The news of Natasha Richardson is so sobering and shocking and sad … what can happen in a split second. My heart goes out to the family. Ugh.
Reading about that, I don’t have the stomach for AIG or soccer or basketball this morning. Not at the moment, at least. I’ll come back to it. I’m sure.
Still, the sun rises, cars start, lunches are packed, dogs race outside to explore the new smells of the morning.
Meanwhile, people grieve and wait.
All across the world, the same. The tragic and the mundane, side by side everywhere.
So have you made your picks yet? Sign up here for the men’s bracket and here for the women’s. Click the link and then click “Join this group.” You need to be logged in to your NY Times account for it to work. If you have problems, post a comment and I’ll try to help. Join the fun …
Oh, and you’ve gotta have it done before the games start – no latecomers this year (the NY Times is in control, not me!) 😉
ChristopherCornblog sent along this interesting bit of strategy for Obama and Congress .. basically, ignore the GOP. I kinda like the sound of that – but doubt that Obama will go for it.
And AIG? I think that the names and photos of every single person accepting a bonus should be published in newspapers, on the web, in People magazine … maybe in Post Offices, too.
I want to see who these folks are who feel that they should be receiving this cash in the midst of everything that is happening in the economy. I want their faces – and names – and maybe some basic personal information (education, job title, hobbies) plastered all over the media.
Maybe they should be required to appear on The Daily Show for brief interviews with Jon Stewart, too. Yeah, I like that.
Every last one of them should have lots of publicity … I really want to know who they are. Let’s make ’em famous.
As you gear up for March Madness, check out this great women’s basketball time-line – from Helen Wheelock of Women’sBasketballOnline.com.
Looking at the time-line that runs through the ’70’s makes me feel a whole lot better about losing to the West Chester State freshman team year after year after year.
And check out this article by Senda Berenson, presented at a conference at Springfield College in 1899 and published in 1903, on “Basketball for Women.”
Now, picture Maya Moore … what a distance has been traveled!
The Men’s bracket is up and some folks (you know who you are) have already made their picks. The women’s bracket will be finalized this evening. Then we have a couple of days to get everything set before the games are off and running. I’m using the NYTimes Brackets this year – we’ll see how it goes. Having some trouble figuring out how to set up some folks who don’t have e-mail currently … but I think I may have it licked.
On the AIG front, the outrage continues (and grows). Robert Reich has a nice, albeit disturbing, summation of the situation on the Huffington Post.
This sordid story of government helplessness in the face of massive taxpayer commitments illustrates better than anything to date why the government should take over any institution that’s “too big to fail” and which has cost taxpayers dearly. Such institutions are no longer within the capitalist system because they are no longer accountable to the market. So to whom should they be accountable? When taxpayers have put up, and essentially own, a large portion of their assets, AIG and other behemoths should be accountable to taxpayers. When our very own Secretary of the Treasury cannot make stick his decision that AIG’s bonuses should not be paid, only one conclusion can be drawn: AIG is accountable to no one. Our democracy is seriously broken.
I would love to see the Administration step in and call their bluff. Just say No! Maybe the politicians will have to listen to the “populist surge” and take a stand. I like this new kind of “surge” and hope that Obama will use his skills to harness it and help him do what needs to be done. (And my fear is that the GOP could catch the wave and steer it into obstructionist nastiness if we’re not careful.) The Administration needs to continue along the lines described in this piece … relative to these obscene bonuses … and pursue “every legal means to deal with it,” as Christina Romer stated on Meet the Press yesterday.
In women’s soccer, Sky Blue FC defeated the Washington Freedom in a friendly this past weekend (3/14 to be exact). The score was 1-0 – and Tasha Kai scored the game winner. (Love the picture – not the usual Kai fare.)
I also see that the Sol defeated FC Gold Pride 2-0. Marta wasn’t there for the Sol but I noticed a couple of familiar names on the Gold Pride roster … Brandi Chastain and Tiffeny Milbrett. It’ll be interesting to see if they make the final cut. (Probably would be good for ticket sales if they did – but not sure what their soccer abilities are these days …)
Yeah, I don’t know about you, but the news that AIG executives are receiving millions in bonuses today just sounds downright crazy. Apparently they are saying that they are contractually obligated to pay the bonuses this year … and will work on less distasteful and exhorbitant ways to compensate their staff in the future.
“We cannot attract and retain the best and brightest talent to lead and staff the AIG businesses, which are now being operated principally on behalf of the American taxpayers _ if employees believe their compensation is subject to continued and arbitrary adjustment by the U.S. Treasury,” Liddy said.
Best and brightest, eh? Well, nice work so far, guys. And you know what? You wouldn’t be getting any damn compensation if the U.S. Treasury hadn’t stepped in – so suck it up!
