The Breakers’ home opener is this Saturday (4/11-7PM) against the Athletica at Harvard Stadiuim. Both teams have an opening day loss to rectify. It’ll be fun to see Hope Solo and Lori Chalupny in town … and just awesome to get the season rolling. A big plus of April soccer in Boston is that we get to wear all of our winter Breakers gear, too. So bring out the scarves and watch caps – -see you at the stadium!
Just a week into the season, the WPS is off to a fast start. While the first few games of the WUSA in 2001 were saddled with slow, tentative play and several 0-0 draws, that has certainly not been the case in 2009. The league’s star attraction, Marta, has already had a two-goal game and there’s already been a game-winning goal in the closing minutes of a match (FC Gold Pride). The quality of play has been noticeably higher this time around, making the games more exciting.
In other WPS news I see that HINT Essence Water has become the official water supplierof the WPS. Nice to see. Send them a thank you (hint, hint). Almost 9 years ago, when I was in need of a new car, I was first drawn to Hyundai because of their sponsorship of the WUSA (probably wouldn’t have even looked at ’em otherwise). Now here we are in 2009 and my Elantra is starting to show its age just a tad (and I am PRAYING that Chrysler doesn’t sign on as a sponsor of the WPS)!
Think about this … while I am pleased to see that the Vermont Legislature overrode the gov’s veto and passed their Gay Marriage Bill, I’d love to see the whole debate move in a different direction. Shouldn’t marriage be the purview of religion and civil unions be the purview of the state?
That’s where I’d take it. The state should grant civil union licenses, period. The word “marriage” should not be uttered in our civil institutions. Period.
People wishing to add a sacramental layer to their coupling would then just need to find a religious institution willing to sanctify the whole thing. The churches would be free to say yea or nay, depending on their beliefs. That’s it – end of discussion. Let’s move on.
Oh, and the whole thing about marriage being a sacrament made me want to compare the divorce rates among liberals and conservatives … Republicans and Democrats … conservative Christians and others. Hypocrisy continues to be alive and well amongst our repressed (and repressive) brethren. PTL.
And so, it is done. UConn started a little bit slow, but gained momentum and seriously outplayed Louisville for the 3rd time in as many meetings this year. Louisville looked good at the start, but couldn’t sustain momentum against the smooth, efficient, disciplined Connecticut side. So they cap an undefeated season with a National Championship. Congratulations, Huskies! (Congratulations Dewd – our #1 household Huskie fan.)
Congrats to ML (aka Don) on winning it all. Cool to see that three of us were in the top 50 in the whole danged NY Times pool. Not bad.
And kudos to Jeff and Gary for finishing second and third, respectively, in BOTH of our brackets. Amazing consistency there!
That’s what we’re doing this morning … bowing down to UNC, and bowing down to Mo! The Tarheels blew out Michigan State last night in a lop-sided contest that was never in doubt. (And some of us were actually quite thankful for that, as it gave us the opportunity to get to bed early!) As for Mo – after a slow start, he moved up steadily, had one brief glitch, and then took the lead for good in the final rounds of play, leaving Jeff and Gary to fight it out for 2nd and 3rd places.
As for the rest of the bracket, the biggest news I see is that Doris (dsabler) and Patti improved HUGELY on their finish last year, closing out the men’s madness in 4th and 7th places respectively. Meanwhile, HollyCornblog deftly avoided embarrassing herself (and the family) with a 13th place finish. Brigitte had a bad month (although the women’s side is looking better) and we still don’t know who teapock is. Oh well – there’s always next year!
Amazing game last night as the Louisville Cardinels took it to Oklahoma and are moving on to the national championship game. Angel McCoughtry came back after a dismal first half and scored 14 of her 18 points in the second frame as she helped her team put away the Sooners. Now they have the dubious pleasure of facing the UConn Huskies in the final – after the Huskies (led by the incomparable Renee Montgomery) summarily dispatched Stanford in the late game.
I am left wondering about Courtney Paris’ fitness – as she seemed gassed for much of the Louisville/Oklahoma game. It’s tough to see her so upset – but I hope she takes this experience and realizes that there’s a lot she can do to optimize her talents and make a difference in these outcomes.
In terms of our pool – it looks like ML may have it sewed up (nice work, Don). I must admit to some relief as I drop out of first place – proving that all those thinly veiled accusations of fixing the brackets (Alice) are false! Holly and Doris – clearly, ffootball is your forte! 😉
On the soccer front, the Breakers played a nice game, with a few lapses – one of which gave Tiffeny Milbrett the opportunity to score the winning goal in the 78th minute. Here are the WPS power rankings as of yesterday. I was v3ery impressed with FC Gold Pride – and in particular FC Gold Pride’s other Tiffany – Tiffany Weimer (coming out of Penn State). She was doing some magical things out there! In the earlier game yesterday, the Sol got their second win of the new season, shutting out Sky Blue FC on the strength of two Marta goals! And speaking of Marta … here’s a wonderful piece from the NY Times Magazine about her!
