It’s been a really special spring when it comes to Lady Slipper sightings in the woods. Yes, it’s been special in other ways, too, but I’m trying to stay focused here.
As you can see from the photo, they can be a bit of a challenge to spot.
This particular one is in the place where I’ve seen Lady Slippers before. The leaves always come up in the spring, but there isn’t a bloom every year.
Starting in April, as the woods gradually green up, I begin to check that spot, hoping to see the pink, bulbous flower — such an amazing surprise when it appears?
Many years I see only the leaves – and sometimes a thin stalk but no flower.
This year I got lucky! Not only did this one appear, but as May turned into June, we saw two more of these lovely flowers in our woods.
And here’s what I didn’t know about the Lady Slipper:
It’s actually an orchid,
And, at that, it’s the only orchid that’s native to North America.
What everyone seems to agree about is that these plants require some fairly special circumstances to bloom, and so, I feel very honored when I come upon one. (And honestly, the idea of an orchid of any sort growing wild kinda blows me away…)
And since you asked, here’s what I’ve learned about myself and life, as I’ve thought about Lady Slippers this spring:
I’ve frequently caught myself thinking that these 3 Lady Slipper sightings represent their entire population in the woods. This pulls me up short, as I remember that I am only seeing the ones that are adjacent to my path. There is more unknown than known, even about the most familiar places. And my path, as much as I love it, is a narrow one. It feels important to remember that, but I often don’t. Ego-centricity seems to be a natural reflex.
When I have walked, these recent weeks, I have also caught myself scanning the nearby terrain for Lady Slippers. Here, I note that:
Scanning my surroundings means that I miss things right in my path. If I’m not careful, as I look around, I run the risk of tripping on a rock or root and taking a tumble. Surely there’s a life lesson in this!
Looking for one thing means I may miss something else. Am I so focused on the next Lady Slipper that I miss the Scarlet Tanager in the trees?
And have I just become acquisitive when it comes to Lady Slippers? Am I not fully appreciating the ones I’ve seen if I keep looking for others? It feels a little ‘Ugly American’ somehow, to keep wanting more…
They’re fading now, our Lady Slippers. As I walk, I pay my respects to each one, glad to see them and knowing that they will be gone soon enough.
I’ve appreciated their companionship, these recent weeks, and will miss them when they’re gone…
So, what do you think? Did they score too much? Celebrate too much?
If you visit Twitter and do a quick search on USWNT or #USWNT you’ll get a sense of the range of opinions. And I feel like I’ve got the same range inside.
I felt terrible for Thailand, and at the same time, how insulting would it have been for the US to pull back and not play at full-throttle? Wonder what full-throttle looks like?
Here are the goal-scorers, and when they scored their goals…
Alex Morgan (12′, 53′, 74′, 81′, 87′)
Rose Lavelle (20′, 56′)
Lindsey Horan (32′)
Samantha Mewis (50′, 54′)
Megan Rapinoe (79′)
Mallory Pugh (85′)
Carli Lloyd (90′ +2)
And as someone on Twitter wrote, each goal has its own story behind it…the hours of practice, the family and friend support, the personal bests and team records being chased.
It isn’t just a simple matter of ‘running up the score.’
No team has ever scored as many goals in a World Cup — men’s or women’s. Only one other player (Michelle Akers) has scored as many goals in a World Cup (1991). I am sure these kinds of benchmarks are in players’ minds as they eye the goal.
And goal differential is important in something like the WWC. So there’s that.
But were the celebrations necessary? Should they have been more muted? Julie Foudy and Kate Markgraf thought so in a post-game interview on ESPN. And our Canadian friends called us out in no uncertain terms.
And just listen to how Kristine Lilly reflects, in 2019, on a Norwegian celebration that took place in 1995…
So, personally, while I get it that you don’t take your foot off the accelerator when you’re playing in matches you’ve dreamed about all your life, I kind of agree that the celebrations could have been more muted.
