Of course I’m biased – as they’ll also say of Arianna (and no, I don’t think we’ll be mentioned in the same breath!). 😉
But come on folks – is there even any comparison? The expectations were so low for Sarah that she’d have to have performed like Dubya to not exceed them. Still, she didn’t answer most questions – simply parroting her talking points after ‘responding’ with one word to queries about complex issues.
And did you hear her answer about Vice Presidential powers? That was really, really scary (and possibly one place where she was being honest).
Joe Biden had a command of the facts and the concepts behind the questions. He was passionate and clear and responsive and still respectful of his opponent. I was very impressed with him.
Here’s good stuff from Alternet – with six “takes” on the debate. Given that Palin has already been “outed” as hopelessly out of her league, I don’t think her evasiveness will help her on this one. All that winking and grinning and folksiness doesn’t cut it when it’s all so obviously a cynically manipulative cover for lack of knowledge. Sorry, Sarah and John – I don’t think the American people are falling for it again. Not after eight years of Bush.
Oh, and Sarah … if you weren’t such an ambitious and mean-spirited and self-righteous individual I might feel sorry for you.
One of my concerns is that the bar has been set so low for Palin that she’ll look good if she merely manages to string together a series of complete sentences. The GOP has also laid the “groundwork” for asserting that Gwen Ifill is biased – NOT! Meanwhile, McCain has been getting testy with the press as he defends his VP choice … and a number of other things like his fraying claim on the straight talk label. Here’s a glimpse, from the NY Times, of Obama and McCain on the job. The Maverick appears to be crankier-than-usual (and perhaps understandably so, given the way he’s been bumbling his campaign.)
But back to tonight’s debate. Biden? He’ll need to keep it short – can he? 😉
Here, from BigSoccer, is a very helpful overview of USWNT players allocated (and internationals picked) for the WPS teams slated to start playing this coming spring. What do you think? (And most importantly, with the next draft on October 6, what/who do the Breakers need to add to their already-strong base?)
Boston Breakers – Tony DiCicco
Angela Hucles – Midfielder
Kristine Lilly – Midfielder/Forward
Heather Mitts -Defender
Kelly Smith (England) – Forward
Fabiana (Brazil) – Forward
Maycon (Brazil) – Midfielder
Shinobu Ohno (Japan) -Forward
Chicago Red Stars – Emma Hayes
Carli Lloyd – Midfielder
Kate Markgraf – Defender
Lindsay Tarpley – Forward
Cristiane (Brazil) – Forward
Heather Garriock (Australia) – Midfielder
Karen Carney (England) – Forward
Caroline Jonsson (Sweden) – Goalkeeper
Los Angeles – Abner Rogers
Shannon Boxx – Midfielder
Stephanie Cox – Defender/Midfielder
Aly Wagner – Midfielder
Marta (Brazil) – Forward
Aya Miyama (Japan) – Midfielder
Han Duan (China) – Forward
Margret Lara Vidarsdottir (Iceland) – Forward
Sky Blue FC – Ian Sawyers
Natasha Kai – Forward
Heather O’Reilly – Forward
Christie Rampone – Defender
Kelly Parker (Canada) – Midfielder
Sarah Walsh (Australia) – Forward
Rosana (Brazil)- Midfielder
Ester (Brazil) – Midfielder
St. Louis – Jeff Cooper
Lori Chalupny – Midfielder
Tina Ellertson – Defender
Hope Solo – Goalkeeper
Daniela Alves (Brazil) – Midfielder
Renata Costa (Brazil)- Defender
Lotta Schelin (Sweden) – Forward
Melissa Tancredi (Canada) – Forward
Oh – and here’s an interesting article I came upon yesterday – about what Michelle Akers is up to these days – along with a link to her horse rescue website.
After some technological adventures that I’ll be happy to never repeat, I’m up and running again. It was actually kind of nice to be off line as the economy continued its nosedive and the big bailout stalled in Congress. Apparently Nancy Pelosi made a speech that put some Republicans’ teeth on edge … and that spelled doom for the bill. Sensitive people, those GOPers. (“Drill, Baby, Drill!”)
Plans are apparently afoot to re-introduce Sarah Palin to the American people. This is getting painful, don’t you think? Concerns about her readiness for Thursday’s debate are rampant. Is the bar being set low on purpose so that she’ll look good? Or is panic setting in? Will she be on the ticket this time next week?
Meanwhile, with a frighteningly unqualified person waiting in the wings, and the economy in the toilet, questions about McCain’s health are again coming to the fore – as they well should. Things are precarious, folks … and if McCain would be bad for the country, you can rest assured that Palin would be an absolute disaster.
