New York voters take note! Blogger Bo Lipari cites that over 1.5 million New York State voters have been purged. His blog’s subhead reads “Commentary on Election Integrity Issues in New York State and the Nation”. He accessed raw data through the Freedom of Information Act and studied it minutely. Perhaps others will follow suit in other swing states. I’d strongly recommend that NY State voters access this blog entry. They can learn now whether they have been wrongly purged from voter lists, and what they can do about it. And if you have friends in New York, would you pass this along?
I quote Lipari: “The data reveals that New York State has moved 1,661,244, or almost 14% of the voter records, from “Active” status to “Purged” or “Inactive”, meaning they will not be in the poll books on Election Day. Whether or not these changes are valid is anybody’s guess, and there’s no way to know for sure how many of these have been incorrectly removed from “Active” status. But I’ll wager that a significant number of these records are actually legally registered voters who should be allowed to vote on Election Day, but won’t be. I’ve provided two spreadsheets which break out the analysis by individual New York State counties, totals for New York City(which includes the counties of New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, and Richmond (Staten Island), and the state as a whole.” These can be downloaded from his blog.
News of such widespread inefficiency and fraud makes me feel this is the most important problem to rectify before we rely on popular votes versus electoral votes. It’s hard enough to monitor swing states with our current system of inequities and mistakes. Think of how much harder it would be at present to examine every voting site! If I’m showing bad logic or bad ethics, by all means speak up. And I hope you’ll leave a comment if you know of other efforts to keep voting accurate and fair.
Obama is leaving the trail, as I’m sure you’ve all read by now, to be with his seriously ill grandmother in Hawaii. His sense of proportion is admirable, and I wish him and his family well.
On a more upbeat note – my e-mail brought me this great piece from the NY Times this morning – A Pundit in the Country – all about Rachel Maddow at home. (Thanks, mld! Are you catching her show? 9PM – MSNBC!)
And from Alison, this brief but important message from our kids …
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxvHkFLmqRk
And this rather surprising plug for Obama. (Who knew The Gipper was still out there stumping!?)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqfedYAAGEI
Then on The Huffington Post we have Jon Stewart saying F- You to Sarah Palin after her comments about small town America being the Pro-America America. (Yikes, that’s an awful lot of America!) The video’s sound quality isn’t very good – but you’ll quickly get the gist!
As you can see, I’m not overburdened with writing ideas this morning. Enjoy the day!
This morning a friend sent me this excellent “memo” that has been making the rounds on the Internet. You’ll have to check it out!
Dear Red States,
We’re ticked off at the way you’ve treated California , and we’ve decided we’re leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we’re taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren’t aware, that includes Hawaii ,Oregon, Washington , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan, Illinois and all of the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.
To sum up briefly:
You get Texas , Oklahoma and all the slave states.
We get stem cell research and the best beaches.
We get Nancy Pelosi. You get Sarah Palin.
We get the Statue of Liberty.
You get WalMart.
We get Intel and Microsoft.
You get WorldCom.
We get Harvard.
You get Ole’ Miss.
We get 85 percent of America ‘s venture capital and entrepreneurs.
You get Alabama.
We get two-thirds of the tax revenue.
You get to make the red states pay their fair share.
Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition’s, we get a bunch of happy families.
You get a bunch of single moms.
Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we’re going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they’re apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don’t care if you don’t show pictures of their children’s caskets coming home.
We do wish you success in Iraq , and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we’re not willing to spend our resources in Bush’s Quagmire.
With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country’s fresh water, more than 90 percent of pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation’s fresh fruit, 95 percent of America’s quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.
With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all tele-evangelists,Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.
We get Hollywood and Yosemite , thank you.
Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we’re discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 percent say that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals than we lefties.
By the way, we’re taking the good pot, too. You can have that shit weed they grow in Mexico .
It was a good run, Red Sox … but now it’s up to the Phillies to take the devil out of those Rays, I guess. A rested Philadelphia team meets the Rays in Florida for game 1 on Wednesday night. Here’s hoping for either a good, exciting, long Series or (my personal favorite) a four game Phillies sweep! (Sorry Mo and Beeg!)
Lots and lots of news and musings on the political front this morning – and most of it not good from a McCain perspective. First, though, thanks, Alison, for your thoughtful comments about Colin Powell’s Obama endorsement. It’s not just the fact of the endorsement, but its substance that is so telling! Powell’s assessment of the tenor of the Straight Talker’s campaign is at once right-on and devastating.