Apparently they are worried that they would face lawsuits if they didn’t go through with the bonuses. I say do something principled … and then let the suits follow (if, indeed, they do). I would like to see individuals step forward and allow their names to be publicized, along with their claims that they need these bonuses while unemployment soars and people struggle to put food on the table.
It’s beyond outrageous. People everywhere are losing jobs, taking pay cuts … where does the greed stop? What is in people’s hearts and minds, when they insist on their millions in bonuses? What is in people’s hearts and minds when they say they have to pay out these amounts? I know that bonuses are built in to the system of compensation for these folks. But you know what … the expectation of having a job was built into the “system of compensation” for lots of people, too! As I said earlier, suck it up, guys. Whining from your quarter is very, very unattractive at the moment!
I hadn’t read From a Left Wing for awhile, but checked it out yesterday and came upon this harrowing story about the rape and murder of Eudy Simelane, a South African soccer player and lesbian/feminist activist.
Her brutal murder took place last April, and since then a tide of violence against lesbian women in South Africa has continued to rise. Human rights campaigners say it is characterised by what they call “corrective rape” committed by men behind the guise of trying to “cure” lesbian women of their sexual orientation.
Now, a report by the international NGO ActionAid, backed by the South African Human Rights Commission, condemns the culture of impunity around these crimes, which it says are going unrecognised by the state and unpunished by the legal system.
The trial apparently took place in February – and here is the only report that I have been able to find (so far) on the outcome, which was quite disappointing in that the judge apparently did not recognize that there is a systemic/socio-cultural issue at play.
Mpithi was sentenced to 18 years for murder, 15 yrs for robbery and 9 yrs for being an accomplice to rape. The first 10 yrs of the 15yrs of robbery will run concurrently with the 18yrs of murder. This means he is sentenced to 32 yrs less the time already spent in jail from April 28.
As activists and the Simelane family left the courtroom on the last day of Mpithi’s trial, too many mixed reactions were expressed. The 32 year sentence seems acceptable given legal precedents’ in our country. The fact that Judge Mavundla found “no significance” in Mpithi’s crime, he failed to recognise that lesbians do face rape and murder in South Africa. Activists hope that this aspect will be more prominent in the case against the other three accused as Eudy Simelane was known to one or more of them.
Most alarming were the reports from the activists and others who attended court on the threats received from the co-accused friends. Over a dozen lesbians especially from Kwa-Thema reported that young men were heard threatening things like “no matter what transpires in court, we are going to eliminate lesbians and gays” – in vulgar Zulu words. Not only lesbians and gays, but general supporters of the Simelane family and human rights defenders are now in fear that they will be targeted.
I’ll keep looking for more information about this … and add Black Looks to my links – for ongoing news … and move on to other matters for now.
For one, here’s the Jon Stewart vs Jim Cramer episode of The Daily Show from last week. Jon does it again – not letting the media off the hook for its complicity and laziness!
Nearly time for the tourney picks. Men tonight, women tomorrow. The women’s tournament finals wind up today. Following is the women’s b-ball schedule, as we know it, through the women’s final! Stay tuned to JordanCornblog as the brackets come out and the Madness begins!
SUNDAY, MARCH 15
MEAC Championship (tape delayed) 10:00am ESPNU
Horizon League Championship 12:00 ESPNU
Big 12 Tournament Championship 12:30 Fox Sports Net
NEC Championship 2:00 ESPNU
CAA Tournament Championship 2:30 Comcast SportsNet/CSS
Big South Championship 3:00 SportSouth
MVC Tournament Final 3:05 Fox/Comcast/Metro Sports
America East Championship 6:00 New England Sports Net
Pac-10 Conference Championship 8:00 Fox Sports Net
MONDAY, MARCH 16
Selection Monday 6:00 ESPN/ESPNU (extended telecast)
TUESDAY, MARCH 17
NCAA Women’s Championship Special 6:00 ESPN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1
2009 McDonald’s All American Game 4:30 ESPNU
TUESDAY, APRIL 6
NCAA Tournament Championship 7:30 ESPN
I was very surprised to see that Oklahoma got knocked out of their Tourney … and while it’s been very hard for me to root for anyone/anything from Texas (except the Dixie Chicks) since Dubya reared his ugly head … I have to say that Texas A&M is a team that I have come to like a lot. They are feisty, scrappy – great defense – and I’m really liking Gary Blair!
Wow – the sun is gorgeous, coming up over the eastern horizon this morning. (Horizon is one of those words that I can’t for the life of me seem to remember how to spell. Every time I come to the last syllable, I make the wrong choice and put an “e” in there instead of an “o.” Gotta come up with a way to remember.