Maybe I’m especially sensitive to it in the age of Trump. It’s easy to project his boorish behavior onto all Americans, so anything smacking of ego gets a wee bit heightened these days. And I suspect that some of the ire we just heard from Canada is as much about his orangeness as about the USWNT.
Whatever you think about yesterday’s match, the US Women have gotten the attention of the world and now have a target on their backs (if they didn’t before). Are they now the villains of the WWC?
And would we be saying the same about a men’s team in similar circumstances?
It’s underway and in 2019, I hardly know a thing about it.
Last night we watched a couple of matches, staying with Germany-China the longest. Germany struggled to get things going, and China looked like they were about to break through at the end of the first half. But the #2 team in the world eventually prevailed 1-0 and came away with work to do.
Here are the Groups and their rankings:
Group A: France (4), Norway (12), South Korea (14), Nigeria (38)
Group B: Germany (2), Spain (13), China (16), South Africa (49)
Group C: Australia (6), Brazil (10), Italy (15), Jamaica (53)
Group D: England (3), Japan (7), Scotland (20), Argentina (37)
Group E: Canada (5), Netherlands (8), New Zealand (19), Cameroon (46)
Group F: USA (1), Sweden (9), Thailand (34), Chile (39)
Look at England at #3 — a surprise to me (not because of any knowledge I have but because England appears to have gotten good while I wasn’t paying attention, and in spite of BREXIT.
Last night before bed I watched a brief interview with Julie Foudy who singled out Rose LaValle as her breakout player for the USWNT in this World Cup. A large part of the challenge (according to the interview which is on the FIFA site somewhere) will be the midfield play.
And below is a link to a cool video, commemorating the ’99ers (just because). I’ve watched nearly the whole thing. It’s about reflecting on their experience, about women’s sports (and persistent inequities) and includes a lot of memories, inspiration, fun, and light moments among the 4 players (Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, and Brianna Scurry). I heartily recommend it!
So the other day while walking in the woods my eye was captured by a flash of scarlet on my left in the maple grove. Turning toward it, I was treated to the sight of two scarlet tanagers perched near one another.
At first, I thought they might be visitations from the other side — maybe Pat and Martha, friends who had died in the past several months. But for some reason, that didn’t quite resonate for me. I looked up scarlet tanager when I got back to the house, to see what the world of totems and portents had to say about these beautiful birds. Turns out it wasn’t much.
Tanager — (A species of songbirds of the southern forests consisting of over 240 varieties which often cross over into other species.) Traveling by night and catching meals on the fly. Riparian entertainment of a beautiful male song. A convoluted family tree.
Blue-Grey Tanager (Blue Jean) — Restless, noisy and twittering away life. Hepatic Tanager — One who no longer associates with their family or group. Now considered,more related,to the cardinal family. Scarlet Tanager — A harsh message must be heard Summer Tanager — (The only entirely red bird in North America.) Add color to your life and remember that everything you do is of importance. Western Tanager (Coffee Bird) — Maintain a secure,,food-filled home and the coffee tastes better too. Yellow-Winged Tanager — Listen to a higher calling
The harsh message portent didn’t really resonate for me, either, unless it was telling me to consider the stream of noxious stories coming from various levels of government these days. Hmmm, did I need to pick just one message from the gushing firehose of harshness?
It’s several days later now, and I never came to a conclusion about the two tanagers. There have been a couple of other sightings in the days since, but not by me. My favorite theory, since these two were both males, is that it was a brief, unplanned and unpublicized visit to a key primary state by my favorite couple in the Democratic race — Pete and Chasten.
That’s my story for now, and I’m sticking to it. (And in the meantime, if you’ve got any ideas, please let me know…)
So, morning it is, and a grey one at that. It’s very grounding, for me, to begin my morning (when I have the time) with 15-minutes of pen-on-paper.
The soothing scratch brings me to myself, as I settle into the rhythm of a new day. For these moments, I’ve no particular agenda. Things just emerge.
Perhaps it’s the vestige of one of the night’s dreams. Maybe it’s the small tug of a worry. Or maybe I just meander along, picking things up and putting them down.
