I woke this morning to the lovely sound of rain … gently watering parched garden beds and sending the grape vine and the morning glories twining greenly up the posts of the arbor out front.
Also lovely, this morning, was the news that the National League finally won an All Star game … their first since 1996. I’m avoiding the USWNT-Sweden result, as I hope to watch the match tonight unsullied by facts!
Here’s a photo of one of the new windows that HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew installed this past weekend. Looking so good, you guys!
The big, big, BIG plus about these windows (aside from the fact that they are probably helping to hold the house up) is that they can be opened.
How wonderful to be able to let the breeze from the lake blow through on some of these hot afternoons, eh?
HollyCornblog tells me that all of the downstairs windows are now done … amazing!
On the Hollywood beat, I read that Shiloh Jolie-Pitt … at age 3 … is getting crap from the press about how she dresses. Yup, you heard me.
It reminds me of the crap I used to get about how I dressed … although thankfully the press never became involved.
Pretty darn snappy dresser, if you ask me! (If you click on the picture you’ll get a larger view.)
How easy, driving north on I-89 … pausing in Montpelier, then continuing ’til the rolling hills turn flat and prairie-like. The skies darken, knifing lightning and pelting rain as we span the mighty St. Lawrence … and then viola! Montreal in rush hour.
We make our way to the Chateau Versailles … gracious and quiet. Dinner, wine, leafy green neighborhoods just off the busy Friday-night streets. Huge, old, walled seminaries and convents lining the boulevards … a young woman running strong and steady through the late evening rain … and this morning, coffee, croissants, perhaps … and adventures await.
Here’s what the Writer’s Alamanac offered this morning … how apt!
Once I pass’d through a populous city imprinting my brain for future
use with its shows, architecture, customs, traditions,
Yet now of all that city I remember only a woman I casually met there
who detain’d me for love of me,
Day by day and night by night we were together—all else has long
been forgotten by me,
I remember I say only that woman who passionately clung to me,
Again we wander, we love, we separate again,
Again she holds me by the hand, I must not go,
I see her close beside me with silent lips sad and tremulous.
What I remember right now? Nothing quite so dramatic … a woman walking her dog on a side street near where we ate. And our waiter, who cautioned me several times about how to carry my left-over boulliabasse. Wonder if he was concerned about the amount of wine that had been consumed .. hmmmm.
Oh, and lest I forget … back at the hotel, what a wonder to get on the internet and “watch” as the Phillies came back from a 7-1 deficit in the 9th to win it in the 10th 9-7. They’re B-A-A-A-C-K!
Oh, and LeBron? You shoulda stayed in Cleveland, my friend. The owner’s reacton is a little over-the-top … but karma is karma … and I’m thinking yours just went really bad, bud.
Meanwhile … go Spain, go Phillies, go Sox, go Breakers … and I’m off to run before it gets any hotter!
While avoiding all things productive, I stumbled upon a blog entry and relating article. Both cause severe hypersalvitation so please be pre-warned. I think I’ve learned my lesson about avoidance.
I’ve been exploring childhood memories off and on for years now. Lately I find that they are more accessible, and more vivid, as I am incresingly able to relax and just let what’s “in there” bubble up. Why that is so, I don’t really know – except that perhaps as I realize that this life of mine is my one and only go at it, I become more curious about who and how and why I am.
There’s that … and the compassion that can come with age, I think … if we let it. I am less judgmental of myself, overall … and less afraid of what might “bubble up.” After all – whatever is in there has been there for some 50-plus years … so it’s better to see it than not. That’s what I’m thinkin’!
Anyway – so when I sit quietly (which I don’t do often enough), I sometimes walk around old neighborhoods, open cupboards and dresser drawers, visit classrooms, pat dogs’ heads and sit at dinner tables long-gone. And I swear, they are right there … because they really are all right here.
