Okay so I do, I really do want to be rooting for Obama — but what’s with this latest appointment? GE’s defender on environmental issues, Ignacia Moreno, has been hired to do the legal stuff for EPA? How did Obama explained this decision, I’m wondering. It kind of gives me a weird feeling in my stomach. Does Al Gore approve? Guess time will tell — but let’s keep an eye on this one.
Many of the mainstream news venues are trumpeting the story about new polls suggesting that more people are “pro-life” than in the past — and I shudder to think what Fox news is doing with this piece of dubious work by the pollsters. Check out the excellent analysis on FiveThirtyEight where you’ll see that the actual numbers are either skewed or much less “newsworthy” than the headlines would imply.
But more important than any of these reservations about the Pew and Gallup surveys on abortion is a perpetual problem with public opinion research generally on this topic: it rarely deals with the nuances that matter most in setting public policy or assessing the actual political impact of each party’s positioning.
There’s also a wonderful bit of commentary from Al Gore about Dick Cheney’s inability to keep his fat mouth shut. It’s unfortunate that Mr. Cheney isn’t doing more hunting these days — for any number of reasons. I wonder if this counts as a threat? I wonder how many people actually care?
“I waited two years after I left office to make statements that were critical,” Gore said during an interview on CNN, pointing out that his critiques were focused on “policy.”
“Talk about somebody that shouldn’t be talking about making the country less safe, invading a country that did not attack us and posed no serious threat to us at all,” Gore said of Cheney.
Watch Jon Stewart on Wanda Sykes and the threat her comments about Rush pose to our nation. So nice to hear Mr. Morality, Bill Bennett, weighing in.
And perhaps in the biggest news yet thanks for sharing this HollyCornblog) Rachel Maddow has reportedly broken down and bought a TV. Read about it in this very funny piece from AfterEllen …
On the sports front … the Red Sox lost a close one out West, and ended up benching David Ortiz. Meanwhile the Phillies won one, the Mets won two (dang) and we’ve got two game sevens in the NBA playoffs today.
In the WPS I see that the LA Sol beat FC Sky-Blue, but not by a whole bunch, last night. It wasn’t until the 80th minute that Marta scored.
The win kept the Sol at the top of the WPS standings with a 4-1-2 mark for 14 points after the win. The victory was the first since April 19th for the Sol, which snapped a three-match winless run. After claiming its first victory of the season last weekend, Sky Blue FC dropped to 1-3-2 for five points. Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc posted three saves to record her sixth shutout of the year – the fourth time Sky Blue FC has been held scoreless this season.
Don’t forget, Maren Meinert is going to be honored at halftime of the Breakers’-Freedom game on Sunday. And while you’re waiting for the game, check out the latest of Kelly Smith’s articles from the Daily Mail. I think she does an awesome job, and it’s very interesting to read her observations and comments about her time with the Breakers… and in this country. Here are her comments on the Sol matches, and Sunday’s game …
We beat LA a week earlier in Boston, but we knew this was going to be a very different game. The heat was in the 80s and it was supposed to be overcast, which it was for the warm-up. But as soon as we came out of the dressing room for the game, the sky had cleared somehow and it was roasting.
But to draw 0-0 is a good result. We’ve done well the last couple of games so we want to keep that momentum going against Washington at home on Sunday. We’ve already beaten them away, but they’ve won and drawn with very late goals in their two games since, so that shows a strong mentality.
Finally, here are the previews from Goal.com … as FC Gold Pride and the Red Stars face off today, and the Beakers-Freedom match-up is the televised game tomorrow. Kathryn Knapp shares her commentary as we play into week 8 and I am in agreement with her that Erin McLeod joining the Freedom could have a big impact on the standings as the season unfolds. Stay tuned!
It looks like the sun is going to be in and out this morning, here in New Hampshire as I scan the news and get ready to start this day — a day off from work. I’m hoping to catch up on some things here at home, and get Willie out for a walk, and finish up my reading for Bookeaters. We’re reading the book The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage — a wonderfully written, detailed portrayal of the marriage of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. I have been enthralled by the day-to-day details — so grounding and humanizing.