I am here in the quiet. The scratch of the pen tells me that. And that’s enough to know for right now.
So, I wish for you a grounding and quiet start to this brand new day.
As I did some free writing this morning, decrying the destructiveness of Trump and those who enable him, I ended in an odd place. My words carried me, unwillingly, I might add, to the shores of Kindness.
I should probably be ashamed of this, but kindness has never been a word that I particularly liked. In fact, I bring quite a lot of mistrust to it. Hearing the word I feel like a rebellious teenager being told to behave and be ‘nice.’
Kindness was not a truly felt value. Instead, it represented a hypocritical veneer to me. And that’s a view that I’ve carried unconsciously with me through my adulthood.
Till now.
It’s not that I’ve been (or wanted to be) unkind. More just that I haven’t thought about kindness much at all. And I certainly haven’t thought about it as something powerful and effective. But stepping back, I know that I have clearly experienced the transformative power of gratitude — how consciously choosing to feel grateful for particular people and experiences makes the world look and feel different.
So, I have to think that holding kindness in my consciousness in the same way may be equally transformative.
And the difference between kindness and gratitude, as I see it, is that kindness has an element of action, where gratitude is more about how you see and receive something. Kindness is about doing. So it asks me to be putting myself out in ways that I often tend to shy away from. (Indeed, putting myself out in any way is a bit of a stretch.)
It doesn’t ask me to be a different person, but to stretch from where I am. Authenticity is important.
And I hope you don’t find this annoying, but it’s the existence of Pete Buttigieg’s campaign that brings me to think about kindness. At this juncture in our life as a nation, I feel so stymied by the destruction of norms and the divisiveness that is being exploited so cynically by the GOP. The stress is exhausting and the prospects for anything like healing seem discouragingly dim. So I have found the different approach offered by Pete’s campaign to be refreshing and hopeful.
I just now Googled “Mayor Pete Kindness” and came up[ with a couple of posts — one by a writer from Ireland, so, of course, I’m linking to that one, Ireland being a nation well-versed in strife and the challenges of healing. The author Siobhan Kelleher Kukolic writes:
I don’t know who will win the next American election. But I hope it is someone who can unite people from all walks of life, no matter their political beliefs. Someone who reminds us that we are stronger together and we are more alike than different.
The other day as I was driving back to my office form a meeting, I found myself behind a car with the license plate “Killery.” My first instinct was to rear-end the vehicle, but then I thought about the hassles that would follow and contemplated my second instinct. That was to get the driver’s attention and then give him or her the finger. Realizing that someone with those plates might also be carrying some sort of a firearm, I nixed that plan.
And now, as I write, I see how those responses bring nothing new to the table. They reinforce the known and, like my old Twitter arguments (which I have thankfully stepped away from), they change no minds.
Perhaps even more importantly, they break no new ground within me. I remain where I am, and while that’s not a terrible place, I’ve neither learned nor grown.
Which brings me back to a word like Kindness — a word that I turned away from years ago, ceding its meaning to other people. I am guessing that I did the same with lots of other words that I haven’t thought of. And maybe I want to revisit these concepts, these words, and own them for myself. An illuminating and expansive process — and definitely a hopeful one.
This morning, this is my antidote to the soul-killing disease that is Donald Trump.
Yesterday evening I took a very scary walk in our woods with Caleb. It started off innocently enough, as we headed up the field and into the woods.
I lost track of Caleb early on but wasn’t too concerned. He often disappears, especially during the first part of the walk. Lots of things to do and smells to explore, and there’s very little trouble he can get into, or so he tells me.
Except yesterday evening was different. The smell. It got stronger and stronger.
Yes indeedy, it was a pungent skunk, and very close by. So where was Caleb? That was my big worry. Often on these walks he takes off and gets ahead of me. And if he was ahead of me, I had a pretty good idea of what had happened. (And if THAT had happened, I had a pretty good idea of how the rest of my evening was going to go, too.)