One of the things I’ve been remembering is how my mother used to read to me/us at night. It was a gift … and given that it was MommyCornblog doing it, you can be assured that there was the occasional odd twist to it all! Here’s one of the poems I’ve been remembering … and as I do, I can see the dark and mysterious wall of my bedroom at 128 Benedict Avenue in Havertown, PA … on sleepy/dreamy nights in the early ’50’s!
I ain’t afeard uv snakes, or toads, or bugs, or worms, or mice,
An’ things ‘at girls are skeered uv I think are awful nice!
I ‘m pretty brave, I guess; an’ yet I hate to go to bed,
For, when I ‘m tucked up warm an’ snug an’ when my prayers are said,
Mother tells me “Happy dreams!” and takes away the light,
An’ leaves me lyin’ all alone an’ seein’ things at night!
Sometimes they ‘re in the corner, sometimes they ‘re by the door,
Sometimes they ‘re all a-standin’ in the middle uv the floor;
Sometimes they are a-sittin’ down, sometimes they ‘re walkin’ round
So softly an’ so creepylike they never make a sound!
Sometimes they are as black as ink, an’ other times they ‘re white—
But the color ain’t no difference when you see things at night!
Once, when I licked a feller ‘at had just moved on our street,
An’ father sent me up to bed without a bite to eat,
I woke up in the dark an’ saw things standin’ in a row,
A-lookin’ at me cross-eyed an’ p’intin’ at me so!
Oh, my! I wuz so skeered that time I never slep’ a mite—
It’s almost alluz when I ‘m bad I see things at night!
Lucky thing I ain’t a girl, or I ‘d be skeered to death!
Bein’ I ‘m a boy, I duck my head an’ hold my breath;
An’ I am, oh! so sorry I ‘m a naughty boy, an’ then
I promise to be better an’ I say my prayers again!
Gran’ma tells me that ‘s the only way to make it right
When a feller has been wicked an’ sees things at night!
An’ so, when other naughty boys would coax me into sin,
I try to skwush the Tempter’s voice ‘at urges me within;
An’ when they ‘s pie for supper, or cakes ‘at ‘s big an’ nice,
I want to—but I do not pass my plate f’r them things twice!
No, ruther let Starvation wipe me slowly out o’ sight
Than I should keep a-livin’ on an’ seein’ things at night!
The Breakers beat Philly on the strength of a goal by Lil!!!!
Oh, and Netherlands … yup … Alice is gonna be happy at the end of the day as she notches another win for them on her scorecard (and a win for every NH Dewdney in our soccer pool except the one I live with. What’s with that, JBD?)!
I’ve never been real big on the 4th of July, truth be told. The Civil War was more my thing. Internecine warfare was, after all, what we cut our teeth on. Hard to get it out of your system, once it’s embedded there.
Then there were the wigs and short pants and stockings … all that 18th-century garb that the cowboy in me just couldn’t relate to. I like that the colonist soldiers were a scruffy and rag-tag bunch … but, what can I say … all cleaned up and be-wigged in Philly back in 1776? That had about as much appeal to me as an opera (sorry, Beeg!)
So yeah … the 4th of July? Not-so-much. (Plus, all the flashes and pops drive the dogs crazy …) Which reminds me of one of my favorite 4th-of-July memories. It’s of going to Marple Newtown High School with my friend CB for the fireworks. Huge crowd … good show, no doubt. Maybe Alice was there … or her parents watched from their house.
Anyway, what CB and I focused on were the babies crying after each explosion. There’d be a bright light, a shower of sparkles, a big pop … and then the wailing would begin. It was rather amazing …. and we, of course, found it hilarious. Looking back … and thinking about it today … why would any sane adult bring an infant to a fireworks display?
Here’s how JordanCornblog and ChristopherCornblog looked back in the early-ish 50’s, celebrating the 4th.
We’re in our neighbor’s side yard … with our friend Loretta who always seemed so grown up and out of reach – kind of a celebrity in our world.
Looking at the picture now, I can see that she was probably in Junior High School. Perspective … such an amazing thing!