But moving from the human and sublime of Abraham Lincoln, to the human and despicable of Dick Cheney, I’m interested to read Bob Cesca’s take on the the efforts of Dick, and now Liz, to defend his actions as VP. I read another article not too long ago, where the author posited that Cheney was changed by 9/11. A more plausible explanation, to my mind, is in another article (I’ll try to find the source) in which the author indicated that Cheney hadn’t changed, but Dubya’s administration was the first in which Cheney had power and “no adult supervision.” I think that’s much closer to the truth. At any rate I like the idea that he’s desperate and feeling cornered. May the last years of his life be miserable — however many years that may be.
Found the citation for Cheney-without -adult-supervision. It was an interview with Lawrence Wilkerson (former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell) in which he quoted the following exchange:
Now, I have had people tell me, who knew him when he was a Congressman, one particular Congressman said to me over lunch, you didn’t know Dick Cheney when I knew Dick Cheney, and what you’re really seeing now is Dick Cheney without adult supervision. He always had adult supervision before. At one point it was Donald Rumsfeld and Jerry Ford. At other points it was George H.W. Bush and Colin Powell. Colin Powell just beneath him, and George H.W. Bush above him. He’s without adult supervision now, said this Congressman, and now you’re seeing the real Dick Cheney. He’s always been that way. He’s always been that way, this guy said.
The right wing blathering homophobia continues unabated by intelligence, insight or decency. You can just avoid this story, unless you’d like a little adrenaline jolt to start your day. Nothing new here — just the same hateful annoying dreck.
At the White House, it’s refreshing to see culture being welcomed and celebrated — this time with the Obamas hosting a poetry jam. I love the pictures of Sasha and Malia at their table!
And finally on the WPS front, we’ve got the week eight predictions from Goal.com, starting with tonight’s Sky Blue-Sol Match-up … it’s on Universal Sports – which we can’t get here, but looks like it may be available in other parts of the country. Check it out (10:30 Pm ET).
Here are highlights from the Sol-Breakers’ tie last week …
AND we’ve got the first ever WPS bobblehead. Marta, of course! (Where’s Kelly? Or left-over Lil’s from the WUSA days?)
First off, I see that Obama gave his commencement speech at Arizona State. What a strange decision on their part, to not award him the degree — and what a gracious response from POTUS!
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvaM6sjLbuA
Jon Stewart had an excellent piece on The Daily Show about ASU and their decision to diss the president. Haven’t seen it online yet.
The White House drug czar has made the amazingly sane decision to approach the drug problem in this country not so much as a war, as a public health issue. Not to say there won’t be law enforcement, presumably, but the bellicose verbiage will be left to Dick Cheney and his ilk. Wonder what Rush Limbaugh will have to say about this?
Perhaps what’s most galling about Mr. Cheney is how, without irony, humility or apology, he holds himself out as someone who has protected America when in fact he shirked his responsibility before 9-11 and misled us into war after. The closest Dick Cheney has ever come to fighting for America is when he shot his lawyer in the face.
In a wonderful turn of events for fans of women’s soccer, it looks like we’re going to be able to watch some more games on TV — some of us at least — starting tomorrow night at 10:30 ET on Universal Sports!
I also found a nice article about Tiffeny Milbrett. Wouldn’t it be amazing to see her on the USWNT again!?
Oh yes, and Willie is fine … he’s got some arthritis in his front legs … which means he’s got some chronic pain. But we’re going to treat that, exercise him more, get those legs stronger, and he’ll be good to go! Thanks, Dr.Reeve … ;>)
Once when the lawn was a golden green
and the marbled moonlit trees rose like fresh memorials
in the scented air, and the whole countryside pulsed
with the chirr and murmur of insects, I lay in the grass,
feeling the great distances open above me, and wondered
what I would become and where I would find myself,
and though I barely existed, I felt for an instant
that the vast star-clustered sky was mine, and I heard
my name as if for the first time, heard it the way
one hears the wind or the rain, but faint and far off
as though it belonged not to me but to the silence
from which it had come and to which it would go.
