So the San Francisco Giants are up by two games in the World Series as of last night, after their 9-0 win over the Texas Rangers. Not what anyone was expecting – not by a long shot. I’m thinking that sure makes the Phillies look good at this point, although I still miss seeing the Fightin’s and wish they were in the Series.
But my larger wish is that the post-election landscape will be as surprising (and pleasantly so) as the current World Series landscape is looking. Wouldn’t it be something if the American electorate were to vote intelligently rather than reactively? Wouldn’t it be something if the scare tactics and oversimplifications of the Right were to backfire? Wouldn’t it be amazing if the Rally to Restore Sanity actually did?
One can hope.
Meanwhile, it’s looking like a beautiful day here in New Hampshire. I visit Willie’s grave as I come and go, and am strangely heartened to have it nearby. He’s gone – but remembering is always right here – and that’s a good thing, albeit sad. Leaves and sticks litter the stones that RPE and I piled there more than a week ago. I still think I glimpse him out of the corner my eye, and I’m sure that will continue for quite some time.
His grave is becoming a part of the landscape here, just as he is part of the landscape of my heart.
But anyway, it’s a beautiful day here, and I’m home from work, having taken the day off. I’ll probably split some wood and, once the sun is a little higher, walk the Woods Loop. Walking it without Willie is a strange and poignant thing. The path is the same – but not. Not at all.
No, I am not taking about the Phillies, who last night lost their bid to go to a third straight World Series.
Not by a mile …
I am talking about Willie, our sweet black lab, who died last Sunday night after bringing us lots of sticks and tennis balls and … joy … for the last eleven years.
It feels so final, to write about it here; I have been balking at it all week, Willie … died … last … Sunday … night.
He’d had a good morning, walking up and down the driveway with JBD for, what we didn’t realize, was his last time. He lay in the sun. As the day went on, though, he was fading. In the end he died peacefully, with little struggle.
And he had a wonderful life packed with lots of hours of doing what he loved. That’s all to the good.
His gone-ness, though, is so very, very final and sad.
All the places where you’d expect him to be are empty. But that doesn’t stop me from thinking I glimpse him … or from turning my head toward the spot in the dining room where he usually lay after breakfast … just to say good morning to the boy.
Willie was an athlete – a fact that probably helped him recover from what our vet thinks may have been a heart attack about a year and a half ago … when we first thought we were going to lose him.
He had cancer in the blood vessels in his heart (the reason for that first heart attack) as well as a tumor around his spleen. But he recovered well and had a year and a half of good quality living … helped along by an every-other-day dose (very low dose) of steroids. And here I must pause to say, “Thank you, Fiona!” (And if you are ever looking for an extraordinary vet … let me know and I’ll put you in touch with her!)
After that, there was no more racing around after sticks … but plenty of walks in the woods and sunny afternoons spent rolling around on the lawn. And lots of treats for being such a good boy!
In his prime Willie was an avid retriever. It was instinctive … and relentless … his drive. He didn’t know when to stop, and wouldn’t, until we did. He raced up and down our hill endlessly, and swam at the Lake, or in the Merrimack, as long as we would throw objects for him to fetch.
One of my favorite images of him is of his tail, like a flag above the tall grass in the field, wagging happily as he searched for a lost tennis ball. He’d stick with it ’til he found it … or we called him.
Willie was a sweet, shy boy. He didn’t cotton to strangers … but gamely did his bit when RPE was in 4-H and doing the dog show circuit. He’d do anything for RPE, and she for him! The reward, after a day of “Fit and Show” was an early evening trek to the river.
A few things always especially amazed me about our Will.
How, for example, did he know to pause and wait, when he was hiking with Karen or one of us … and came to a split in the trail?
And how did he know, when swimming toward a ball in the Merrimack, to set his trajectory downstream from where it first spashed in … meeting it where the current carried it rather than heading toward where it had landed?
And how did he know that the carrots that he loved grew (quite magically) underground, right out in the garden … and could be harvested by a diligent dog whenever he chose?
His grave is out behind the house, right near the garden, and beside the path we take when we’re walking in the woods. He’s there next to Jake and Woody … other beloved dogs who are, hopefully, welcoming Willie to their company. (Woody, I am sure, is a friendly and gracious companion. Jake? Dunno!?)
Meanwhile … Ruby is a little lost. No, make that a LOT lost.
And Sylus misses Willie in the uncomplicated way that only a slightly brain-damaged cat can!
I hope that Willie knew how much we loved him … and knows, somehow, how much we miss him.
Yup, it’s true. The Rangers made Dubya very happy yesterday, holding onto their lead this time and beating the Yanks in game 2.
They head to the Bronx with their series tied at 1-1.
Meanwhile, in The City of Brotherly Love, Doc Halladay and the Fightin’s left JordanCornblog feeling not-so-smiley at all … as they dropped their opener to Tim Lincecum and the Giants 4-3.
