Happiness: a high, wide porch, white columns
crowned by the crepe-paper party hats
of hibiscus; a rocking chair; iced tea; a book;
an afternoon in late July to read it,
or read the middle of it, having leisure
to mark that place and enter it tomorrow
just as you left it (knock-knock of woodpecker
keeping yesterday’s time, cicada’s buzz,
the turning of another page, and somewhere
a question raised and dropped, the pendulum-
swing of a wind chime). Back and forth, the rocker
and the reading eye, and isn’t half
your jittery, odd joy the looking out
now and again across the road to where,
under the lush allées of long-lived trees
conferring shade and breeze on those who feel
none of it, a hundred stories stand confined,
each to their single page of stone? Not far,
the distance between you and them: a breath,
a heartbeat dropped, a word in your two-faced
book that invites you to its party only
to sadden you when it’s over. And so you stay
on your teetering perch, you move and go nowhere,
gazing past the heat-struck street that’s split
down the middle—not to put too fine
a point on it—by a double yellow line.
This whole issue is one that has far too much focus for far too little reasons. Just let love be love and move on with it, people! But, instead, we have anger and oppression that results in bullseyes being placed on those who are just trying to live their lives happily and peacefully.
Sadly, according to my Google Alerts this morning, the Breakers have lost midfielder Leslie Osborne for the season with a fractured collarbone. Osborne has been amazing for the B’s and I agree with Tony D, who says, “Finishing the season without Leslie Osborne on the field is going to be a big loss for our club.”
Right now the Breakers are in third place and, barring a late-season meltdown (like last year) ought to make the play-off’s. Who’d a thunk THAT a couple of months ago!
At least Leslie will still be able to be on the bench (presumably) … but who steps up and into her slot on the field?
On the MLB front, the Phillies had a solid game from Roy Oswalt, Chase Utley returned to the line-up WAY ahead of schedule, and their win over the Giants put them on top of the wild card race in the NL. But, as Charlie Manuel said, “We don’t care about the wild card.” Ryan Howard should be back soon .. then watch out world!
The BoSox beat the Angels handily (6-0) … and are loving Ryan Kalish! But apparently Jacoby Ellsbury is done for the season. It would seem that he needs to really, really, really give those ribs time to heal!
On the beer-making front (HollyCornblog has been busy making windowsills … but hasn’t forgotten about the beer), here’s an update on the Hop Harvest from Ms. Cornblog her ownself!
“Our Cascade hops are going crazy, but aren’t quite ready to pick yet.
“You can see how the cones are still kind of tight on them. They need to open up a little more like a flower.”
Here are some of the Cascades cascading from the hop trellis (which you can barely see) … bounteous, eh?
I find it so interesting that some plants are thriving so, with all the dry weather we’ve had.
Wonder if we’ll see the results of the drought NEXT year.
Here in NH we’ve been getting a bumper crop of peaches … and the blueberries have been luscious … go figure!
And here’s a bit of the harvest, up close and personal. Aren’t they nice, juicey-looking critters?
I think they look a little like small cabbages … or maybe tiny artichokes.
(And nope, these are not especially appetizing analogies from a beer-making perspective, I agree!)
Finally, here are some hops on the screen, drying out to be ready for some dry-hopping … right, HollyCornblog?
Can’t wait to taste what you do with them all!
Perhaps I will taste some of your handiwork later this fall or early this winter … while watchig Bret Favre play with the Vikings for yet-another-season. (And I suppose that we should be thankful that the annual mating dance didn’t last quite as long this year. Or am I just becoming numbed to it?)
Okay, now for Dick.
I found some interesting biographical tidbits in the Wikipedia article about him … for example, did you know that he flunked out of Yale? Or that he was convicted of DUI in 1962 at age 21? Interesting parallels to Dubya … except that Dubya didn’t flunk out and wasn’t convicted.
Of course, that’s probably because Dubya had access to more money and influence back in the day … but Cheney rectified that for himself.
Oh, and they both also managed to avoid military service.
And both ended up hawkish, narrow-minded, unforgiving, unreflective, wealthy, powerful, and generally pretty nasty … why is that?
