The silence it is deafening,
when Morgan’s trash talk ends,
and Alice leaves the country …
We feel bereft of friends!
How long will this haiatus stretch?
I hear it’s not so long!
The hoop wars, they begin afresh
before Thursday is gone!
So what to write? What to write indeed! There’s a whole, great big wonderful non-basketball-related world out there. I can almost see it through my bleary eyes.
First, on the not-so-wonderful front, there’s the stepped up violence in Iraq. But wait? Maybe it’s not so bad after all! The Pentagon tells us that this is a good thing … a result of the success of the surge. That’s great to hear, because now that the economy is strong again and we only have a few more weeks ’til we get our humungous rebate windfalls, I didn’t want to have to get worried or depressed or anything.
But wait … maybe I should be … worried and depressed, that is. Or angry. Or incensed. Or ashamed. The off-court madness is the real deal … horribly real. It makes the scandal-ridden sports world look innocent.
Sorry … this wasn’t the tack I was expecting to take today. Guess reality intruded …
Okay everyone, get to bed EARLY tonight … because it all starts up again tomorrow! West up … or maybe do a wittle weading about waccoons!
The women rounded out their Sweet Sixteen last night, and here’s how it stands. All of the number 1 and number 2 seeds moved into the next round. The number 3 seeds in New Orleans and Oklahoma City (meaning Duke and Oklahoma State) also moved on with wins over Arizona State and Florida State respectively. On the other side of the bracket, both #3’s succumbed to their #6 rivals (George Washington and Pittsburgh). Meanwhile, the #5 seeds did well last night, both beating their #4 rivals (ODU defeated Virginia in overtime, and Notre Dame knocked off Oklahoma to advance).
Kudo’s to Pat Summitt, as the Lady Vols gave her her 100th tournament win. Congratulations to Duke’s Chante Black who scored career-high numbers in leading Joanne P. McCallie’s Blue Devils to the Sweet Sixteen! Jazzmin Walters gave ODU the win over the Virginia Cavaliers in OT after a great back-and-forth battle in the East.
Also in the East, Connecticut eliminated Texas on blistering 60% shooting … and a game that will stop any questions about whether or not nerves have gotten to Maya Moore! Notre Dame advanced … and along with Pitt and UConn, they are giving their schools reason to keep cheering, even though their male counterparts have been ousted.
UNC defeated a tough Georgia team, and Maryland continues to move ahead, despite also continuing to look a little shakey! Finally, Louisville, led by Angel McCoughtry (and having Concord’s own Becky Bonner as an Assistant Coach) rolled past Kansas State and into the Sweet Sixteen. They face UNC next … and given half a chance, I think that could be one of the first really big upsets of the tournament. (Remember, I was ALMOST right about Belmont!)
In JordanCornblog Bracket Land, Jane and Morgan/Murray continue to lead the pack .. but as time goes on we are beginning to see some definite shifting. Gary has made a leap from his perch out on the West Coast, while Don and Rachel are keeping just ahead of him. Stay tuned … things will shift around a lot in the coming days!
Morgan, rest up … we need more of your trash talk … especially once the men start in again! [TABLE=20]
Well, well, well. Sorting things out this morning I see that #6 Pittsburgh eliminated #3 Baylor to move into the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history! Meanwhile (too bad, Karyn), gritty Florida State took Oklahoma State to overtime before succumbing 73-72 (on a free throw with 0.7 seconds left in the game … for goodness sake). And then (sorry Carol) in another #6 vs. #3 matchup, California lost to George Washington on a last-minute shot by Sarah-Jo Lawrence that gave GW the two-point win.
In other action, LSU knocked off Marist, while Candice Wiggins, playing in her last game on her home court, scored a record-tying 44 points and led Stanford over UTEP. Texas A&M, Rutgers, and Vandy also advanced last night.
