness" felt distancing and unnecessary. I didn't hate this movie by any means - but something was missing for me.
Rachel Getting Married: Jonathan Demme and an amazing script and cast just blew me away with this effort. The characters are fascinating and complicated and most every interaction in the film left me engaged and wanting to know more! Debra Winger was stupendous - although it's been so long since I've seen her that I kept trying to find the bull-riding Urban Cowboy persona within the steely, distant mother of this wedding movie. (She's not there.) Margot at the Wedding was very good - but Rachel puts her in her place. I highly recommend this to everyone!
Religulous: Bill Maher skewers the rampant "illogic" of religion in this free-wheeling film. His wit is right on target and as barbed as you'd expect. I found myself squirming every once in awhile. I don't mind you picking on the Pope, Bill ... but same as with Michael Moore ... sometimes when you set up "common folks" to look like fools, I cringe. Still, Religulous is worth a look for sure. The best point Bill makes? That conservatives of a religulous bent are about finding answers - while liberals are about asking questions. I can go with that!
Roman de gare: This was an intriguing, surprising, suspenseful, funny, quirky movie that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters and plot lines are deftly developed. You should definitely check it out if you get the chance!
Young at Heart: YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS MOVIE! It's a documentary about a choral group of octogenarians in Northampton, MA. Very inspiring ... definitely something to check out!
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day: Enjoyable, light fare with a stellar performance by my favorite police chief, Frances McDormand!
The Visitor: Now this was an excellent movie ... from start to finish. It was similar to Smart People in that it had an academic as the main character. However, all similarities ended pretty much right there. In this warm, funny, and wrenching movie, the characters are well and subtly developed, the plot is (unfortunately) believable ... and there are no false notes. I would urge you to see it - you won't be sorry!
Smart People: Looks like we're getting back on track with our Tuesday night movie schedule ... for the time being. Smart People was enjoyable but left me unenthralled. (It probably didn't help that we ran into a totally enthralled movie-goer on the way in who was seeing it for the second time. High expectations may have killed this one for me.) Overall, I found the characters exaggerated and mildly unlikeable ... the dialogue stilted and self-conscious, perhaps just the way smart people talk. But then the lessons about loosening up and being less self-absorbed weren't exactly ground-breaking. Overall, it wasn't a wasted evening ... but not a movie I'll be putting at the top of my list, either.
4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days): Winner of the Palm D'Or at Cannes, this film by Romania's Cristian Mungiu certainly deserves the accolades it receives. It's a realistic and emotionally unflinching story of a woman who helps her friend obtain an illegal abortion in 1987 Romania. The story is harrowing, the acting wonderful, and the cinematography amazing. This film makes Juno look like Disney pablum!
Taxi to the Dark Side: This was a harrowing and eye-opening look at what our country has become under the leadership of Bush/Cheney after 9/11. The "road taken" has definitely been a trip to the dark side. Disgusting and important to see ... as we make our way back toward the light!
Michael Clayton: What an excellent movie! Engaging, engrossing, well-acted. Tilda Swinton certainly deserved an award for her protrayal of what I have to think must be the secret, inner life of Condi Rice.
Persepolis: This animated memoir is an engaging, heartbreaking, uplifting, realistic look at life in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Go see it! It humanizes what our current regime so consistently tries to dehumanize. An important movie, Persepolis is based on the book by Marjane Satrapi.
Margot at the Wedding: Dark, funny, tough to watch and very well acted.
I'm Not There: Bob Dylan's not my favorite, but this was a fascinating movie to watch (albeit long) and since he wasn't there, I couldn't very well feel annoyed by him. Cate Blanchette was just amazing - and I loved the surreal, Fellini-esque feel of the Richard Gere parts.
Atonement: Lush, compelling, painful - I especially loved Vanessa Redgrave's starkly powerful 5 minutes - and the Fellini-esque (can you tell I love Fellini?) flavor of the scenes of the evacuating troops on the beach - complete with ferris wheels - somehow depicting the disorienting horror of war in ways that blood and gore never could. Great movie!
Juno: Well, I went to see it. I totally agree with my friends who found the clinic scene extremely misleading, off-base, and gratuitously negative in its depiction of the women's health movement and its workers. In an otherwise nice movie, this was a thoughtless lapse ... and I was sad to see so many women in Juno's age group in the theater (one of them actually pregnant) ... who'll be coming away with a false impression that could so seriously affect their lives!
The Savages: Wow, what a good movie! Philip Seymour Hoffman has had an amazing run this year between this, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," and that other movie with Tom Hanks ... the name of which is escaping me at the moment ... Charlie Somebody's War. Anyway - he and Laura Linney are just wonderful as siblings dealing with their aging/ailing father. Painful and real ... and set in gritty, wintry Buffalo ... in perfect contrast to Sun City. (The latter looks like a setting that would do David Lynch proud.) Check it out if you haven't seen it!
It’s time for an animal update from Canterbury. Yesterday we said good-bye to Alex, our beloved 14-year old sheep. (Pokey and Scout, the “babies” are still alive and well, although missing their companion.)
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