My theory is that when Dick had his first heart attack in 1978 at age 37, he was terrified – as most anyone would be. He went into fear-mode and hasn’t looked back since.
Rather than letting this brush with his mortality contribute to a deepening wisdom, Mr. Dick took it, apparently, as a rationale for developing the kind of faux machismo that kinda matched Bush’s deplorably smug swagger … but was even nastier. He worked hard, driven by fear, to make sure that he made his world as safe as he could.
That meant amassing money, I’m sure … and embracing a black and white, good and evil, childishly simplistic view of things that can be used to justify pretty much whatever you want to do.
Dick’s persona has reminded me a lot of my late, maternal grandfather’s. He works from a fearful and angry place filled with judgmentalness and the kind of brusk surity that I seriously mistrust.
He seems someone who may ultimately be just a tad unsure of his masculinity (maybe that’s what brushes with mortality do to some folks). So, forgetting the fact that he himself avoided the draft and other such nastiness, Dick gets himself all worked up into a tough and bombastic lather about things. It’s downright Dickish.
He’s all full of sturm und drang when it comes to ordering others to do things like die on battlefields and torture folks and such. The posturing is powerful and amazing … when you don’t actually have to carry any of it out yourself, eh Dick?
So, the sad thing is that Dick’s brush with mortality didn’t deepen him. No, instead, he went for the shallow end of the pool. Had he not happened to amass money and power in the course of his life’s journey, he’d just be one of those annoying, grouchy people that gets avoided at family gatherings and church socials.
Or maybe he’d have been arrested for shooting someone in the face.
Or, actually, he might not even be here … because his health insurance might not have allowed for all the many procedures he’s had to keep his ticker ticking through the years.
The possiblities are endless.
But, sadly for America, he did amass money and power … very sadly for America.
Had been doing just great on the exercise front for @ a month when, on Tuesday, my foot started hurting. I skipped my run on Wednesday and Thursday because it was obvious that it was a bad idea. Yesterday my foot felt better, but I thought, “I’ll give it another day, just to be sure.”
Today? Today I need to get packed up, make some potato salad, and generally get prepped for a weekend away. So, knowing I won’t be running tomorrow morning … dare I skip one more run this morning? I ask you …
This is how it happens. A small change that throws me off track … followed by reasonable adjustments … then excuses … and finally, nada.
It would be so nice to be able to relate to exercise in a calm, measured, rational, adult way – taking breaks as needed, knowing that I’ll come back to it when it makes sense (rather than fearing that, after a “slip” it’ll be months before I strap on those sneakers again). And of course, at 57 there’s the added fear that I might … just … NEVER … get started again. Maybe Monday was my LAST RUN!
Yikes! Looking on the bright side, relating to running in this way does add to the drama in an otherwise pretty undramatic life. I mean, who knew I’d be writing such exciting stuff this morning? Cliff-hanger material here!
Decision made: I’ll forego the run today … and be ready to re-start those engines on Monday moring. Stay tuned .. and make me accountable! 😉
PS The Breakers play Sky Blue FC (or FC Sky Blue … I can never keep it straight) on Sunday. Here’s what I’ve got … from my official Breakers e-mail:
The Boston Breakers will play at Harvard Stadium for the final time during the regular season this Sunday against Sky Blue FC at 6 p.m.
The Breakers still have one more “home” match in the 2010 regular season, which will be played at Veterans Memorial Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut on Saturday, August 21st. The Breakers scheduled the match in New Britain due to the scheduling conflicts at Harvard and to bring the Breakers and WPS to new fans in the Connecticut and Western Massachusetts regions.
For those who can’t make the game Sunday, it will be broadcast nationally on FoxSoccer Channel. The game can also be followed via webcast and WPS Match Tracker.
Game Notes for Sunday’s game against New Jersey are available for download here: http://drop.io/boxsbfc815
Oh yeah – and they’re asking their fans to wear blue. I’ll see what I’ve got!
… and a wee bit of Shelby before I go … just cuz I’m alive!
That’s Liz as in Elizabeth Warren … who was apparently seen leaving the White House yesterday. I sure do hope Obama does the right thing.