In our soccer pool, things have shifted about pretty dramatically … and it’s looking to me like TeamDewdney has it made in the shade, unless something truly shocking happens (Uraguay, are you listening?) tylerdewdney is right in there, too (speaking of internecine warfare) … and Gary in Rio and Pliny could pick up a few points … but I doubt it’ll be enough to pull off an upset.
Here’s how it stands … as we head toward the Semi-finals on Wednesday …
On the Men’s World Cup front, stop reading right here if you have yesterday’s games on the DVR and still haven’t watched ’em yet. We were able to keep the score mum here … and thoroughly enjoyed watching that upset of Brazil by the men in Orange. I felt bad for the goalie on that first Dutch goal .. but the second was absolutely amazing (as was the nastiness). Uraguay-Ghana was a heartbreaker (I didn’t see it … but what a wrenching tale!)
Today it’s Germany-Argentina, and then Paraguay-Spain. In our little soccer competition, the Brazil loss has wreaked havoc on most folks’ picks. (Who knew it could feel so much like March in July!!??) Here’s how things stand at the moment …
As you see, 3/4’s of the Dewdney entrants have the potential to score some points in the finals (2 of ’em having the prescience to pick Netherlands). The rest of us? I’d say we’re pretty well cooked! (Rachel, sorry about those picks I made for you! And yes … that’s Mo at the top of the pile … )
If you click on the Player name in the table, you should be able to see who folks picked. (Don’t look at mine … it’s embarrassing!)
Now, to other news … random and fascinating, of course:
Amazon has bought Woot … but Woot CEO Matt Rutledge says that won’t change things … “For Woot, our vision remains the same: somehow earning a living on snarky commentary and junk,” Rutledge wrote.
Hope that’s the case … just received my Canon PIXMA Wireless All-In-One Printer on Thursday. I finished setting it up last night, and scanned my first photo right after … beautiful!
Check out JordanCornblog and DaddyCornblog circa 1952!
On the USWNT front, Pia has named her roster (24-woman) heading toward two July matches with Sweden. Here’s the short story, from All White Kit … looks like Carli is all better … and Lil continues to amaze! Wonder what’s up with Tasha Kai. It was nice to see her in the WPS All Star game … but she seems to have dropped off the USWNT radar. Miss her!
Still waiting for my Droid … ***drums fingers on the desk *** … and was psyched to receive an e-mail with the news that the Kindle application for the Droid is now available. Cool … *** drums fingers on desk some more *** …
I leave you with a tranquil poem … a contrast to the above … from The Writer’s Almanac, of course!
The Evening is Tranquil, and Dawn is a Thousand Miles Away
The mares go down for their evening feed
into the meadow grass.
Two pine trees sway the invisible wind—
some sway, some don’t sway.
The heart of the world lies open, leached and ticking with sunlight
For just a minute or so.
The mares have their heads on the ground,
the trees have their heads on the blue sky.
Two ravens circle and twist.
On the borders of heaven, the river flows clear a bit longer.
Just as JBD would have predicted, Tina Charles is having a knock-em-dead season. Notching her sixth double-double in a row this past Tuesday, Charles now has 12 of ’em in her first 15 games. This little tidbit comes from Swish Appeal … a new find for yours truly – and what looks to be a great site for keeping up with WNBA and Women’s College Hoops news! And as for Tina, you can check her out on ESPN2 at 7PM (Central) this coming Tuesday.
The floundering Breakers head south to play A-rod and her Philly teammates next … and have signed defender Dieke Ifeoma. No offense whatsoever to Dieke … but it seems that it’s scoring that we need.
