Okay, so first off let’s get a few nasty things out of the way. The Red Sox and the Phillies lost last night. The Flyers didn’t play, nor did the Bulls – so there’s nothing to say on that front.
I did learn that, unfortunately, Marta has had some visa issues and won’t be joining her team until after they play the Breakers on Sunday. I guess that’s good news for the Breakers in terms of the likelihood of winning the game – but perhaps not so good news in terms of ticket receipts. Between its being a damp-ish April evening and Marta’s absence, people might just decide to stay in their cozy living rooms. Hope that’s not the case, but…
I’ve generally had issues with screen protectors, finding it difficult to follow directions (a genetic issue, I believe) and usually ending up with creases and bubbles and annoyances like that. The write-up for this material, however implies that such things, if they do exist, will disappear after a few days. I thought that was pretty much too good to be true, but bought the stuff and put it on anyway.
I actually followed the directions pretty well and got it on with only one bubble that wasn’t actually on the usable portion of the screen, but down near the bottom of the frame. However, I am very pleased to report that as time has gone on, every single teeny tiny bubble has disappeared, as well as this large one that I thought was going to be a permanent fixture. I have no idea how this stuff works, but it’s really pretty amazing.
The other plus about it is that it cuts down on fingerprints – something that had been a big issue before I put this on.
As you can see from the pictures I also got a little stand for it, which is pretty nifty. The only downside is that I haven’t yet figured out how to put shortcuts on my desktop, and haven’t wanted to explore the Internet for answers to that question. That’s not because I don’t think there are answers – but because I don’t want to lose half a day messing with the tablet – at least not right now.
I haven’t used it is much as I thought I would, but I suspect that as time goes forward I will discover the niche that it will hold in my digital life.
Is this what you’re looking for, Alice? 😉
Oh, and yes, that’s a Bates glass with something hoppy in it … a winter afternoon at the chiminea. Ahhhhh …
… but I try not to, I really do … as I, for example, watch Cliff Lee pitch a gem of a shut-out (and the Phillies beat the Nats). It’s beginning to look like they have a pattern going … winning the series after scaring me by losing the first game. I can live with that. They did it versus the Braves and Mets, and now the Nationals … after sweeping the Astros to start the season.
We’ll see if this continues to hold true, as they start a home stand against the Marlins tonight (and just to be clear, I wouldn’t mind at all if they went wild and won tonight … so long as the rest of the pattern persists).
This morning as I was messing around checking out the news (something I have been doing less of lately) I noticed that the Bulls have a chance to really make a run in the playoffs this year – surprising lots of NBA fans, especially those rooting for teams like the Celtics, Lakers, and Heat. Since I don’t keep up a whole lot with the NBA, I’m very happy to annoyingly step in at the end and start rooting for a surprising underdog team. (And one that has Joakim Noah on it [a player that I like from his Florida days] to boot!) A Spurs-Bulls final would make me very happy, as I suspect it would Gator fans, as they’d get to see former Gators Noah and Matt Bonner take the court against each other. Pretty cool!
Then there’s hockey, where, of course, I am rooting for the Flyers (who lost to Buffalo last night). Hopefully they’ll turn that around.
I know that all this baseball, basketball, hockey stuff is totally pissing Alice-the-Elder off, and for that I sincerely apologize. I am my father’s daughter – so there you go! 🙂
Is an apology less meaningful when one has no intention of changing? Hmmmm. Perhaps. if I ever become introspective again, I will think/write about that.
But before I sign off I have to share the happy news that, apparently, Chase Utley is progressing in his rehab. Some have speculated that he might be back in two or three weeks. I hope that they give it enough time that he is feeling fine and can sustain his play straight through the World Series. No rush Chase, they’re doing fine – take your time!
PS I am ashamed to say that I missed the WNBA Draft entirely … but you can see the results here. Maya in Minnesota should be fun to watch … and Vandersloot in Chi-town … and … here’s the full draftboard.
If any of you are counting on JordanCornblog as a source of news, I sincerely apologize. For some reason, of late, I’ve been struggling to find time (or could it be courage) to survey the landscape and write about it. Hopefully I’ll regain some traction soon, but in the meantime, a few snippets.
One of the things that has been contributing to my tendency to avert my eyes from reality is the seemingly relentless destruction of the New Hampshire mental health system by our elected legislators. The most recent news may wake them up – at least that’s what many of us are hoping – as the Department of Justice has stepped in with a report indicating that New Hampshire is not in compliance with the ADA when it comes to mental health treatment. Of course, given the makeup of our legislature (they have an even more tenuous connection with reality than I do), it’s not a foregone conclusion that this will have any impact … aside from pissing them off at the Feds, of course.
On the sporting front I can report, happily, that the Phillies are off to a better start than I’d have expected, while the Red Sox are puzzlingly bad. The Breakers started their season last weekend in Atlanta with a decisive win but, unfortunately, the loss of one of their key players – Jordan Angeli (no relation to JordanCornblog).
Their home opener is this Sunday (April 17 – 6 PM) against Marta and her Western New York teammates. (I’m guessing that’s not how the teammates want to be known, but that’s kind of how I’m seeing the game, sad to say.)
And speaking of sad, I’m very sad to read about the transition that Boltgirl and her girl dog are currently negotiating. For what it’s worth, I think it is a smile – I wish you well, is that doorway gets closer.
PS And here’s a thought … if you subscribe to JordanCornblog via the e-mail feed in the sidebar, you’ll receive an e-mail on the off-chance that I post something. That way you don’t need to keep checking the site and suffering the almost inevitable disappointment of coming up empty.
Everyone is up in arms about the new US Women’s soccer kits … and I am wondering what is wrong with me. Perhaps the NH Legislature just has exhausted all of my ire … or something. Or maybe I haven’t recovered from March Madness. Maybe I need more sleep … or a better diet.
I don’t know. The Women’s World Cup is coming … and I’m just not on board. Yet. Clearly I need to get this soccer malaise figured out pronto!
Meanwhile, the Breakers home opener is next Sunday … yikes! We don’t have our tickets yet … but I have to think they are in the mail. My bigger worry is … will it be snowing next Sunday?
And you know what? Given the state of the world, if that’s my “bigger worry” … well … what a lucky and privileged person I am!
Kudos to dsabler for nearly pulling off an amazing upset … but in the end Notre Dame fell just short … and the Aggies ruled … in a game that was as riveting as the Men’s Final was not!
And congrats to plrock on winning yet another JordanCornblog extravaganza.
It’s probably good for the NH economy that both winners will be spending their $$ in the Granite State. 🙂
Congratulations to Alice the Elder on winning the Men’s Bracket Challenge! You will now be able to purchase a LARGE popcorn at your next Red River movie … and possibly a Cabernet as well.
Congratulations, also, to the UConn Men. It wasn’t pretty, but it WAS.
Now the big question, can Notre Dame carry dsabler to fame and glory? (Or, more precisely, do all those Sundays in church count for ANYTHING?!?!)
All will be answered tonight, in what should be a MUCH more exciting game that last night’s was (sorry guys … but that was damn ugly b-ball.)
And no, I am not talking about the New Hampshire legislature (although I damn well could be). No, I am talking about the women’s final four which (last night) ended the tournament runs of two teams that MOST of us had in the final – Stanford and UConn.
In the first matchup the Texas A&M Aggies were pesky and feisty and constantly harassed the larger and more experienced Stanford team with their patented pesky, feisty, harassing defense! They never gave up, and never went away, and in the end were able to pull off what, to everyone but there staunch fans, was the unlikeliest of upsets.
In the second game the Notre Dame defense was able to effectively shut down everyone on the UConn team with the exception of Maya Moore. Needless to say, my aunt could not do it herself even though, with (I believe it was) 36 points, she gave it a good shot. The UConn effort was also hindered by what to me seems some pretty marginal officiating when it came to “fouling” by Stephanie Dolson. She was in foul trouble for the bulk of the game, meaning that UConn had no presence in the lane – a fact that Notre Dame was able to exploit to their advantage.
So we were biting our nails all evening – and nobody even came close to falling asleep. I forgot to get Alice the Elder’s autograph while she was here, but we are trying to entice her to the house to watch Tuesday’s final. If so, I will get self role autographs and they will be for sale here for a modest price. (Pending the outcome of that game, I will be seeking other autographs to sell in the Jordancornblog store.)
The men play tonight, and all of Connecticut will, I am sure, be putting their collective energies now behind Kemba Walker and the UConn men’s team.
And to all the seniors on the Stanford and UConn teams, congratulations on your wonderful careers and legacies. Looking forward to seeing you in the WNBA!
One final note – okay, maybe two – Alice the Elder informed us/me that I had been terribly remiss in entirely missing the fact that the US Women’s National Team (that’s soccer, folks – USWNT) played England on Saturday. Hopefully it wasn’t my fault, but they lost 2 to 1 in what sounded like a pretty lackluster performance. (But well done Kelly and Alex … gotta love ya, even when your skills are used against Pia’s crew!)
The Red Sox are continuing to lose, but it’s early yet and this surely is no indicator of how the season will progress. On the other hand, the Phillies swept the Astros and are looking like a real powerhouse – and of course in this case it is ENTIRELY an indicator of how the season will progress.
Peace out – and take a look at the bracket updates on the March Madness page! Can dsabler do it? Stay tuned!
It looks like a thoroughly beautiful Sunday morning as the black edge of the horizon begins to have that glow of sunrise brightening behind it. Objects below my window begin to take shape – the garden fence, the shed, the stone wall. If I lean forward and peer to my left I can see Willie’s grave far below, in the burgeoning dawn. The Angel ornament that made it through all the wild winter weather, is perched proudly atop the marker, like a flag – a talisman – a reminder.
So it’s UConn versus Butler on Monday night for the men. Unless I am mistaken, Alice the Elder appears to have won on the men’s side in a stupendous burst of bracketalogical acumen! I haven’t absolutely checked everyone’s brackets, but unless someone picked UConn to win it all, I Don’t See How Alice the Elder could lose. What a shocker! Almost as shocking as Butler being in the final for the second year in a row. Congrats to the Bulldogs – and congrats to Alice!
Oh, and Better than Tyler Dewdney was … 🙂
On the women’s side the final four get underway tonight, with Stanford versus the Aggies of Texas A&M for the first game, and UConn versus Notre Dame getting underway at 9:30 PM Eastern time – good grief! Poor JBD is going to have to stay awake until the wee hours.
We are honored and surprised that Alice the Elder will be deigning to join us to watch the women play. In what was an amazing coup, JordanCornblog was able to snag Alice the Elder for an exclusive appearance before the obligatory visit to the Today Show – and of course the trip to Disney World.
It’s difficult to sort out what’s going to happen in the women’s bracket, however, there could be some major shifting around depending on who wins the final (obviously). plrock has all her eggs in the Cardinal basket – whereas UConn is it for quite a few others. On the women’s side, Alice the Elder doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell, BTW.
In other news, things in New Hampshire continue to be more depressing and Kurk-crazed than I ever could’ve imagined them to be.
After a great rally on Thursday … with upwards of 5000 people streaming onto the State House lawn to protest the mean-spirited and unnecessary cuts that the House has cobbled together … things have gotten uglier. The House passed their budget, and the GOP’s Leader there (a 27-year old dude with a Tea-Party-induced hard-on that has lasted more than 4 hours and for which he should seek immediate medical attention) has called out Roman Catholic Bishop John McCormack in language that could only be described as juvenile, impulsive, and amazingly stupid.
We can only hope that the Senate will overturn the destructive budget that the House voted through. Meanwhile, as I read about the vote, I was interested to note that of the representatives in my town, only one (Priscilla Lockwood) voted like a grown-up and said no to the cuts.
I was also kind of surprised to see that one of the more vocal and nasty proponents of the cuts, Tom Keane of Bow, didn’t actually vote on the proposed budget. What’s up with that, Tom? Unwilling to put your money where your mouth is? Off getting your hair moussed?
And so there is something profoundly sad about seeing a group of largely well-heeled, comfortable people – secure enough to work endless hours for a measly 100 bucks a year – not only shredding the safety net of vital services that so many less fortunate people depend on but seeming to take such pleasure in it.
That is what the current leadership in the state Legislature – especially in the House of Representatives – is doing. And doing with a huge amount of smug self-satisfaction. Take Tom Keane, a new Republican rep from Bow. Cuts to mental health programs? Hey, no problem, he airily assured New Hampshire Public Radio’s Elaine Grant.
Those 3,500 or so seriously troubled children who might go without help? Schools would be able to handle the load! Although I do confess to wondering if Keane’s checked with the Bow School Board – of which he is a member – on that grandiose promise.
And adults with grave mental health issues? Why, Keane says, cutting off funding for them will only make the agencies that try to serve them more efficient!
Of course we shouldn’t be surprised. Keane is symptomatic of a House membership which seems to be best personified by Kingston’s Ken Weyler, who (one would think) has been around long enough to know better. Yet the retired airline pilot couldn’t help proclaiming that metal health providers try to create “patients for life.” And that it’s crazy to coddle a mother suffering from postpartum depression once her baby “becomes a little more animated.”
According to NHPR, this is the same guy whose solution for working women who need help in caring for their children, based on his own experiences decades ago, is that mothers should “swap childcare.”
So we are left praying that the Senate will interject some balance, wisdom and humanity into this process. Will they?
The Aggies proved that the 4th try is the charm, as they knocked out Baylor last night to move on to the final four … along with UConn. Duke folded again … after looking like they might do it differently against UConn this time.
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!
So on to the f%#!ing tablet information. The biggest update I can offer has to do with the screen protector that I used. It’s called the Skinomi TechSkin – Screen Protector Shield for Viewsonic G Tablet and you can get it on Amazon.
JordanCornblog 