That poem reminds me of an unforgettable moment in high school. It was a winter’s night and I had walked outside, escaping the din of whatever was going on in the house. I lay down in a pile of snow in our yard and looked up at the sky and felt more alone and more at peace than I ever had to that point.
Here I was, with the bulk of the spinning planet beneath me and the immensity of the sky and stars above. It was so quiet and I was so me in those moments 40 years ago. I carry them with me to this day.
So what’s up on our spinning planet this morning?
Well, for starters, I see that Jesse Ventura is making the rounds, calling Norm Coleman a hypocrite and speculating about what Dick Cheney might confess to, were he water boarded. Whatever you might think about Jessie, he certainly is refreshingly blunt! There’s a second video at the link above …
Oh, and the Phillies, Red Sox and Celtics all won … Lakers, too. Willie visits the vet’s this afternoon. He’s doing better, but still will benefit from a check-up. (Luckily, he has no idea about what’s on his horizon and is snoozing contentedly in the morning sun as I write.)
In a bit of a rush this morning, as usual. Our black lab Willie came up lame yesterday. He has a chronic shoulder problem which something seems to have exacerbated. This morning he seems a little bit better, but still not himself. He’ll be turning 10 this summer, so it’s worrisome to see him hurting. (I scheduled him an appointment at the vet’s for tomorrow afternoon — something he is going to absolutely freak out about!)
I see that Lori Chalupny was chosen the WPS player of the week. Way to go Lori! I would love to have seen her goal — a corner kick that bent its way into the upper corner of the net, beating Nicole Barnhart (not an easy keeper to beat). Lori has been one of my favorites for a long time, and I also love it that Pia recognized her stellar qualities by making her USWNT captain along with Christie Rampone. And here’s a small piece about the Breakers … still looking for a win to move into first place … and honoring Maren Meinert on Sunday!
Glad to see, this morning that the reporter (Roxana Saberi) who had been charged as a spy in Iran has been freed. I have to think that under the Bushies this episode would not have come to a satisfactory a conclusion. And why is it that we get to diss the Iranians as somehow rabid and unreasonable, while holding people without charge and without trial for years, ourselves? Why do we think it’s okay to be such Dicks?
Speaking of Dicks, I’m so very glad to see that Dick Cheney seems to want all this torture stuff to go to court. I would love to see his name and reputation ruined and his ability to move freely about in the world brought to a screeching halt. His hubris has a delusional cast to it, and his nastiness seems to be without bound. I found myself wondering yesterday what it was like to sit across a dinner table from him — or worse yet, a breakfast table. What a nauseating thought!
Red Sox won … Mets lost … Phillies didn’t play … so it’s all pretty good. Celtics tonight … but too late for yours truly.
While this past weekend didn’t bring as many goals as last weekend did in WPS play, it was nice to see the Athletica and FC Sky Blue come away with a couple of first-time wins! The Boston Breakers and the LA Sol were the marquee game of the weekend (unfortunately not televised) and played to a 0 to 0 draw. (And the debate continues as to who’s the premier player – Kelly Smith or Marta.) Can’t wait ’til 8/9, when they face off again in Boston … although a lot will have happened in the interim.)
Next weekend’s TV match up will be the Breakers versus the Freedom in Cambridge. While never unhappy to see the Breakers on TV, I agree with Flynnie – enough with the Freedom, already! (Sorry, Beulah.)
I watched the Red Stars and Sky Blue duke it out on TV yesterday evening, and thought that the Red Stars looked like an entirely different team than they did against the Breakers. Carli Lloyd was more or less invisible for most of the match. It’s frustrating to see, as her talent is so prodigious, but her moodiness, lack of focus, lack of discipline, or whatever the heck it is certainly seems to get in the way of her performance on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O’Reilly seems so steady and reliable — kind of Kristine Lilly like in that regard!