Speaking of disasters … I have been thinking lately that the incalculable damage that Bush/Cheney et al have done to this country is so far beyond what any terrorists ever did that it boggles the mind. It reminds me of the damage that Craig Benson did to NH in his two years as governor – but this is on a much, much bigger and more frightening scale. Back in 2006, Bush was being called “the worst ever” – and that was in 2006!
The most scary part of it is … that … we … elected … him …TWICE! (Or once, or never, depending on what you think actually happened in those elections.)
The migration is going more slowly than anticipated. (Isn’t that the way?)
I am on the right track now, after having wasted yesterday and last night on an automated process that not only increased my carbon footprint more than I like, but was slow, frustrating, and ultimately accomplished nothing.
Then, to top it off, the Eagles lost to the Bears. 😦
I am ignoring politics, economic worries, and the bailout for the moment … otherwise, as Beulah sometimes says, “My head would explode.”
I’m going to be migrating everything from my old computer to my new one in just a wee bit … so am posting somewhat quickly now. Hopefully you’ll hear from me again. If not, you’ll know that things went badly here … 😦
A bailout agreement has apparently been reached.
I read some excellent debate analysis in the TPM Cafe this morning. These are the observations of an eight-year-old. It would be very interesting to hear what the eight-year-old child of a right-leaning Republican would observe about the debate.
Mr. McCain portrays himself as a Washington maverick unswayed by special interests, referring recently to lobbyists as “birds of prey.” Yet in his current campaign, more than 40 fund-raisers and top advisers have lobbied or worked for an array of gambling interests – including tribal and Las Vegas casinos, lottery companies and online poker purveyors.
The DOJ report on the US Attorney firings is going to be published on Monday, and according to an article by Murray Waas on The Atlantic website, Gonzo could, in attempting to protect himself, end up throwing Dubya and others under the bus if he’s not very careful. Apparently this dream-come-true, for myself and many others, is not viewed that way by the White House.
One scenario feared by the White House is that the IG or OPR could send a public report to Congress concluding that Gonzales or some other official may have committed a crime. At a minimum, that would make the conduct of Gonzales, or of any other official deemed to be under suspicion, the subject of a criminal investigation.
If the report also raised unanswered questions about possible misconduct by other senior administration officials, or even the president, that could lead to the appointment of a special prosecutor. Some consider this unlikely; Attorney General Mike Mukasey has said that he is not an advocate of special prosecutors, and his critics in Congress have said that Mukasey tends to use his position for the political benefit of the White House. But in the hands of congressional Democrats, a public report accusing Gonzales and other administration officials of misconduct could make it difficult for Mukasey to resist their calls for the appointment of a special prosecutor.
Inside the White House, this is what is called the “nightmare scenario.” White House Counsel Fred Fielding, who served in the Nixon White House during Watergate and as a White House counsel during the Reagan administration, has told others in the White House that although he does not consider this a likelihood, it should not be ruled out, and Bush and his staff should be ready for such a contingency. In addition to the Justice Department’s IG and OPR investigations regarding the surveillance program, Gonzales is also under investigation by the IG as to whether he lied to Congress about the politicized firings of nine U.S. attorneys. Fielding has told White House colleagues that there is an outside possibility that a special prosecutor could be appointed to conduct a broader investigation.
In other campaign news, apparently the GOP powers that be are getting nervouser and nervouser about the Palin pick. And Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were back at it on SNL. I must admit that I hope that Sarah P. at least sticks around long enought for Thursday night’s debate. Given her thoroughly despicable views and her thoroughly obnoxious performance at the RNC, watching her humiliate herself on the big stage is just fine by me. (Biden will have to be careful to come across as solid and capable and experienced – but not condescending. That may be tough – as just about any educated/articulate member of the Toastmasters has the potential to look a lot more qualified to be VP than the Divine Ms. P. does these days.)
This video by the other Sarah is to die for! (Jimmy Kimmel, what were you thinking????)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgHHX9R4Qtk
And here’s another offering (thanks for this, too, BJE), on the ultimate cruelty of the Palin pick. It’s a good read – and the links are awesome. But, my stirrings of sympathy for Palin are quickly quelled by remembering her overweaning ambition – which extends, as you recall, to throwing her 17-year old daughter under the bus.
So did you watch?