In JordanCornblog bracketland, we see that Jane and Morgan/Murray continue to lead the pack. Don and Rachel have made significant progress … while Doris and Patti remain very consistent! [TABLE=19]
Finally (this one’s for you, Cynthia) … check out this article on MSNBC about the high graduation rate of the women’s teams in the tournament. Tennesses is one of 12 teams with a 100% graduation rate. “Among the No. 1 seeds in the women’s tournament, Connecticut was next with a 92-percent graduation rate, followed by Maryland (71 percent) and North Carolina (64 percent).
“The study looked at four freshman classes entering from 1997-2001, giving each six years to graduate. The players studied are no longer on campus, but the report intends to show academic trends.”
Kudos to those teams and to the players’ (and coaches’) hard work. As I’m sure Tyler and Rachel can attest, playing D3 sports while tending to academics … and all the rest of college life … 😉 … is no easy feat … and ramping it all up several notches has got to be a challenge any way you look at it!
Onward … as the women round out their Sweet Sixteen tonight!
The men are at theSweet Sixteen stage, meaning we can take a small breather (’til Thursday) and focus on the women’s games, as they work their way down to sixteen. After tomorrow, our friend Alice will be checking her brackets from Paris. She promises to be in touch with JordanCornblog from the internet cafes that we are quite sure she will be frequenting!
Chris is at the head of the class at this stage, for the men …[TABLE=17]… while Doris has, I believe, been the most consistent in our pool on the Men’s side! 🙂
Over amongst the women, Utah and Purdue had a neck and neck tussle in the early going, but 9th seeded Purdue pulled it out in the end. Aside from Purdue, Hartford, and Florida State, the women’s winners have stayed true to their seedings so far. The Temple Owls had their upset hopes dashed by Arizona State in a game that was a lot closer than the final score implies. Moving into round two, here are our standings in the Women’s pool …[TABLE=18]Jane and Morgan/Murray head the roster on the women’s side, followed closely by Paula, Brigitte, Carol and Don … but a LOT can change by Wednesday morning!
Just a few shout out’s here, as the games continue. JordanCornblog must first recognize Tyler for being the only person in these parts who had the perspicacity to choose San Diego to win in round one on the men’s side. Excellent choice … and you were also very wise to drop them immediately after that round!
Meanwhile, Murray has demonstrated amazing foresight in picking Davidson to upend Georgetown. (We Googled Davidson immediately after the game and discovered that they are a liberal arts college in North Carolina … founded in 1837 by Presbyterians. Leave it to the Presbyterians to pull off a miracle on Easter!)
But speaking of miracles, Gary and JordanCornblog herself were able to divine (get it) Villanova’s second round win.
And perhaps in the greatest demonstration of bracket bravery to this point, Karyn has recognized the potential of Florida State on the women’s side … and been rewarded for her clarity of vision. (She has them continuing on into the Sweet Sixteen … we shall see!)
There’s March Madness, and then there’s the REAL madness of Dick Cheney singing Amazing Grace in Israel while plodding along, building his case for attacking Iran. Meanwhile, on a happier note, it sounds like Obama’s speech this past week may inform some sermons today … and hopefully eventually help raise our racial dialogue and political discourse to a slightly more sophisticated level than that promulgated by our current, morally and intellectually bankrupt, administration.
But I digress … so here’s the scoop on the March Madness. First, Morgan was right in his comments yesterday … that Michigan State-Pittsburgh game was a hard, hard fought contest. I was hoping that Pitt would pull it out, but kudos to Michigan State in pulling out a close one (the 11-point margin of victory doesn’t reflect the neck-and-neck play by any means). Patti’s got a lot riding on this MSU team, and they did well by her last night! Meanwhile, Duke exited early again this year … after nearly exiting even BEFORE last night at the hands of Belmont! Stanford prevailed over Marquette in an overtime thriller, and UCLA got a big scare from Texas A&M.
The women got underway yesterday, with games in all four regions. In a bit of an upset, Jen Rizzotti’s Hartford team defeated Syracuse on a clutch 3-pointer by MaryLynne Schaefer. In a bigger upset, Florida State sent Ohio State home early. Florida State was a surprise at-large pick, so this win, aside from making Florida State fans happy, makes the selection committee look good!