Now they’ve pretty much gotta win with the other Roy.
Game 2?
Tonight.
Be there …
Meanwhile … farewell to Barbara Billingsley (at 94).
Keeping track of the American League championship series via Dubya’s facial expressions is, perhaps, easier than keeping score. True to form, the Yankees surged the back late in the game as the Rangers imploded, much as the Twins had before them.
Poor Dubya, who had a prime seat next to Nolan Ryan, went from happy to sad, much as he had during the unhappy span of his presidency. I wonder if he actually understood what was happening – doesn’t it look like he’s asking a disgusted Nolan for clarification? But … it was baseball, after all, so he probably did have SOME idea of what was transpiring. Will he remember this morning? Perhaps not, and that may be a blessing.
In WPS news I see that Kate Markgraf has retired from professional play – sounds like that means the USWNT, too. I will never forget watching her zero in on the striker you the corner and line at Gillette Stadium during the 2003 Women’s World Cup. The intensity and focus were just amazing to see!
I also see that the Breakers have declined options on quite a few players, including Stephanie Cox (that one’s a bit of a surprise). It feels like the teams are battening down for hard times – and I hope they survive and play again next spring.
It’s one of those clean, clear, crystalline fall mornings – after a day of hard rains and gusty winds. Feels like the moments after a good cry – when everything looks so different, and so hopeful. It’s a perfect morning for looking ahead to the Phillies – Giants matchup tonight (you knew I get there somehow, right). Halliday versus Lincecum – it could be really amazing!
Alice, if you’re around and have a smidgen of Philadelphia loyalty to spend, you might enjoy watching the Fightin’s as they strive to make their way to their third World Series! It’s a little weird having a Philly team not be the underdog, but I don’t really mind.
Just 8 more wins, guys! And in the meantime, enjoy the Delaware County String Band playing the Fightin’s Fight Song (circa 1950) … at old Connie Mack Stadium. I find myself looking for DaddyCornblog … although I don’t think he was there.
Here’s the far shore of the lake on Sunday morning.
There’s the little abandoned Catholic Church looking downright numinous in the morning light!
And then here’s CharlieHopbrew, watching the same sun sink in the west … all bundled up and anticipatory, as autumn wends its way, sunset by sunset, toward the long dark of winter …
Here’s a piece of a poem for this transitional time of year.
And I actially did find a photo or two of Dick … as of October 2010.
The resemblance to yesterday’s photo is rather uncanny, I think. Don’t you? I am guessing that he has some make-up on in the more robust-looking photo, as this was a public engagement. The other photo was a candid shot.
Then we have the frail-looking Dick leaning against a chair. He really is frail-looking … and a Dick.
And finally, Lynne and Dick … chuckling about how Dick duped the country into lining Halliburten’s pockets while fighting a war to address Dubya’s Oedipal issues.
Don’t they just look so happy, smug and proud … not to mention rich?
And speaking of Dubya .. here’s the ex-Prez looking as vacant and dim-witted as ever … rooting on his Rangers (who’ve now lost two in a row).
Nothing against the team, but it irks me no end to see him smiling or enjoying himself.
Shouldn’t he be tortured by doubts and self-recrimination? Sleeplessness. Loss of appetite? Despair? Or at least having his team get knocked out of the play-off’s?
And doesn’t this photo need a caption of some sort? (Submissions welcome … 😉
Words can’t begin to describe how upset I was to read, last night, that they wheeled out a pulseless-but-breathing Dick Cheney to be interviewed by his loving keeper Lynne, and defend the myriad ways that the Bush administration eroded our constitutional rights in the guise of protecting us from terrorists.
The worst of it is that in describing this important event they don’t even provide concerned citizens with an up-to-date picture of Dick. Instead, in keeping with the penchant for unreality that we became used to during the Bush era, we are presented with a photo of Dick from 2008. Why bother? It’s a lie.
What do they think? The American public wouldn’t be able to deal with reality? Apparently so.
Here’s a photo from yesterday’s appearance … snapped by an attendee with a Droid. Thanks!
In other devastating news, the Yankees have swept the Twins and advanced to the ALCS. I don’t know, it just feels like evil is triumphing today.
Although countering that trend was yesterday’s surprising defeat of Williams by the Bates women’s soccer team. Mo, I hope you got to see that game – and congrats on the Ray’s win against the Rangers. Hopefully they’ll mount an epic comeback and proceed to defeat the Yankees in the ALCS!
The Phillies play Cincinnati tonight, and will be in conflict with the Eagles for TV time here.
Of course, I will be focusing on whichever team needs my help the most – my guess being it will be the Eagles tonight!
I don’t know about you, but I think even the Gipper might be offended by this particular comparison! My only hope is that what she’s doing is out of avariciousness and the desire to “build her brand” and not out of an actual desire to be president. As has been the case with the GOP of late, they continue to make the likes of Nixon and Reagan look relatively balanced and thoughtful. Might they even begin to make Dubya look that way? What a frightening thought – but I think that may be where we are headed! Here are polling numbers from Nate Silver as of the end of the week … bleak.
Turning toward the happier world of sports, where I go to find an alternative and less disturbing universe, I note that the Phillies won in a game that was pretty much the opposite of the perfection of game one. Still, a win so when. I do hope that that Utley actually DID think that pitch hit him (as challenging as it is to believe) – otherwise, I’m afraid of karma biting the Fightins back … down the road.
And two errors in one inning by Mr. Utley? Yikes! Still … even more, the Reds were undermining themselves at every turn. Will they be able to win one in Cincinnati? Guess we’ll know tomorrow night.
Today could close out the ALDS, leaving the Yankees and Rangers to battle for a chance to play in the World Series. Of course I’m still holding the hope that the Twins and Rays can somehow miraculously pull it out. Doubtful … but I really, really hate the thought that Dubya is sitting down in Texas in his gated community … enjoying the Rangers’ run. (And, of course, here in NH, it’s never good when the Yankees are winning.)
Anyway … it’s another gorgeous day here in Canterbury, as leaf peepers stream into NH to spend their hard-earned dollars. Keep it coming … it’s the only money our Live Free or Die state seems willing to take!
Judging from the sunrise today it’s going to be an absolute beauty! Perfect October weather – it doesn’t get any better than that. Thanks, Alice, for the poem yesterday. I’m gonna transcribe it here to share …
Fall
by Edward Hirsch
Fall, falling, fallen. That’s the way the season
Changes its tense in the long-haired maples
That dot the road; the veiny hand-shaped leaves
Redden on their branches (in a fiery competition
With the final remaining cardinals) and then
Begin to sidle and float through the air, at last
Settling into colorful layers carpeting the ground.
At twilight the light, too, is layered in the trees
In a season of odd, dusky congruences—a scarlet tanager
And the odor of burning leaves, a golden retriever
Loping down the center of a wide street and the sun
Setting behind smoke-filled trees in the distance,
A gap opening up in the treetops and a bruised cloud
Blamelessly filling the space with purples. Everything
Changes and moves in the split second between summer’s
Sprawling past and winter’s hard revision, one moment
Pulling out of the station according to schedule,
Another moment arriving on the next platform. It
Happens almost like clockwork: the leaves drift away
From their branches and gather slowly at our feet,
Sliding over our ankles, and the season begins moving
Around us even as its colorful weather moves us,
Even as it pulls us into its dusty, twilit pockets.
And every year there is a brief, startling moment
When we pause in the middle of a long walk home and
Suddenly feel something invisible and weightless
Touching our shoulders, sweeping down from the air:
It is the autumn wind pressing against our bodies;
It is the changing light of fall falling on us.
*************************************
I’m going to be doing my annual – or I should say semiannual – clothes swap today. Love this chore. Used to hate it as a kid, but now it provides such a great opportunity for getting rid of things I never wear, reminiscing about the season gone by, and anticipating what’s to come.
Feeling much less funkish today, for no reason that I can really pinpoint. Sometimes I think just naming what’s going on helps to put it into perspective and perhaps get it into proportion.
I see that the Giants and Tim Lincecum had their way with the Braves last night. So far the pitching on the National League side has been absolutely amazing. And I am bummed to see that neither of the teams I prefer on the AL side are winning. Is there no God? (Of course there is … and she’s going to be making sure that the Phillies take Game 2 against the Reds this evening!)
And taking a moment t reminisce … here’s that last play of Doc’s no-hitter, moment-by-moment. It kinda gives me the chills, how precise this game is! Kudos to Carlos and Ryan for making it work!
Here’s a photo of a label that was on a crate that HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew found in the attic up at the Lake. Clearly, it was a crate that held plates or dishes or some other sort of crockery that our great grandmother must have ordered as she was outfitting the place back in the early 20th century.
It’s amazing to think of these wooden crates loaded first onto a train and then into a wagon … slowly creaking and crawling its way up those craggy hills all the way from Oneonta to Crystal Lake.
I wish the attic had had more of that sort of thing (even though it would’ve been a hassle for HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew to deal with). Imagine finding old, empty flour barrels, empty crates for groceries, household goods, etc. up there!
Back in those days they’d get in their supplies for the summer months, and that was pretty much it. A trip to town would’ve been a day’s undertaking, not something done lightly, that’s for sure. Before they went up there in the spring, a local farmer would cut ice from the Lake and haul it into the icehouse, where they stored their food through the summer months.
Pretty amazing to think about it … as I work at a computer in an entirely different century!
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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