I thought that Obama did quite well — and McCain did better than I had hoped/expected he would. Obama had a great command of the facts, was responsive to the questions, and overall, I thought, looked very presidential. McCain was “folksy” and didn’t seem as out of it as he has for most of this week. I didn’t think he answered the questions, and he made no eye contact with Obama, but he did manage to get in a few soundbites that will unfortunately go over well, I’m guessing.
On the no eye contact front (see link above) I found this an interesting comment:
As a psychotherapist and someone who treats people with anger management problems, we typically try to educate people that anger is often an emotion that masks other emotions. I think it’s significant that McCain didn’t make much, if any, eye contact because it suggests one of two things to me; he doesn’t want to make eye contact because he is prone to losing control of his emotions if he deals directly with the other person, or, his anger masks fear and the eye contact may increase or substantiate the fear.
I noticed him doing the same thing in the Republican primary debates. The perception observers are likely to have is that he is unwilling to acknowledge the opponent’s legitimacy and/or is contemptuous of the opponent.
There’s another comment about the behavior of monkeys … which you can check out via the TPM link!
A friend of mine has often expressed concern about what he describes as John McCain’s unprocessed rage. I felt a similar concern, listening to his soft voice and seeing his ever present, creepy smile — both when he is clearly quite angry. Someone who’s been through what he went through as a POW, cannot help but have some PTSD issues. I’m guessing that he’s sitting on a volcano — and would love to hear other former POWs speak to this sometime. The thought of that angry Maverick’s finger being close to any trigger is pretty scary to me — and watching last night’s performance only reinforced that fear.
On a lighter note from the baseball world the Phillies won and the Mets lost. It’s really starting to look good for the good guys!
Finally, here’s a great photo that HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew took of the new wood shed up at the lake, at night. They had a small fire going, and hung a lantern in the shed. Pay particular attention to the artistic touch of the axe leaning against the tree on the right hand side of the photo. Nice job, you guys!
Watch Josh Marshall from TPM for a nice look at some details about John McCain’s not-very-good week (and why he’s been backpedaling from little things like debates). And Palin just continues to amaze …
Here’s the text of a piece of her Katie Couric interview (you can view it at the end of the clip above):
Couric: You’ve said, quote, “John McCain will reform the way Wall Street does business.” Other than supporting stricter regulations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago, can you give us any more example of his leading the charge for more oversight?
Palin: I think that the example that you just cited, with his warnings two years ago about Fannie and Freddie – that, that’s paramount. That’s more than a heck of a lot of other senators and representatives did for us.
Couric: But he’s been in Congress for 26 years. He’s been chairman of the powerful Commerce Committee. And he has almost always sided with less regulation, not more.
Palin: He’s also known as the maverick though, taking shots from his own party, and certainly taking shots from the other party. Trying to get people to understand what he’s been talking about – the need to reform government.
Couric: But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you’ve said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his 26 years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?
Palin: I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done, that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism, and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today.
Couric: I’m just going to ask you one more time – not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.
Palin: I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to you.
Katie – I’d watch my back, if I were you!
In other bad news for McCain, Campbell Brown is laying into him for sexism. This is great. First, McCain picks Sarah Palin as his running mate in a political ploy aimed at garnering the so-called “womens’ vote.” It’s an impulsive decision. He knows very little about her, has met her maybe once — but hey, he’s a maverick! There’s a brief honeymoon, but then reality begins to seep in, uncomfortably altering the picture. What poetic justice, that now he’s accused of sexism and the pressure mounts for him to allow her to be interviewed and questioned by the press!
This has got to be what happens when you either have no moral compass to begin with, or give it up in your ambition addled pursuit of power. (And you have to wonder if McCain’s reputation as a maverick was really always just about impulsivity.)
That this man could be president is terrifying. That large numbers of the American electorate still believe he can and should be president is terrifying.
Lots to write about today … and let me start with what’s been nagging at me ever since this whole Wall Street debacle became the latest national emergency. I keep thinking, “What if this really is an emergency? Bush certainly looked terrified last night in the clips I saw of his address to the nation. And he certainly preached doom if the Congress doesn’t go along with what his Administration wants to do (again). But the language of great peril and the need for FAST action is something we’ve learned to expect and to mistrust from these guys. (Ironically, the only time they didn’t demand fast action was when it was actually needed – after Katrina.) I hope the Democrats in Congress continue to step up to the plate and require accountability and oversight … and maybe a pound or two of flesh, to boot!
Then, there’s this great e-mail sent to me by a friend. It’s been making the rounds of the internet and speculates about observed changes in McCain … and what they may reflect about his ablity to serve at this point in his life. Here’s the text: Continue reading →
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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