I’ve come upon some enlightening research about birth order which I share happily with you all, and with HollyCornblog and ChrisopherCornblog … and in preparation for a weekend with JBD’s family. The title (“Sorry, kid, first-borns really are smarter”) is illuminating … as is my need to share it! Here’s a tool you can use to ferret out the effects that your birth order has had on you, at BirthOrderandPersonality.com.
Went to see Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work last night and came away so impressed with her work ethic and wit. She hasn’t replaced Shelby, but gave me a brief respite at least!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knxuG_hYe-8
Half the time I feel like I shouldn’t be laughing … but mostly, I do … 😉
The Phillies are costing me sleep these days (not that I mind) as they are managing to win games that earlier in the season they’d have lost. Last night it was the Dodgers losing a huge lead in the last two innings.
Because I’ve got nothing on our pulseless ex-Veep, I thought I’d share some WPS news. It’s certainly gotten a lot more interesting and gratifying for Breakers fans, as they continued their lossless streak against Philly this past Sunday. Yes, it was a draw … but Boston remains one of the few teams that the Independence haven’t beaten this year. And kudos to Kelly Smith on being named WPS Player of the week!
Earlier, the Breakers beat the Beat in a game that resulted in some Tweets from Hope Solo, creating a brouhaha and accusing some of the Breakers’ fan base of racism. To my knowledge, Hope never (or hasn’t yet) clarified exactly what it was that set her off. As was the case back on the bad old Greg Ryan days … it appears to me that frustration bubbled up and out into the (social) media … in a way that Hope probably now regrets.
It’ll make for an interesting game with the Beat down in Connecticut next weekend (the 21st). As for the Breakers immediate challenges, they face off against Sky Blue FC on Sunday evening down in Cambridge!
So Dick is out. According to a statement released by the family, he has gone home to “continue his recovery,” and Liz told Fox News last Sunday that he plans to do some hunting and fishing. (Shouldn’t Keep America Safe step in if Dick picks up a gun again?)
From everything I read, there really ain’t much of a recovery from this. He’s either gone home to wait for a transplant (a perk of only the very richest 69-year-old’s here in the US of A) or to die.
There are no photos of him waving to reporters … leering. I’m thinking he must look pretty ghastly or there would be some happy pix to reassure his base base. But nothing … just a statement.
There are many who urge compassion as this man and his family deal with his dying. I’ll need to think about that … hard. Maybe I’ll just leave the compassion to God on this one … and leave Dick with a heartfelt song …
Absolutely the last day that I publically obsess about how great Shelby Lynne is … because I know how annoying it can get.
The truth of the matter is, if there would be news of Dick, I’d shift gears in a heartbeat (heh heh).
But for now, it’s Shelby, Shelby, Shelby … and that’s all I have to say.
Okay … not entirely. A few other tidbits:
The Breakers played the Philly Independence to a 2-2 tie, with Kelly Smith scoring the tying goal … as well as assisting on the first tally (a nice goal by Lauren Cheney … no relation, BTW).
The Phillies pulled out a 6-5 nailbiter to take their series with the Mets 2-1.
Josh Beckett sucked last night … and while I was sorry to see the Sox lose, I never mind seeing Josh get his comeuppance.
In a piece of obnoxiousness on HuffPo I see that some underrated author has come up with a list of the 15 most over-rated writers in America. I was not on the list .. but you know who was? Mary Oliver! Come on folks, get your lanterns and pitchforks … we need to go find the dude who wrote this piece!
I’m heading out … as soon as I finish listening to my new Shelby Lynne CD one more time … have a nice day!
So, because Dick is still with us and I have nothing more pressing to write about at the moment .. and really should get myself out the door for a run before the sun gets too much higher .. here are some more windowsills (and one countertop) … all the handiwork of HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew … who might just need to quit their day jobs! 😉
If you can’t tell what’s what, just hover over the pictures and brief descriptive labels should pop up.
And now, onward!
Oh – catch the Breakers at 8PM ET tonight as they take on Philly on the Fox soccer channel! Check out the attendance figures for the year … nice to see Boston at the top … but scary, overall!
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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