Today there’s lots more action on the women’s side, as all of the top seeds play in the next 16 games. Meanwhile, the Men have eight games, to round out their Sweet Sixteen.
In JordanCornblogLand, here are the ever-shifting standings. Ladies first, then the men’s tally! Lots of changes, as the beat goes on![TABLE=16] [TABLE=14]
Kudos to Jane and Chris … and Morgan/Murray are doing pretty well on the women’s side, too! Finally … Gary assures me that he is away but will send in his women’s bracket ASAP … and is NOT checking scores in the meantime. (If he picked Florida State, we may have a few additional questions for him!)
Here’s the link for the Men’s schedule … and the women’s. They don’t have the women’s tournament schedule up on MSNBC yet, so this is from the NCAA site. Oh … don’t get me started! 😦
Day two brought more of the upsets that some of us love … and some of us hate … prompting me to share this sonnet (Shakespeare’s #147) that speaks to the predicament of the bracket-obsessed … past cure and frantic-mad with evermore unrest! (I think he may have been writing, with great prescience, as a disappointed Clemson or Connecticut or USC or Vandy fan.)
Sonnet #147
My love is as a fever, longing still
For that which longer nurseth the disease,
Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill,
The uncertain sickly appetite to please.
My reason, the physician to my love,
Angry that his prescriptions are not kept,
Hath left me, and I desperate now approve
Desire is death, which physic did except.
Past cure I am, now reason is past care,
And frantic-mad with evermore unrest;
My thoughts and my discourse as madmen’s are,
At random from the truth vainly express’d;
For I have sworn thee fair and thought thee bright,
Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.
Anyway, there’s been some shifting about in the standings, as we move to the second round. Don’s moved up a bit, and Cynthia has lost some ground. Mike has consistently remained in the lead, but Brigitte has now caught him! Morgan looks like he is situated to make a run in this next round … so stay tuned!
And, of course, the women get underway today, too … so let the frantic-madness continue … and check out the standings below![TABLE=13]
What a game that was last night! Belmont nearly did it, but Duke squeaked by with a 1-point win! Meanwhile, in the one upset of the night, USC was ousted by a feisty, 11th seeded, Kansas State team. The Wildcats expected great things from Michael Beasley going in … but who knew about his freshman compadres … Bill Walker, Jacob Pullen, Ron Anderson and Dominique Sutton? A fun team to watch – they’ll face Wisconsin on Saturday!
So how do things stand after Day One in JordanCornblog bracketland? First off, congratulations to the Howe-Dewdneys for having FULL PARTICIPATION (in the Men’s Bracket, that is). The Bracketology Committee is deliberating, as of this writing, about what sort of prize might be appropriate for such a feat! Those much-deserved kudos aside, it looks like everyone’s doing pretty well so far … with Mike leading the pack, and Doris and Don rounding it out! Stay tuned, though … as we’ve barely started, and life in bracket-land is nearly as fluid as on Wall Street these days!
PS Tyler and Morgan … uh … please note Cynthia and Rachel’s scores! (Trash talking is encouraged … just use the “Comments” option and have at it!) [TABLE=12]
… yes Belmont … er, for the first round, anyway! What an upset that would be, huh? The big dance gets underway today for the men and on Saturday for the women. Check out the new “March Madness” page here on JordanCornblog, where you see how things are lining up in our pool.
Meanwhile, on the “no easy answers” front, I read this morning that flourescent, energy-saving bulbs pose risks that have heretofore been less-than-common-knowledge. Mercury is the issue – and it’s quite sobering to read the contaminating potential of even a tiny bit. I’d enourage everyone to keep an eye open for more info on this front.
In Oman, Cheney is talking Iran and nukes again … and going fishing (safer than hunting, I guess). Meanwhile, his lackey’s approval ratings have dropped 40 points since the start of the Iraq War. Where, oh where, were all those disapprovers five years ago?!
And finally, for what was (for me) a helpful perspective on the Bear, Stearns debacle, check out Nomi Prins piece from Mother Jones … reprinted in ComonDreams.
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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