Last soccer thought – I was very impressed with Karen Carney for the Red Stars and am overall impressed with the English players in the WPS. It’s going to make for some interesting match ups when the 2011 women’s World Cup rolls around!
And here’s Condi talking (in an incredibly condescending way, I might add) to a student at Stanford back at the end of April. “Do your homework first,” she says.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijEED_iviTA
“Is waterboarding torture?” another student asks … what a crock. By definition, if it was authorized by the President … yup, it was okay!
And here she is with the 4th grade set …
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSkTJA4iHrA
Is it me, or do her eyes look weird? I’m wondering whether this might all be starting to get to her.
Yup, it’s Mother’s Day. Hope yours is a good one, whether you’re celebrating someone or being celebrated yourself. The universe has been kind enough to send sun, a steady breeze, and cooler temperatures — hopefully making relatively pain free outdoor work a possibility for the hordes of mothers in New Hampshire who will be out there tending gardens and planting, perhaps, Mother’s Day flowers.
The soccer moms in St. Louis are happy today, as their WPS team — the Athletica — won their first ever match last night. They defeated FC Gold Pride one to nothing on the strength of a corner kick goal by Lori Chalupny. It sounded like a beauty of a score, as she bent her corner kick toward the far post, catching keeper Nicole Barnhart by surprise to notched the game-winner in the 16th minute!
The matchup of the weekend, though, has to be the Breakers-Sol game this afternoon. The Sol will be looking for revenge after the Breakers handed them their first loss in Cambridge last weekend. I’m guessing the turnout will be excellent, both because of the matchup and because the Sol will be giving away free tickets to their next game to all comers, IF they win! Of course, as Breakers fans know, that ain’t gonna happen!
The televised game will be the Chicago Red Stars, coming off a bye week, versus FC Sky-Blue — looking for their first win. My prediction? I suspect Sky-Blue will surprise Chicago this week.
HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew are exploring the lakes and hiking trails of Virginia as I write! I suspect they are also sampling any microbrew delectables that they come upon in their travels.
What else? I must say I’m sad and somewhat relieved to read that the body of my college classmate George Zinkhan has been found near where his car had been discovered down in Georgia. What a sad saga! I did not know him but can picture his youthful image as I write this and think about all the small moments that somehow piled together and led to the ending that he chose for himself. I think of the devastation that his mother must feel, this Mother’s Day — the horrible loss, and the terrible, terrible burden that those who knew him … and all of his children now carry.
And I think of the Wesleyan student, murdered in the midst of what was probably a pretty typical. uneventful day in her young life. The shocking tragedy that ripples out and touches so many — even this woman perched on a New Hampshire hillside, who knows none of the principals in this sad story but thinks of them as the spring wind blows through the newly budding leaves here.
And I think of handguns — the common thread through all of this. HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew spent the night in Blacksburg last night – and I think of handguns and Virginia Tech. Handguns in the hands of people who are angry and impulsive and want to do harm. What would they do if they didn’t have handguns? I have to think that the harm would be mitigated.
Why do we let it be so easy? Why do we let these tragedies keep a rolling over us?
Yup – it’s a busy day in Canterbury, with lots of computer work on tap, as well as some growing grass to catch up with, a bike to get to the bike shop, maybe even a little bit of exercise (other than mowing) and reading to squeeze in along the way. (Hah!)
Here’s the WPS preview for the weekend – with some interesting match-ups, starting with FC Gold Pride and the Daniela-less (and MacNeill-less) Athletica tonight at 8PM ET. Christie Welsh (acquired in a trade with the Sol – along with Kendall Fletcher) gets a chance to show her stuff for the Athletica, who will be sorely in need of scoring punch with Daniela down. I continue to feel puzzled by the Pride’s poor attendance out there in the Bay Area, as the are (to my mind) one of the more entertaining teams to watch in the new league. Hopefully things will pick up out there.
