Russ Feingold is going to be introducing a proposed amendment to the US Constitution that will require special elections to fill vacated Senate seats. Some states already do this by State law – and Feingold’s amendment would require all to do so. He states:
“The controversies surrounding some of the recent gubernatorial appointments to vacant Senate seats make it painfully clear that such appointments are an anachronism that must end. In 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution gave the citizens of this country the power to finally elect their senators. They should have the same power in the case of unexpected mid term vacancies, so that the Senate is as responsive as possible to the will of the people. I plan to introduce a constitutional amendment this week to require special elections when a Senate seat is vacant, as the Constitution mandates for the House, and as my own state of Wisconsin already requires by statute. As the Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee, I will hold a hearing on this important topic soon.”
Given recent messes, it sounds like a good idea to me – although on the face of it, this would be a significant additional expense for some already strapped State budgets. Still, democracy is not cheap … and is feeling especially worth it these days! 😉
And who knew that it wasn’t ’til 1913 that the popular election of Senators was Constitutionally mandated?!
Back to the Inauguration … check out this photo of President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address by David Bergman. Absolutely amazing! See if you can find your friends in the crowd … and how about Cheney’s scowl and black hat? Nice! (And here’s a posting from Bergman’s blog – about how he did it.)
I’ve been exploring Global Post with keen personal interest these days in happenings in Africa! I loved this highly practical and very hopeful story illustrating the transformative and empowering effect of the entrepreneurial spirit coupled with capital in Kenya.
Traditionally, loan payments have been the headache of the privileged, and most African banks have for decades cautiously hewn toward the elite side of the continent’s socio-economic divide. But, on the plots of small-holder farmers across Kenya, there is evidence that all of that is changing.
By catering to the millions of rural Kenyans living on a few dollars a day or less – people long considered too risky and too poor for banks to consider – a bank called Equity Bank has managed to build itself into the third biggest bank in the country, with 3 million customers.
“We are able to know exactly what a potential customer is looking for,” said Esther Muiruri, a manager with Equity. “We are able to reach the un-bankable. We have branches all over the place. We are also using IT – mobile phones and ATMs – so that we are able to reach as many as possible.”
Finally – don’t forget Louisville-UConn women’s basketball tonight at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2. (And sorry about inaccuracies yesterday’s listing … I guess there were some schedule changes.) Boy – Auburn sure took it to Tennessee, eh?
Here’s Coach Summitt in happier days … dressed as a cheerleader and singing Rocky Top …
It feels like Alaska here in NH this morning – and so my thoughts turn naturally to Sarah Palin. She is a busy gal, you betcha.
Everyone’s read, if they follow her at all, about how she is blaming the press for the public’s perceptions of her … and stepping up to protect her family from those evil liberal journalists (and that darned Katie Couric in particular).
Apparently whales aren’t as lucky – our Sarah is working hard to throw the big guys under the proverbial bus in favor of gas and oil producers. Specifically, she is fighting additional protections mandated under the Endangered Species Act for the Beluga Whale … scientific evidence be damned!
From the ridiculous to the sublime …we move on to Michelle Obama and a cool-looking site I just came upon called Michelle Obama Watch. It looks like it’s a site where readers can offer commentary on things having to do with our First Lady. Let’s watch it!
Meanwhile, President Obama is talking turkey to the GOP … not being divisive, mind you, but very clear and very direct. I love it (in my still-slightly-divisive little heart of hearts!
Speaking of hearts, check out this musical blessing to Barack Obama and his new Presidency from the Portsmouth-based a Capella group Voices from the Heart. (Thanks, Paula R, for sharing this …are you in the video? I didn’t see you – at least not on the first try!)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dgQFG3HCjU
No football today … have you noticed? We do, however, have some good women’s college b-ball games. Maybe Pat Summit will win #999 today! It’s a tough match-up against Nell Fortner’sundefeated Auburn team … on a sad day … on ESPNU at 2PM ET! Then there’s UNC- Maryland tonight.