Not surprisingly, the only response from the McCain camp is to assert, with statesman-like maturity, that “John McCain has been endorsed by more than 300 retired generals and admirals. That’s over 10 times more than what Senator Obama has received.”(Can you say, “Nah, na, na, Nah, Nah!?”)
On the health and medical records front, this New York Times article by Lawrence K. Altman, MD (yesterday’s Times) continues to flesh out the significant concerns that voters ought to have about Senator McCain’s health status – especially with Sarah Palin waiting in the wings.
And just how did Sarah get herself into the wings? Apparently, she and others had been working at it for some time – as described in The Insiders, a well-researched and revealing New Yorker article by Jane Mayer.
With just days to go before the Convention, the choices were slim. Karl Rove favored McCain’s former rival Mitt Romney, but enough animus lingered from the primaries that McCain rejected the pairing. “I told Romney not to wait by the phone, because ‘he doesn’t like you,’ ” Keene, who favored the choice, said. “With John McCain, all politics is personal.” Other possible choices-such as former Representative Rob Portman, of Ohio, or Governor Tim Pawlenty, of Minnesota-seemed too conventional. They did not transmit McCain’s core message that he was a “maverick.” Finally, McCain’s top aides, including Steve Schmidt and Rick Davis, converged on Palin. Ed Rogers, the chairman of B.G.R., a well-connected, largely Republican lobbying firm, said, “Her criteria kept popping out. She was a governor-that’s good. The shorter the Washington résumé the better. A female is better still. And then there was her story.” He admitted, “There was concern that she was a novice.” In addition to Schmidt and Davis, Charles R. Black, Jr., the lobbyist and political operative who is McCain’s chief campaign adviser, reportedly favored Palin. Keene said, “I’m told that Charlie Black told McCain, ‘If you pick anyone else, you’re going to lose. But if you pick Palin you may win.’ ” (Black did not return calls for comment.) Meanwhile, McCain’s longtime friend said, “Kristol was out there shaking the pom-poms.”
I had thought that Rove was the Palin cheerleader – but now the image of Kristol shaking the pom-poms is definitely going to linger!
From Kathleen and Gay Hendricks, on The Huffington Post, I was interested to read about McCain’s body language and what it reveals about his repressed fear. I was onto the repressed anger bit … but hadn’t considered fear. This is an interesting slant – especially as fear-mongering has been about the only thing the GOP has had going for it in recent memory.
Being cut off from fear or any emotion puts you out of integrity with yourself. As one our mentors, Jack Downing, M.D., put it, “Integrity glitches cause body twitches.” The source of John McCain’s odd display of twitches, jaw-clenches and chilly grins is a fault-line gap of integrity at the center of himself, a place where he has cut himself off from fear and the rest of us. He wants to become a super hero, The Man Without Fear. That’s not a bad idea for a cartoon, but in real life it would be a disaster. In real life, we need real heroes, people who are willing to acknowledge fear and look within it, to the gift it brings.
And finally, pursuing the vein of being “cut off” – The Huffington Post has links to several slide shows of “PDA Moments” between the four candidates and their respective spouses. I’ve linked to the Palin’s show first … and there you’ll find links to the other slide shows. Particularly striking was the lack of connection and warmth between John and Cindy … and what’s with all the injuries, Cindy? I’d feel bad for you … if you were nicer to your half-sister.
I’m also getting the feeling (after looking at the Palins together) that the First Dude has a lot more to do with the workings of the Governor’s office than they are letting on. They just look to me like one of those good Biblical Christian couples where the guy is the head of the household … blah, blah, blah, blah.
Meanwhile, the Bidens and the Obamas look like real people who actually enjoy each others company. (In fact, the Obamas actually needed TWO slide shows!) Imagine! Genuine affection! In the White House, no less!
This is more terrible news for “McCainiacs,” while giving Obama another big boost in the polls. It also goes some distance (IMHO) in rehabilitating Powell’s credentials as a person of substance and thoughtfulness.
Oh yeah, and I have to think that on some level, payback is sweet!
Guess we missed out on the basil this year! This morning there’s serious frost everywhere. Stern frost. Dour frost. A layer of it whitens the windows and powders the ground. The nasturtiums still look miraculously green, but the zinnias and cosmos are brown. November brown. This frost will disappear as the sun rises and warms the ground – but its work is done – the landscape is changed – we’re moving along toward winter for sure, now.