You can listen here to Tony DiCicco and Kelly Smith at the Breakers’ post game press conference. (Also FC Gold Pride … interesting stuff!)
The Chicago Red Stars beat the St. Louis Athletica in front of @5,000 fans at their season opener. Lindsay Tarpley tallied the goal in the 78th minute for the Red Stars in this defensive battle.
Much as I hate the MatchTracker feature for the USWNT (only because I hate it that so few of their games are televised) … I love it that the fledgling WPS has given us this tool for tracking games in real time. Today, if you can’t watch the Breakers on Fox Soccer Channel, you can track them here – and you can also follow Sky Blue FC vs. the Sol (at 4PM, ET). I know I’ll be on my computer for the earlier match-up – so this is very cool!
Oh yes – and then there’s Twitter – for streaming updates. Gotta see if I can find out who’s Tweeting today …
First off – kudos to Michigan State on moving on to the final with a hard won win over UConn. They will now face UNC for it all.
Yes. UNC. Not only did they shoot the lights out, but they also prevented Villanova from getting anything going, pretty much. A couple of flurries – one of which brought the Wildcats within 5, but from the get go UNC looked in charge. (And did I mention that they shot the lights out?)
And, yes, kudos to Mo …
Hats off to Mo, who tops our list
And will not be dislodged
He’s Number 1, in case you missed
The facts just can’t be dodged
He’s won the bracket fair and square
We’ll send him all his bucks
Says JordanCornblog, “I don’t care,”
“I think March Madness sucks!”
Man oh man oh man – here’s Glenn Beck making fun of Obama’s Aunt – and a bunch of other people, too. This is why I’ve been staying away from the news in favor of b-ball and soccer. What a hateful, useless tool!
Isn’t this the dude who was recently weeping about how much he loves the US? Yup – check it out below. What a fake! Is there no end to the right’s crass wackiness?? Guess not.
Best to laugh and not get tweaked – there just isn’t enough time.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3Ebo4UhloU
So back to the soccer and b-ball. ‘Nova upsets UNC (and pretty much everyone with a bracket except Tyler and me) tonight.
Also, the Red Stars play the Athletica in game 2 of the new WPS season. (The Athletica travel to Boston for the Breakers’ home opener next Saturday at Harvard Stadium!) Tomorrow the Breakers play FC Gold Pride (complete with Brandi Chastain and Tiffeny Milbrett) out on the left coast. This one is televised (6PM ET on Fox Soccer – Glenn Beck will NOT be involved in any way). The LA Sol travel east to meet Sky Blue FC in what should be a great offensive battle.
Congratulations, Don – as Penn State came through and eliminated Baylor to win the NIT last night. Hopefully we’ll see ’em next year in the NCAA tournament! Speaking of which … is everyone ready for the upcoming Villanova upset of UNC? Mo? Are you out there?
On the soccer front we’ve got a nice preview of this Saturday’s match-up between the St. Louis Athletica and the Chicago Red Stars. They have the distinction of being the second WPS game .. the rest being slated for Sunday. With Solo in goal and Chalupa and Lisa Stoia in the mix, I have to give the edge to The Athletica. (Sorry, Boltgirl – but take heart – I was entirely wrong about the Freedom-Sol match up!)
Oops – out of time here. Sorry (I got distracted).
It’s also very misty, as the bare, early-April trees are slowly defined by the soft grey, eastern light this morning.
I’m having trouble focusing on news of the world … or the nation even, these days. So am letting it go for now. Just don’t expect anything other than soccer or b-ball here for the next bit, okay? (In case you hadn’t realized that already.) I’ll get back to a wee bit more balance in a week or so … or so.
In the meantime, in the best news by far of the day, here’s Beulah’s post about Sunday’s match between the LA Sol and the DC Freedom. If you aren’t a soccer fan … just don’t get it … read this. It’s a big part of what started getting me hooked early on! And here are some video highlights from that match (from the WPS site.)
Here’s a nice piece from The Globe profiling Breakers’ defender Heather Mitts. Interesting to note that she’s engaged to Eagles’ Quarterback AJ Feeley (so my money’s on a move to Philly for the 2010 season). If you want to see Heather in Breakers’ blue, best to do it this year!
And to close – some apt lines from Robert Frost for today … from Two Tramps in Mudtime …
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You’re one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you’re two months back in the middle of March.
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!
JordanCornblog 