SUNDAY, 1/25/09
Georgia Tech at Duke
12:00
Fox Sports Net/Comcast Sportsnet/New England Sports Network
I added a new site to my links: She’s a Baller – all things having to do with women’s b-ball. In the course of doing that, I saw the sad news that Kay Yow has died at age 66, after a long battle with Breast cancer.
Yow had a record of 737-344 in 38 years — 34 years with the Wolfpack — in a career filled with countless milestones. She coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1988, won four Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships, earned 20 NCAA tournament bids and reached the Final Four in 1998.
She also was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2002, while the school dedicated “Kay Yow Court” in Reynolds Coliseum in 2007.
But for many fans, Yow was best defined by her unwavering resolve while fighting cancer, from raising awareness and money for research to staying with her team through the debilitating effects of the disease and chemotherapy treatments.
NC State’s Monday game against Wake Forest has been postponed until February 10.
– the infamous gag rule that pulled funding from health care providers who offered (or even just talked about) certain health care options for women. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. Obama’s Day Three … was a mixed bag, reminding me that change is a process … and you can’t please all the people all the time.
The puzzling William Lynn nomination is a good example – and one that I am willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt on. He’s too smart a guy to nominate someone who clearly doesn’t meet the standards of his newly-minted ethics guidelines … unless there’s a really good reason. It would be beyond bone-headed – and worthy of the previous administration, but not this one. So I’m holding off on the criticism … unlike our old friend John McCain, who felt the need to weigh in. He’s got every right to weigh in – and I just wish he’d done a little more of it when the Bushies were looting and pillaging.
Oh well … on to soccer .. where I see that Brandi Chastain (at age 40) is returning to the pitch for the Bay Area WPS franchise. Briana Scurry is also playing (for the Washington Freedom) … making these two the only Founding members of the WUSA who are continuing into the WPS, if I’m not mistaken. Here’s a pdf of the Complete Draft results (suitable for framing). Old news, I know – but maybe you didn’t see it before. Sheesh!
And speaking of soccer – here’s an interesting new blog/podcast site – Women’s Soccer Show. Picking up on Boltgirl’s WPS LGBT theme, here’s what Women’s Soccer Show has to say about the signing of Johanna Frisk with the LA Sol. Their first podcast is an intro to the WPS, the site, and an interview with Tim Vickery re. Marta and the breakthrough that she represents for women’s football in Brazil.
Finally, on the women’s college basketball front, we have the following on today’s plate …
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24 (REMEMBER – ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL!)
Navy at Army
11:00am
ESPNU
Kansas State at Kansas
11:00am
Fox Sports Net
Texas State at Lamar
1:00
KWCE/WBTR/KFDM/KTBU/KVHP/KKYK/WVUE/CH 17/KPXJ/MYTX/Time Warner
St. John’s at West Virginia
1:00
Big East Sports Network
Arizona at Arizona State
1:00
Fox Sports Net
Baylor at Texas Tech
1:00
Fox Sports Net
Missouri State at Wichita State
2:00
Missouri Cable Sports Network
University of the Incarnate Word at Saint Mary’s (TX)
2:00
CBS College Sports
Ohio State at Purdue
4:00
ESPN2
North Carolina at Maryland
6:00
ESPN2
UConn at Cincinnati
6:00
CPTV
Georgetown at South Florida
6:00
BHSN
Iowa State at Nebraska
8:00
Fox Sports Net
That Navy vs Army match up will be of interest to NH aficionados as it’s an opportunity to see Megan Evans play. That’s Megan Evans the former Mascoma HS standout and now a senior at West Point. From Class M to D1 – not bad, Megan!
I can’t believe that I am doing this … but I feel moved to add the White House website to the links here in the JordanCornblog sidebar. I feel moved to explore the site, read the blog, check it all out periodically. What is happening? As someone who grew up in the sixties and came of age during Watergate, I hardly know myself.