Whooo hooo Sox! Feels just like last year, doesn’t it? It was wonderful to see Jason Varitek – who’s finishing up a tough offensive year – come through with a homer when they really needed it. Their bats seem to be coming alive … just in the nick of time. Hang on, tonight decides it all. 8:07 PM. Be there!
And the Phillies await! (Heh, heh, heh! Rubs hands together and grins maniacally!)
Sarah Palin did her stint on SNL and I have to admit, they did a good job with it. It’s not gonna change anyone’s mind about anything (I pray) but it did get me smiling. (There’s video embedded with the link above … take a look!)
And Michele Bachmann? Wow. The Congresswoman from Minnesota has finally outed herself nationally as a wild-eyed, deep-thinking bellwether of anti-Americanism. Thank god that she has alerted us to Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and others who “detest America.” Wow – let’s look into moving to Minnesota so that we can vote for a true patriot! ;(
Seriously … Bachmann is up for re-election and she needs to be DUMPED! Here’s a right-on response from Katrina Vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation. (Thanks, Chris Matthews – for giving Michele enough rope to hang herself (and then some) … and for giving Katrina a chance to respond!) You have to listen to this!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDJyji8x6JQ
Here’s the text:
Chris, I fear for my country. I think what we just heard is a congresswoman channeling Joe McCarthy, channeling a politics of fear and loathing and demonization and division and distraction. Not a single issue mentioned. This is a politics at a moment of extreme economic pain in this country that is incendiary, that is so debased, that I’m almost having a hard time breathing, because I think it’s very scary. Because this is a country I love, and this woman had no sense of the history of this nation, which is one of struggle, of trying to fulfill the great ideals of this nation, of movements that have brought about the civilizing advances of this country, and she doesn’t even know who Saul Alinsky is — a community organizer who channeled the views of the people from below.
I think Barack Obama is going to win, and he’s going to have a lot of work because there is an extremism unleashed in this nation which you just heard on this program, which could lead to violence, and hatred, and toxicity. And against the backdrop of the Great Depression we’re living through, it could lead — and I don’t use this word lightly — to a kind of American fascism, which is against the great values of this nation, and which people like that are fomenting.
There’s a site up now, where you can sign a petition urging Congress to censure Bachmann. You can also go to the ActBlue site and support Elwyn Tinklenberg, who is running against Bachmann for her seat. Or check out the comments on her Facebook Wall. (I don’t think you can add to her comments without “friending” her – which is just a tad too creepy for me … so I’ll just focus on supporting Mr. Tinklenberg!)
No baseball to report on. No debate. I am forced to move to Plan B. (Don’t try this at home.)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI
What brought me to this? It began with my morning visit to Woot – a site that HollyCornblog turned me onto some years ago. I check it first thing and sometimes find really good deals. (Plus, if you have time, their product descriptions are works of art!)
You never know what you’ll come upon. This morning it was a powerful, refurb blender (I didn’t bite). Sometimes it’s laptops … or floor fans … or Roomba’s … flashlights … headphones … earwarmers … very, very random stuff. They put up their offerings at 1AM ET (if I’m remembering correctly) – so sometimes, when it’s good stuff, it’s gone by the time I’m checking.
What else do we have today? There’s always Cindy McCain.
What is it about the women that Johnny Mac surrounds himself with? Both Sarah and Cindy. If their views weren’t so abhorrent, I would feel a sort of sympathy for both of them.
With Sarah, he’s exploited her bald ambition and exposed her to the ridicule of nearly every sentient human on the planet. And Cindy? She’s constantly trying to please (or at least get the attention of) a neglectful, ambitious husband (or so it appears).
So how’s Cindy holding up this time around?
Observers of that campaign and the current one say she seems different this time – more guarded, more tense, superthin. She rarely campaigns away from her husband’s side, and yet their interactions on the trail often appear brief and formal. During the rolling primary-season seminars that Mr. McCain held in the back of his bus, Mrs. McCain sat up front. Once in a while, she joined him, sitting very straight, smiling and saying little. Physically, she seems fragile: she suffers from migraines, hobbled around on crutches last year after a knee injury and recently wore a wrist brace because of a handshaking injury.
If Cindy’s an example of how things thrive under John McCain’s stewardship … we’re in even bigger trouble than we thought. The American voters should not torture her further (by voting McCain in and sending her back to a city that she hates). Exercise better judgment than the desperate-to-please Ms. McCain does – give her a break!