Today our piano is leaving the house (not under its own steam, mind you). This was a scenario (another word I often misspell .. why do I keep USING these words???) that I used to fantasize about as a kid. The piano disappearing. Tortured for years by piano lessons I was never ready for and always felt slightly humiliated and depressed by … it would have been so cool to see it rolling out of the house on Park Road. Ah, the liberation!
Now it’s more a matter of practicality. We want to have an additional way to warm things up on cold winter days – and the piano now sits in front of the opening for the chimney. So, out it goes. The piano tuner said that it was built 103 or 106 years ago … and at this point would require extensive repairs to come up to snuff. So giving it away to continue its life as a piano didn’t make sense. Instead, it’ll be dismantled … and probably contribute toward various creative and interesting projects undertaken by our friend and neighbor Russel.
As I write, I can find myself starting to feel a little bit guilty. It wasn’t the piano that I was mad at … it was my parents. Poor piano … the object of so much pre-adolescent and adolescent venom … now being cast out after years of disheartening neglect. Oh the guilt!
Anyway – the deed is happening soon – and I’m gonna try out videotaping part of the enterprise with my new Flip Video – then posting the video somewhere so I can get it onto the blog. Stay tuned – this is going to be some kind of exciting!
If you’re in Utah in May, check out the USWNT playing Japan on 5/23 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City! That should be an excellent match-up. Wish they’d show it on TV!
B-ball is heating up (and I have NO idea what is going on, to be honest). Brackets will be out Sunday night and Monday night … if you’re reading this and want to play along with our in-house pool you’re welcome – just leave a comment and I’ll e-mail you! It’s fun – and I NEVER win.
Finally – check out Google Voice (coming soon). Looks to be a handy tool!
Nope – but Lucinda Williams kept me up too late at the Capital Center for the Arts. That’s my excuse today.
She gave an excellent concert … although we were very curious about what she was drinking up there … not that it really mattered.
Her band – which played some opening songs alone (they are Buick 6) was great (IMHO) and Lucinda’s new CD sounds awesome. But I must stop gushing and head off to work.
Other randomness …
Wonder what Bernie Madoff is feeling like this morning?
And I don’t know about you, but I think the shoe thrower should get a book deal, not jail time.
Oh yeah – and how about the break-up of Bristol and her BF? I predict she’ll break away and become a Democrat before all is said and done.
No internet this morning – and of course my e-mail account problem has still not been addressed, despite much time spent on hold listening to muzak … and many e-mails at varying pitches of irateness.
You know how Bush kinda made Nixon look better? FairPoint has had the same effect on my feelings toward Verizon.
So anyway – this is a very quick post from a non-FairPoint connection – to vent and to let you know (if you don’t already) that the USWNT fell to Sweden on PK’s at the Algarve. Congratulations to Sweden on a very well-played match. Also, congratulations to Hope Solo who was named tournament MVP … and who kept the USWNT in yesterday’s game, from what I could tell.
Check out some of the soccer links in the sidebar for more info … and write to FairPoint to complain about JordanCornblog’s sketchy post this morning!
Okay, of that group, which one(s) would you put your money on?
Citi had a good day and the market bounced … meanwhile, Newsweek has put out a great piece outlining the warring amongst the rich – a greed-fed battle they dub “the war between the estates.”
In the past two years, since the market peaked, investors have suffered some $11 trillion in stock losses. Of course, stock ownership is more widely spread today than it has been in the past. But wealth is also much more concentrated than it has been at any point since the 1920s. And so while all ships are swamped by a rising tidal wave, some of the yachts have suffered the most damage. The worst of the losses haven’t been in mutual funds and college-savings programs that cater to the middle class. No, when it comes to lighting piles of money on fire, blowing up assets, and generally causing financial carnage, the rich have been going at one another ferociously.
I know it’s petty and unwise .. but somehow the above makes me feel a little bit better about what is happening. I do hope that Bush and Cheney … and all their evil minions … are taking hard, hard hits where it hurts.
Speaking of the rich … UConn rolled on last night, beating Louisville in what can only be termed a “decisive” fashion. We’ll see Louisville again, thankfully, as they did not look like themselves against the Huskies. (The Huskies, on the other hand, looked very much like themselves.)
If you’re a women’s b-ball fan and a Twitter aficionado, follow Rebecca Lobo on Twitter for the latest – should be interesting during the tournament.
Here’s the write-up of Sweden’s win over Germany in Nordic Football News (where the Damallsvenskan Newsblog has moved – gotta update my links!). I’m hoping the US can do a bit more on the scoring front (especially as it looks like Sweden is on a roll on offense).
Stay tuned … and after this it’s clear sailing to the start-up of the WPS. The opening game features the Sol vs. the Freedom (that’s Abby vs. Marta) on Sunday night 3/29/09. This is right in the heat of March Madness … so have your DVR’s fired up folks – and get ready to be sleep deprived!
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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