Meanwhile, the grudge match of the weekend has to be the Sol versus the Breakers out in LA. After handing the Sol their first loss of the year (as well as scoring the first goals against them) can Lil, Kelly and crew do it again? (But of course …) (And don’t forget … Maren will be in Boston next Sunday!)
The Red Stars play FC Sky Blue in the televised match tomorrow evening. Will the Red Stars continue their run? Can Sky Blue get on track?
This is it for me … I’ve got software to download and chores to get started on. Sorry, folks.
Question for the rest of the day/weekend, perhaps … can JordanCornblog get on track?
So Abby Wambach and Kia MacNeill have garnered one match suspensions as Tonya Antonucci (WPS Commissioner) made the call (after the WPS Disciplinary Committee had decided differently). Let the controversy roil and the debating continue. It probably isn’t a bad thing for WPS to have everyone kinda riled at this point in the young season. Talking Points are not a bad thing!
It sounds like Antonucci was also doing something about the officiating … which was what allowed the Freedom-Athletica match to end the way it did, IMHO. The game seemed verging on out-of-control for quite awhile before Daniela was injured.
Great piece by Jacqueline Purdy and Laura Flynn (links both above) – and here are Purdy’s power rankings … although I note that she has the Breakers in the wrong spot!
1. Chicago Red Stars (2-0-2) — Benefiting from a bye week after a 4-0 win over Boston. Chicago will be back in action Sunday hosting Sky Blue FC in a rematch of their 0-0 draw two weeks ago.
2. Boston Breakers (3-2-0) — The Breakers came in as a preseason favorite to take the title and finally looked like that team in the win over Los Angeles. A great effort from Smith in her return to the lineup following international duty, and solid team defense in shutting down Marta, Aya Miyama, Han Duan and the rest of the Sol offense. Very impressive win.
3. Los Angeles Sol (3-1-1) — Still a good team, just ran into a better team in Boston and gave up its first two goals of the season. Expect Los Angeles to come out strong Sunday in the rematch.
4. FC Gold Pride (2-2-1) — The most entertaining team to watch. Goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart earned her first clean sheet of the season in Sunday’s win over Sky Blue FC.
5. Washington Freedom (1-2-2) — Washington has scored a league-leading nine goals on the season and has conceded a league-leading 12 goals. Expect Canadian national team goalkeeper Erin McLeod, whose visa was recently approved, to be in goal when the Freedom return from their bye week to face Boston on May 17.
6. Sky Blue FC (0-2-2) — With St. Louis scoring three Sunday, Sky Blue FC’s one goal scored now is the lowest total in the league.
7. St. Louis Athletica (0-2-2) — No team had a rougher week than St. Louis, as it lost a two-goal lead late, settled for a tie and lost Daniela for what could be the rest of the season.
And then of course there’s news of the Manny suspension … which ought to take the wind out of the Dodgers’ sails for a wee bit. Manny being Manny finally hit a wall, it seems.
Yet to hit the wall is Dick, who remains just that – with no signs of letting up or changing.
“I think it would be a mistake for us to moderate. This is about fundamental beliefs and values and ideas…what the role of government should be in our society, and our commitment to the Constitution and constitutional principles,” he said. “You know, when you add all those things up the idea that we ought to moderate basically means we ought to fundamentally change our philosophy. I for one am not prepared to do that, and I think most us aren’t.”
Yup, it does mean that you ought to fundamentally change your philosophy … Dick.
Pia has announced the USWNT roster for an upcoming friendly vs. Japan … 5/20 and 5/23 … meaning that 17 US players won’t be with thier WPS teams for a bit – but for the most part won’t miss any matches. I was interested to see that, while the Breakers lose 4 players, one of them isn’t Lil. The other team with 4 players called up is the Red Stars.
Speaking of red … the Red Sox and Phillies both lost. Dang.
Finally, Joe the Plumber continues to dazzle with his mental acuity and grasp of the basics of self-promotion. God hasn’t told him to run for office yet thankfully) … but I do have a sinking feeling that god will. Goddamn!
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!
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