But lo and behold, as I walked through the Maple Grove I saw Caleb trotting up behind me as if he hadn’t a care in the world. The skunk smell had dissipated by then, and as he approached, I wasn’t getting any powerful new whiffs. Hopeful but not convinced, I kept my eye on him, watching for any strange behavior or noxious smells. Caleb was oblivious and patient — he didn’t even seem to mind too much that I sniffed his head when he paused in front of me.
My lucky day! We dodged a bullet, me and Caleb. And as we continued our walk, he sang a little song. I share it with you now, for your enjoyment.
Kudos to BJ for spotting this and snapping the photo. We decided it must be coyote poop. Click the image for a closer look. Maybe you can help us figure out what rodents contributed to the festive, Easter shade.
Now the fantasies…
I’ve had two, in recent days. Both are focused on getting him to leave office, and both give me some satisfaction until I remember that:
They are fantasies;
Pence would step in when Trump stepped out, which is:
Not as abhorrent a thought as it used to be, but
Still pretty damn abhorrent; and
Trump being gone doesn’t address the issues of:
All the people who voted for him (some of whom actually believe he is sent by god), and
All the folks in the GOP who have been complicit in his degradation of systems and norms — not something easily repaired.
But I’ve never let reality interfere with a good fantasy, so here’s what I’m thinking…
Fantasy #1: Buy him out.
I’ve been struck by the way those French billionaires are stepping up and bankrolling repairs to Notre Dame. Aside from the fact that it’s a gaudy illustration of world-wide wealth inequalities, it got me thinking about what folks like Gates and Bezos and Musk might be able to do to help us get rid of Trump. Hell, let’s include George Soros in the mix, too, since he’s already the Boogie Man for Trump voters.
In my fantasy they pool their money and basically offer him a bribe to leave office and move to someplace away from the US where he’d be safe from prosecution AND could still, potentially have the adulation that he craves. I’m actually thinking that North Korea might be a good landing spot. He thinks it has lots of potential, right? So he could spend his last years living in luxury there and brokering real estate deals with his friend Kim. I really don’t care what he does, so long as he stops doing it here. And come to think of it, if his followers and enablers so-desired, I’d be in favor of allowing them to go with him.
Fantasy #2: Appeal to his vanity.
The man I like to call the orange miasma ran for President on two big promises, as I recall:
Build the wall, and
Drain the swamp.
He’s done a bang-up job on the first. So let’s see what he can do on the second — which brings me to my fantasy.
In it, Trump is offered (again, probably by rich guys, as greed seems to be a bit of a motivator for him) the opportunity to reframe his entire time in office as an audacious trap. He becomes the hero of a drama in which everything he did was aimed at attracting (and ultimately unmasking) the elements in our government that are most power-hungry and corrupt.
Guaranteed that he’ll be able to walk away, Trump turns on his lackeys and enablers, and they all are revealed as the crooks and liars that they are. Thus, the swamp is drained of the likes of Mitch and Lindsey and Sarah (and the list goes on and on and on).
The only swamp creatures to escape are Donnie and his family. Yes, I’ll let them go — not happily, but for the greater good. Everyone can see what they are, anyway. And on the whole, they seem so inept as to be nearly harmless.
So, those are my fantasies. Unlikely, I know, but I’m sticking with them until something better comes along.
So, I was hoping that the Mueller Report would be released on Friday, sometime between Noon and 3PM — the traditionally recognized hours of the crucifixion. But releasing it on the day of the Last Supper works as well. After all, according to many true-believers, Trump is the Second Coming. So, some drama on Thursday is in keeping with the Holy Week timetable. (And we all still know what’s coming on Friday, so there’s that, too.)
First there was Palm Sunday…
After Palm Sunday, Holy Week wends its way toward Thursday and the Last Supper. The symbolism is rich. We’ve got a passel of modern-day disciples. They’re a motley crew of White House Officials — both past and ‘acting’ — who may or may not know what they are doing. AND who may or may not have betrayed their bloated, orange pinata of a POTUS/Christ-figure.
