Went to see The Wailin’ Jennys last night … wonderful concert … wonderful music and thoroughly engaging poeple, too … and a late night for the likes of JordanCornblog!
Their website is cool and I was especially interested to see that they take the time to add brief reviews of restaurants they visit … nice touch … and something Nourishing Words will especially appreciate, I suspect!
We really liked the opening act, too – Joy Kills Sorrow – a local (as in Boston) band. Unfortunately, they do not review restaurants (yet).
On the way home we learned that the Phillies, Red Sox AND Cubs had won their respective Saturday games … so all is copacetic on that front.
We’ll just ignore the news of immigration laws and banks and stalled climate bills and such. Oh, and we won’t mention anyone whose initials are SP … unless we were to accidentally misspell Sandra Pullock’s name, which would just be silly.
In Saturday’s lone WPS match, FC Gold Pride pulled out the win, sneaking by the Beat with a goal in the 89th minute. I was happy to see that, on the Fantasy front, I garnered 10 points from Camille Abily’s assist. From Marta … nada. 😦
Don’t forget – Breakers-Athletica in a battle for first place on Fox Soccer Channel at 6PM ET today!
Yes, the Diamondbacks beat the Phillies last night in what sounded like an excellent effort on their part. While the Diamondbacks got it done, the rest of the state (with the exception of Boltgirl and her friends and family) was not simply embarrassing itself but causing serious geological damage to the southwestern part of the US.
Yes, Arizona appears to have moved so far to the right that it’s dislodged itself from its border with liberal-infested California (creating a brand new, yet-to-be-named canyon) and is pressing against the boundary with New Mexico (creating a brand new, yet-to-be-named mountain range).
Of course, this is not what they were hoping for. The aim was to create something more like a mountain or canyon along that pesky southern border where all the nasty illegals come in. But instead, Arizona has simply isolated itself from its neighboring states and made itself appear, at best, bonkers. Jan Brewer and John McCain … this is shameless and will come back and bite you. (At least I sure hope it will!)
Speaking of Jan, here’s an interesting glimpse of her authenticity … what a woman!
Moving right along … the Breakers face off against the Athletica in St. Louis tomorrow evening (6PM ET) – and it’s the televised match this week. It’s a game that’s going to decide who holds first place for the coming week.
The FC Gold Pride visit Georgia to face off against the Beat in today’s lone match … and I look for the Beat’s defense to be sorely tested by the Bay Area’s scoring machine! In Sunday’s games we have the Freedom versus Philly out in West Chester (and I’m right back to rooting for the Philly team). Also up on Sunday is a rematch of Sky Blue FC and the Red Stars – where I look for the Red Stars to start putting their shots away … because Boltgirl needs some good news!
And then there’s the Breakers/Athletica contest. The Breakers defense will continue to be stalwart … but can they amp up their scoring and get a couple past Hope? That’s what I’m hoping for! