Perhaps even more importantly … why did I read it?
I did the same thing yesterday when I was in the midst of some work, went downstairs for a cup of tea … and ended up reading about Charlie Sheen in People Magazine for @ 15 minutes. Okay … AND looking at stars in their Oscar gowns. Damn … I felt so empty afterward. Seriously.
So, on to the other stuff! We’ll call it “Things I have Been Remiss About” and start with movie reviews. Very remiss on that front. Last night, after seeing “Another Year” (very good movie, BTW – sobering in an everyday, slice-of-life sort of a way) I came home and made a list of the movies that I have seen and not entered into the sidebar here. It was sobering … in an everyday, slice-of-life sort of a way! 😉 Makes me wonder what I have been doing with my time? (Reading about the likes of Charlie Sheen, no doubt.)
Keep an eye out for about 20 very brief new reviews in the coming days.
I did some experimenting yesterday with my new Shark Navigator Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner, NV22L and discovered that it really sucks. It managed to pull so much grit and animal hair and “stuff” out of the 3 area rugs in my room that I’m quite surprised that I haven’t been coughing and sneezing for years! Can’t wait to see what it does downstairs … not to mention at the Lake! Here’s a video … and if you’re interested, keep your eye on Woot … got mine, refurbished, for @ 68 bucks there!
And finally, I have been horribly remiss about the USWNT! They defeated Norway 2-0 on the strength of goals by Lindsey Tarpley and Carli Lloyd to qualify for the Finals at the Algarve Cup for the 9th time in a row! And it sounds like things are starting to click for the USWNT as they prepare for the Women’s World Cup … slated for 9 venues in Germany from June 26-July 17. (Remember, that’s the one we … just … barely … qualified … for.)
Okay … lots of work to plow through today, so I’m off. Have a good one!
Remember Mike Huckabee? He was the unlikely candidate who played the ukulele or guitar or something, lost a whole bunch or weight, and seemed to be able to appeal to the Christian Right without being entirely off-the-wall hate-mongering in the process. I remember him. He’s gone now.
Despicable, is the word that comes to mind, as Huckabee has hit the airwaves this week with enough slurring to sound downright drunk. What I don’t understand about the commentary and the headlines on all this, though, is why the pundits are framing it as a matter of Huckabee having his facts wrong … when it’s racism, pure and simple.
You can read samples and snippets of the crap that he has been spreading around via his perch at Fox News … and interviews elsewhere in the links above.
And then there’s his “clarification” of it all. Click the link below for the video … and I should add that I can hardly stand to watch. These poor, self-satisfied white guys, victims of the left … are so full of it I hardly know where to begin. Their basic point? If you are “different” you, by definition, have a different world view and that’s … really … really … bad.
Can anyone, anywhere, with the smallest grasp of logic, not be appalled? I’d describe them as hateful simpletons wielding power in the service of more power … but I think that’s too kind.
Anyway, you can watch the video (reflecting a very skewed world view, I might add) for yourself at video.foxnews.com
Meanwhile, someone who probably would be a vocal supporter of just about everything that Bill and Mike purport to represent … just got arrested in his truck. Funny how that always seems to be happening to these guys. A plot by the left, no doubt.
Utah is considering a similar measure … but of source a different gun … and there are all kinds of lists and things around the web, as bloggers and gun enthusiasts hop on the bandwagon and debate what states should have what guns … like this Facebook page. (The map of the US looks a little like a turd, doesn’t it?)
I feel like I am in a dream … ugly one at that. Here’s one piece from a writer – Ed Quillen – out in Colorado. While I get that it’s tongue-in-cheek, I wish it were a little more so. Nuanced humor ain’t exactly something that the gun toters appreciate or understand, IMHO: “For my own Colorado, I’ll go with the Colt-Browning M1895 gas-operated machine gun, used to shoot down striking miners at Ludlow in 1914. Designation as the Official State Firearm would remind us how Colorado has often dealt with organized labor.”
My overriding tought? We’ve gone mad, as a nation … and State legislatures need to be spending their time on more useful things.
Er … come to think of it, given the make-up of our own NH legislature, maybe it’s actually BETTER to have them debating the State Gun. Yeah – focus like a laser on that, guys … and leave the budget and the rest of us alone.
Hmmmm, I wonder what Kelly thinks our State gun should be. Maybe I’ll write her and ask.
Not too long ago I wrote to one of the Senators from NH … the one I disagree with … a lot … urging her to vote against cutting funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Kelly responded much as I’d have expected. I was annoyed and wrote a response to her, which was returned. Specifically, the return e-mail said that it was “rejected by the recipient domain.” This, in spite of the fact that Kelly had said that she was very interested in my views … and I believed her.
So I finally googled her and got another e-mail address, to which I sent the e-mail below.
And in the meantime, since I decided to blog about it, I thought I’d check into some of the retorts I was more or less pulling out of my ass. (I don’t have a staff to help me with that.) So I googled the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and found that their appropriation for 2010 was “$422 million (including $2 million in interest earned).” Meanwhile, I have NO idea why she is promulgating idea that the purpose of CPB was to bring TV to the hinterlands … kinda like rural electrification or something, I guess.
So then I did some research on Rupert Murdoch’s tax break(s) … let’s just say I am pretty darn sure that the CPB appropriation doesn’t some close. Representative Anthony Weiner puts it quite well, I think … Anthony Weiner to Hannity: “Rupert murdoch’s a very fine man, but you want to give him a tax cut and borrow it from my kids. No deal.”
But anyway … herewith, my coupla e-mails to my friend Kelly … and her initial response to me, all the way at the bottom. It’s an interesting read.
Your office replied to a recent e-mail that I had sent you regarding cutting funds for Public Broadcasting. You said that you wanted to be in touch and were interested in my views. However, all of my attempts to reply were returned to me. You have to admit, it’s ironic, to say the least! (Nowhere in your e-mail did it say that you were writing from an address that did not accept replies. The address is senator@ayotte.senate.gov) So anyway, I’ll copy/paste my reply below … along with your original e-mail. You said that it was important for you to hear from us … and I would like to believe you, recent experiences notwithstanding:
Dear Senator Ayotte:
I appreciate your response; however I disagree with much of what you say, as is to be expected, I suppose.
I would be curious to know how much of the trillion-dollar deficit can actually be attributed to the CPB. Anywhere near as much as, say, tax loopholes and tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans?
And I wish that I had more faith in the motivations of those in the GOP who are suddenly freaking out about the deficit. Where was everyone during the 8 years that the Bush administration was happily running the budget into the ground? NOW you are up in arms? All of this righteousness about the deficit looks more to me like an excuse to cut funding to programs and organizations that have always been unpopular with the Right. Carpe Diem, as they say, eh?
And the argument that the government shouldn’t subsidize competitors in the broadcasting marketplace is undercut, to my mind, by the fact that the government certainly subsidize the likes of Rupert Murdoch with its tax policies. How much of his subsidy do you think Rupert would have lost, had Congress had the gumption to not extend tax breaks for the wealthiest of the wealthy?
And how do you think that figure would compare to the CPB funding that is now being so righteously cut in the name of deficit reduction?
I am disappointed by your response. Hopefully the country will wake up to what is happening … and hopefully you will continue to listen to your constituents. All of them.
Sincerely,
JordanCornblog (no, that’s not what I actually signed … but next time I might!)
From: U.S. Senator Ayotte
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 4:39 PM
To: JordanCornblog
Subject: Reply from Senator Ayotte
February 23, 2011
Dear JordanCornblog:
Thank you for your comments regarding federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. I appreciate hearing from you.
The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This organization was designed to ensure that telecommunications services were available to all United States citizens.
As you may know, Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO) introduced H.R. 68 and H.R. 69 on the floor of the House of Representatives. These two bills would prohibit federal funding for the CPB after fiscal year 2013. Additionally, on February 17, 2011, the House passed H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act of 2011, which terminated federal funding for CPB.
Our nation is in a fiscal crisis. This year’s budget deficit is projected to reach a staggering $1.6 trillion, and our national debt exceeds $14 trillion. It is of the utmost importance to me that our government does not burden our generation and future generations with crippling debt. This fiscal reality calls for making tough decisions and may necessitate the need to reduce funding for certain worthwhile programs.
Although the CPB airs many quality programs, it is capable of standing on its own through a variety of financial resources, such as member station dues and contributions from foundations, corporations, and private individuals. In these tough fiscal times, funding for public programming should not be placed on the backs of American taxpayers.
The initial intent of the Public Broadcasting Act (PBA) was to provide telecommunications services to all citizens. Yet, over 99 percent of Americans own a television, and over 95 percent now have access to the Internet, making the goal of the PBA obsolete, and federal funding for CPB unnecessary. The government should not be in the business of subsidizing competitors and trying to pick winners and losers in our nation’s thriving broadcasting marketplace.
——————————————————————————–
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding this issue. As your Senator, it is important for me to hear from you regarding the current issues affecting our state and nation. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of any further assistance.
The winds have died down and the sun is bright … so bright that as it streams through my window I can see the thin film of dust that’s sifted into all the nooks and crannies around my computer and monitor. Too cold to open the windows … and if I blow on it it’ll just rearrange itself. Perhaps a dust cloth will be employed later today … what a thought! I’ll check my schedule and see if I can work it in …
As the light returns, can’t you just feel your world expanding? I know I can. My thoughts turn to running outside (my illusion being that I still do that … ya never know), and to green things starting to grow, and the smell of soil, and the sound of children’s voices cheering at the mile-away elementary school as springtime’s first baseballs are hit and caught … all that on a February Sunday morning as the sun illuminates dusty winter’s detritus.
And ahhhhh … is the world coming unhinged or what? I read a quote somewhere a week or so ago about the unrest in the Middle East. Someone in Egypt, on being asked whether he saw the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to peace replied that he did … in very much the same way that he say the American GOP as a threat to peace.
I couldn’t agree more. The Tea Party wing of the Republican Party is bent on dismantling the good stuff … and insisting on such ridiculous stuff … and I can’t help but feel that it’s a bunch of 4th graders … with a 4th grade understanding of history … that want to be in charge … and blindly think that they are actually capable of being in charge.
“I would be amused if people saw the joke in it — because what he is doing , he is projecting what Fox, what Rupert Murdoch is doing,” Soros said of a Beck allegation that he is the “puppet master” of a media empire. Murdoch “has a media empire that is telling the people some falsehoods and leading the government in the wrong direction,” Soros said.
Calling it all projection is right-on in my opinion. The things you fear and hate, Glenn … they are inside of you. Same for the rest of the Rabid Right. The scary “other” is nothing more than your shadow … the things that you judge and fear in yourselves and try to turn away from.
It ain’t real, guys … and you are destroying our country as you battle your own, repressed innards. It would be far better for the rest of us, Glenn and what’s-his-name, if you went back to drugging and drinking.
Spring must be almost here (in spite of the snow I see falling right now … just a squall, I’m sure!) … as the Breakers have put out their schedule for the upcoming WPS season. Here ’tis …
2011 Boston Breakers schedule (Home games in bold – asterisk denotes a game that is being televised on FSC)
Saturday, April 9 at Atlanta Beat 7 p.m.
*Sunday, April 17 Western NY Flash 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 23 at magicTalk SC 7 p.m.
*Sunday, May 1 Sky Blue FC 6 p.m.
*Sunday, May 8 at Philadelphia Indep 6 p.m.
Friday, May 13 at Western NY Flash 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 22 Philadelphia Indep 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 28 at Sky Blue FC 7 p.m.
*Sunday, June 5 magicTalk SC TBA
Sunday, June 12 at Sky Blue FC 4 p.m.
*Sunday, June 19 at Atlanta Beat TBA
*Sunday, July 10 Atlanta Beat 6 p.m.
*Sunday, July 24 Western NY Flash 6 p.m.
Wed, July 27 Philadelphia Indep 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 30 at magicTalk SC 7 p.m.
Wed, August 3 at Western NY Flash 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 6 magicTalk SC 7 p.m.
Sunday, August 14 Sky Blue FC 4 p.m.
All home games are played at Harvard Stadium, 65 N. Harvard Street, Allston, MA 02163. Visit Boston Breakers for tickets.
For those who may be puzzled by the seeming new addition, magicTalk SC is the old Washington Freedom with a new owner and some new players … like Hope Solo and Christie Rampone … should be interesting.
The quality is not that great but the message is, at times, hilarious. Gotta love the intelligence that spews out of our newly-elected officials’ mouths.
… and I have to say it’s a bit of a relief. Between the responsibilities of being “The Commish” and keeping up with all the twists and turns of a fantasy season, and the nail-bitten-to-the-quick stresses of being an Eagles fan, I am breathing much easier these days.
A study commissioned by the NFL in 2009 reported that former NFL players have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory problems 19 times more than the normal rate for men between 30 and 49. And pathologists who have examined the brains of ex-athletes have found signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurological disease that patients get after sustaining repeated head injuries.
It would be very challenging for me to actually stop being a fan … kinda in the Cornblog blood … but ya never know. In the meantime, I admit that I would not be too disappointed to see it all shut down in the coming year by a despicable mix of greed and stubbornness. Just how much money do people need to make? On both sides of the table?
But it’s February 13, and here comes the good sound of ash and maple hitting leather, and the thunk of leather on leather … as pitchers aces and catchers report tomorrow … and another baseball season gets underway. The outlook for the Phillies is bright … as it is for the Red Sox. It could be a very, very interesting Series!
This weekend I’ve gotta catch up my movie reviews in the sidebar … wouldn’t want to deprive the Oscar voters of my opinions! 😉
Last night I caught “The Town” at Red River Theatres in Concord and, while I enjoyed the movie, I am always puzzled when directors find it necessary to show fights with enough gunfire to (at least as I read it) mow down an entire small city … only to have no one, or very few, actually get hit by a bullet. It seems an irresponsible depiction of gunfights, if you ask me … and marred a movie that I otherwise liked quite well.
Makes me curious to see … or try to piece together … a series of movie clips showing the evolution of the gunfight over time. It could be called something like “From the OK Corral to Armageddon” – maybe there’s a dissertation out there somewhere that I can link to.
In other random news, I read that MB is “on the fence” about running for President in 2012. That someone of this caliber is even considering a run for the Presidency is so amazing to me … and I have to think it must give the mainstream GOP nightmares. Although I suppose that if both MB and SP entered the fray, they might pretty much cancel one another out.
Since the Superbowl, I’ve been hearing all sorts of commentary about how disappointed and horrified people are that Christine Aguilera messed up the words to The Star Spangled Banner. Where were these people when Dubya couldn’t put together an entire sentence for 8 fu*king years? Get real, okay?
Phinally … Phillies, anyone? Get ready for R2C2 and an awesome season! Give a listen to GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. …
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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