Meanwhile the Women’s Sports Blog offers a nice write-up of a very entertaining WPS All Star game. Interesting comment on Paul O’Reilly’s feelings about Tony … something I have certainly wondered about (and written about a wee bit) as I watch this most recent iteration of the Breakers continue to stumble. Can’t find the article referred to, though … and will try to look some more later (unless Alice finds it first!) 😉
Here’s an excerpt from Tony’s book about coaching which strikes me as disingenuous, after watching his treatment of A-rod (admittedly, from the 3rd row on sporadic visits to Harvard Stadium). That’s in addition to his treatment of the team … where my observaton has been that he seems generally annoyed with and disdainful of them … walking away from them after losses, ignoring players when they come out of the game if he thinks they haven’t played well … just not the compassionate, wise, vulnerable coach that he portrays himself to be in the book (or at least that passage).
I’m disgruntled. Show us something different, Tony. Do you need to bring in Colleen Hacker, Carla Overbeck and Julie Foudy to get things back on track? Where’s that wisdom?
Oh, and it’s the anniversary of MommyCornblog’s birth … back in 1925 … today. She would have been 85, had she lived … and that is really pretty much impossible to imagine.
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!
Here’s a photo of one of the new windows that HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew installed this past weekend. Looking so good, you guys!
On the Hollywood beat, I read that Shiloh Jolie-Pitt … at age 3 … is getting crap from the press about how she dresses. Yup, you heard me.
JordanCornblog 
Shocking Developments
On the Men’s World Cup front, stop reading right here if you have yesterday’s games on the DVR and still haven’t watched ’em yet. We were able to keep the score mum here … and thoroughly enjoyed watching that upset of Brazil by the men in Orange. I felt bad for the goalie on that first Dutch goal .. but the second was absolutely amazing (as was the nastiness). Uraguay-Ghana was a heartbreaker (I didn’t see it … but what a wrenching tale!)
Today it’s Germany-Argentina, and then Paraguay-Spain. In our little soccer competition, the Brazil loss has wreaked havoc on most folks’ picks. (Who knew it could feel so much like March in July!!??) Here’s how things stand at the moment …
Score / Potential
Score / Potential
Score / Potential
Score / Potential
Score / Potential
eam Dewdney
As you see, 3/4’s of the Dewdney entrants have the potential to score some points in the finals (2 of ’em having the prescience to pick Netherlands). The rest of us? I’d say we’re pretty well cooked! (Rachel, sorry about those picks I made for you! And yes … that’s Mo at the top of the pile … )
If you click on the Player name in the table, you should be able to see who folks picked. (Don’t look at mine … it’s embarrassing!)
Now, to other news … random and fascinating, of course:
Hope that’s the case … just received my Canon PIXMA Wireless All-In-One Printer on Thursday. I finished setting it up last night, and scanned my first photo right after … beautiful!
Check out JordanCornblog and DaddyCornblog circa 1952!
On the USWNT front, Pia has named her roster (24-woman) heading toward two July matches with Sweden. Here’s the short story, from All White Kit … looks like Carli is all better … and Lil continues to amaze! Wonder what’s up with Tasha Kai. It was nice to see her in the WPS All Star game … but she seems to have dropped off the USWNT radar. Miss her!
In WPS kudos … 2009 WPS Champs Sky Blue FC got to visit the White House and give Obama a T-shirt last week … nice! And in good economic news (in an otherwise dismal week) I see that Foxwoods are putting some of their financial heft behind the Breakers … while letting the word casino drop by the wayside (don’t want those pony-tailed hooligans developing bad habits early)!
Still waiting for my Droid … ***drums fingers on the desk *** … and was psyched to receive an e-mail with the news that the Kindle application for the Droid is now available. Cool … *** drums fingers on desk some more *** …
I leave you with a tranquil poem … a contrast to the above … from The Writer’s Almanac, of course!
The Evening is Tranquil, and Dawn is a Thousand Miles Away
by Charles Wright
The mares go down for their evening feed
into the meadow grass.
Two pine trees sway the invisible wind—
some sway, some don’t sway.
The heart of the world lies open, leached and ticking with sunlight
For just a minute or so.
The mares have their heads on the ground,
the trees have their heads on the blue sky.
Two ravens circle and twist.
On the borders of heaven, the river flows clear a bit longer.
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