In soccer news (I know, it’s been awhile, huh?) I see that the Breakers are in a good position for the draft of graduating collegians, come January. It’s the week of January 14, to be precise. They snagged the first pick. (Can you say A-Rod, everyone???) April just keeps getting closer and closer … and I hear that season tickets and great seats are still to be at had Harvard Stadium for the Breakers’ inaugural WPS season!
Oh, and I guess Sarah P will be on SNL tonight. She’s such a cipher at this point, I seriously doubt that her appearance will have any electoral impact. But still, the freebie is annoying so close to the election. I’ll be watching the Red Sox anyway … my inclination to boycott being nicely buttressed by the baseball schedule!
According to Media Matters, the press has dropped the ball re John McCain’s relationship with G. Gordon Liddy. Dave Letterman stuck it to him, but the media continues to look the other way – so let’s see more about it on the blogs! Here’s what their article has to say…
“As Media Matters for America has noted, Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in “if necessary”; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a “gangland figure” to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap “leftist guerillas” at the 1972 Republican National Convention — a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain’s campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008. In addition, McCain has appeared on Liddy’s radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May. An online video labeled “John McCain On The G. Gordon Liddy Show 11/8/07” includes a discussion between Liddy and McCain, whom Liddy described as an “old friend.” During the segment, McCain praised Liddy’s “adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great,” said he was “proud” of Liddy, and said that “it’s always a pleasure for me to come on your program.”
Additionally, in 1998, Liddy reportedly held a fundraiser at his home for McCain. Liddy was reportedly scheduled to speak at another fundraiser for McCain in 2000. The Charlotte Observer reported on January 23, 2000, that McCain’s campaign vouched for Liddy’s “character”:
I recommend the entire article, as well as Media Matters, a terrific organization!
Amazing! Unbelievable! That’s the Red Sox in October. Coming back from a 7-0 deficit the Red Sox mounted a comeback for the ages and nipped the Rays in the 9th, 8-7. Hang on to your hats, folks, and tune in on Saturday night. It ain’t over … and a Sox-Phillies Series may still be in the cards! Below, Bryan Hoch puts a nice spin on last night’s heroics …
If one had glanced at the clock keeping time above Fenway and not at the playing field below, the most passionate of Red Sox diehards would have noticed that Boston won this Oct. 17 game at precisely 12:16 a.m.
Five years ago at the same exact moment, Tim Wakefield was uncorking a floating knuckleball that would soar into the night sky above Yankee Stadium, as Aaron Boone crushed Boston’s playoff hopes and sent New York to the World Series.
And perhaps, with a half decade to ponder that moment, that fan would consider this — that Bronx stadium has no baseball left in it, while the Red Sox are guaranteed at least nine more innings.
A bus ride away from the very friendly skies and a straight shot down the Eastern Seaboard, Ortiz was asked if this marked Boston’s greatest comeback.
“I’ve got to sit down and think about it,” Ortiz said. “We’ve been coming from behind a lot of times. But this was a great win and we’ve got to keep playing. We’re going back there and we’ve got to make things happen.”
Technically, Drew should have been able to trot to second base and attain his rightful ground-rule double, but the aborted dash seemed appropriate in the end. For one night, the Red Sox had come far enough.
Ahhhhhhh … I think I know a few folks who are tearing up as they read this.
And Mo … who’s your money on these days? 😉
Stan McNeal, in The Sporting News, posts a very nice accolade to the Phillies’ system and the way the club has built its strengths from within (are you listening, Yankees?). I love the tidbit about how they’re paying to fly in ALL the scouts and their spouses to Philly to celebrate. Classy, smart move.
On the political front, you should check out the footage from the Al Smith Dinner in this piece from The Huffington Post. McCain does a nice job, but Obama is especially good … yeah, I know, I’m biased.
And from the Reuters photo wire, this very oddest of moments from Wednesday night’s debate.
NOTE FOR NH VOTERS: New Hampshire town and city clerks cannot accept this form as a means of voter registration. New Hampshire has Election Day voter registration. For information about registering to vote, contact your town or city clerk. These addresses are listed on the Secretary of State web site at http://www.state.nh.us/sos/clerks.html. You can also contact your Secretary of State at 603/271-3242 or visit http://www.state.nh.us/sos/electionsnew.html.
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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