Meanwhile, the drama around Hillary’s Senate replacement seems to be drawing to a close as the Huffington Post and other sources are reporting that Governor Paterson will be announcing the appointment of Kirsten Gillibrand (D-Hudson) today. It’s been an amazingly disjointed and confusing process … as evidenced by the Huffington piece which cites lots of conflicting reports, even through last night. While not attaining the heady reaches of the Blago-sphere, Governor Paterson’s performance in this regard has certainly been something-less-than-stellar.
In our Rachel Maddow fashion feature (something we seem to be slightly fixated on at the moment) it’s noteworthy that she lost the turtleneck last night. Too bad, we say. It’s a good look (although one should definitely consider the source when weighing JordanCornblog fashion statements). On Maddow’s site, we see that Susan Mikula has an important show titled Sic transit at the Chelsea Gallery. CB … could you please go check it out? 😉
In soccer “stuff” we have an interview with Hope Solo (now a brunette, apparently) by Andrea Canales. As you can see from the following excerpt, clearly Hope is into Change (watchwords for this period, eh)?
I’m just excited for a change. I’m at that point in my career, I’m 27, where I just want something different. Going in, I don’t know what to expect. I have a Brazilian coach. He doesn’t speak English. I have a Brazilian goalkeeper coach, and he too doesn’t speak English. I’ve heard his style is completely different than anything I’ve ever seen. As much as it’s going to be interesting – I’m happy to have something new, because I think change is good. Check out the hair color.
Last, but not by any means least, Pat Summit’s Lady Vols gave her her 998th win with a 76-67 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Time is flying by and I am late (a too-predictable refrain these winter mornings). I’d been on a roll with getting up and exercising so far this week, but a late night spelled a late rising this morning. So I’ll see the treadmill tomorrow, but not today. Maybe I’ll hit the bike tonight … not that you need all this detail.
A few tidbits of news … before I head out.
The WNT Blog has a nice piece titled “Yes We Can” celebrating the inauguration and sharing some players’ thoughts. I’m still hoping that Obama will invite Pia and the USWNT to the White House … an invitation that I imagine Pia would not turn down. (But I also imagine that Obama’s mind is on a few other things these days.)
I watched Maddow last night – most of the way through – and found myself wondering how she’s tolerating all the make up. They really ramped it up last night … as her star continues to ascend, how much will she be morphing, I wonder? And also … has she been on Ellen yet? (I’d Google it, but need to wrap this up, so will just leave the question out there.)
Caroline Kennedy apparently withdrew her name, then didn’t, then did again. I am glad. It seemed a shaky enterprise – and it would be a shame on many fronts – a shame to see her put through a wringer – and a shame for the Democrats to lose that seat in the next election (something that seemed kinda likely). I like the idea of Caroline as Ambassador to some nice European country … if she really wants to serve.
And … the women’s b-ball schedule for tonight (Central Time) for those who get these channels. Maybe you can watch Pat continue to inch her way toward her 1000th win!
I can’t. Went to bed last night thinking, “Here I am trundling off at 10PM worried about being tired in the morning … and stressing about the 8 or 14 or 19 things on my plate that need more or less immediate attention. Meanwhile, Barack and Michelle have about 7 more balls to attend …” You get the picture.
So, yesterday … amazing. At the Red River Theatres in Concord, we watching the festivities on the big screen and I felt a bit of what Stephen described in his comment yesterday. Especially felt it when I stood with others there and sang the Star Spangled Banner and felt something akin to pride … certainly hope. And definitely not the cringing shame that has been more usual over recent decades (with occasional sparks of something slightly more positive). Yup … yesterday … amazing.
Also, for those who didn’t see it, here’s an Inaugural message from Michael Moore (shared by Alice yesterday in her comment – thanks!).