They are increasingly worried (much too mild a word for it) about having their betrayal exposed by the Mueller Report. As NBC News sums it up: “‘They got asked questions and told the truth, and now they’re worried the wrath will follow,’ one former White House official said.”
Which one is Judas? Actually, more realistically, I think we have to ask which ones. And OMG it is going to be SO interesting and FUN to find out, isn’t it?
But back to our Holy Week activities. There’s the Last Supper — probably down at Mar-a-Lago, right? What is being served? I have a pretty good guess. Yum! Unless, of course, Donnie had a stash of moldy old Trump steaks that he decided to generously share with his lackeys on this most portentous night. Chewy steaks washed down with glasses of Trump Vodka. Heaven on earth (not to mention a new twist on communion)!
To give you some idea of the kinds of pleasures awaiting the disciples at this Last Supper, here are some stand-in ‘disciples’ giving the Lord’s vodka a little taste…
Of course, one thing that Trump is surely thinking, on this night of nights, is that he’s lucky to have William Barr in his corner. Well, maybe he’s not thinking he’s lucky so much as smart. Yeah, really, really smart. Probably the smartest ever. Historically smart. No Pontious Pilate for this POTUS. Indeed, William Barr was hand-picked for his loyalty. Not his taste in sunglasses, as the photo attests. And not his character or his legal acumen, as his willingness to work in the Trump White House attests.
But wait – THAT’s not William Barr. He’d NEVER make the peace sign! An interloper, albeit a talented and entertaining interloper, slipped into the supper before being recognized and escorted unceremoniously out by POTUS’ nasty-but-buff bodyguards. It’s THIS William Barr — the jowly-self-satisfied-and-BIGLY-compromised one — that Trump is so happy about. You can see why right?
And here’s the thing: If you step back and squint your eyes just a little, isn’t Barr really just a slightly healthier-looking, cleaned up version of this other Trump crony? Aren’t these disciples just the most inspiring bunch of toadies ever? And there’s lots more where these came from. They’re all kinda the same person when it comes down to it. (With apologies to Sir Elton, who most definitely does NOT belong in this rogues gallery.)
How does it all end?
Once we get past today, it’s hard to say, at least with any kind of a timetable attached. But before the proverbial cock crows, they’ll all back away. Whenever that blasted cock actually crows. We’ve been waiting for such a long time — and it’s coming. It may not be the Mueller Report that starts the true unraveling of this evil empire. But something will. And once it does and these #deplorables sense that their bloated orange POTUS is about to go the way of Trump steaks and vodka, they’ll be jumping ship.
It’s just the way with these things.
And come the day of his comeuppance, I’m sure the Donald will feel like he is being crucified. He’ll squeal and whine and wail. No dignity in the man, that’s for sure. And his fervent followers will lash out, blaming the Deep State and fake news and all manner of conspiratorial evildoers. And then they will wait.
And wait…
And wait…
For what? Why for that resurrection that was foretold on Fox News and in the QAnon prophecies. Michele Bachmann will be the first to behold the reconstituted Donald as he descends (rather repetitively) on another golden escalator. At that point, as has been written, she will step up to the microphone (because there’s always a microphone) and explain it all most satisfactorily and credibly.
Referring back to yesterday’s post, 10-minutes a day isn’t realistic (especially since I have a hankering, going forward, to ‘Retweet Pete’ as much as possible).
So, let’s just say I’m going to watch my Facebook and Twitter time, aim to turn off my computer by 9PM (unless I’m on my iPad and watching Maddow or sports) and stop looking for trouble. Having blocked a few of the folks who’ve been most problematic, I think I may be in good shape.
Probably more information than you wanted, and for that I apologize.
But since you’re here, here’s some Mayor Pete ‘stuff.’
Above are some interviews with folks from South Bend. Below is the video of the event on 4/14/19 in South Bend. Pete’s speech starts at about the 1:16:00 mark…
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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