Other things that stood out – seeing that Cheney-bot rolled out onto the platform. What a shriveled, nasty-looking husk of a man, eh? Contrasted with the clear-eyed vitality of Obama, Bush looked like the vague and shallow frat boy that he is, and Cheney looked just miserable.
We all pretty much stuck around at the theater watching ’til we were sure the Bushies were actually gone. The sight of that helicopter taking off may have gotten nearly as much applause and cheering as any other part of the ceremony. It was a real “Wizard of Oz” moment – felt like saying good by to a couple of Wicked Witches … and good riddance.
Speaking of witches … anybody see Condi there? I don’t remember glimpsing her. Puzzling woman. The real scoop on Condi would make interesting reading as I’m sure there are some pretty wild psychological twists that put her obvious talent and intelligence in the service of evil and incompetence.
At any rate … hi ho, hi ho .. it’s off to work I go. (From the Wiz to Snow White? Please god, no more Disneyish allusions today!) Okay … I’m just happy to be starting a new day on a NEW DAY … but will try to be more grown up about it!
I begin with this poem by novelist and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. She read it in All Things Considered yesterday, and you can give it a listen here!
U Being U
U Being U
Mr. President-Elect
Makes me wanna get MY stuff
correct
I feel like starting with something RADICAL
Like,
Love my Neighbor
Like share what I’ve got
Like think for myself
Like ask the hard questions
Like lean toward the good and help keep the peace
U being U
Makes me wanna do something new
Like Go Green, or at least try to.
You being you, Mr. President-Elect
Makes me want to look on others with respect
Makes me wanna
practice Radical Inclusion, you know,
Open my heart wide, especially in the presence of folks who
Are not like me, you know,
work to see my Brother
In the Other
You make me want to entertain all my far-out ideas
Make me wanna represent the race, as in the human race,
And know that, like You, I too am Prized.
And to those who say yr a Magic Negro,
I love them just the same
And my love helps us weave a United States.
Mr. President,
Heaven sent
Since heaven is just a place where possibility
becomes possible
And where hostility
holsters
its hostile,
I feel like picking up the trash in the park or on the beach
I think I’ll teach, and learn, from all I meet
I think I’ll apologize in person for all our faults
and try to make amends for our shortcomings
And also, I think,
I’ll brag,
Just a little bit,
About how cool We The People are
Oh, I just had to sing you a little something
Because you,
Mr. President,
You are embarking with Us on an awesome and beautiful
And potentially perilous journey
And so I am giving you
All the Love
All the Love
All the Love
All the Love
Mr. President
That I’ve got
Because I believe
In the dream
And I am ready
To wake up
And live it.
The only other piece of news I wanted to highlight today is the fact that apparently Dick Cheney will be in a wheelchair for the inauguration. He threw out his back while moving some boxes. Interesting. My hope for the soon-to-be-former VP is that, unless and until he is either tried for or owns his evildoing, his subconscious continues to wreak havoc on his body. If justice has to come in the form of wrenched backs, so be it.
PS That goes for Bush, Rummy, and others whose comeuppance will surely be coming, one way or another.
But for now, let’s just roll Dick in (because he certainly shouldn’t miss this) … and celebrate that 1/20/09 is finally here!
Today is the birthday of Edgar Allen Poe – who I am sure would respond with even more of his trademark melancholy than usual to the Ravens’ defeat. Good excuse for a bender, I’m guessing! (And I sure hope Willis McGahee is okay after that hard hit late in the game last night!)
Today is also the 34th anniversary of the death of my mother … who wouldn’t have cared a whit about the Eagles’ loss (or would have taunted DaddyCornblog in his disappointment). MommyCornblog – a character worthy of Poe at his best, most days. Let’s just leave it at that.
Yeah – today marks a point of change.
Bring it, I say, bring it!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTYIE2-uODg
The invocation … with interesting comments on the YouTube page. Of course there is still work to be done …
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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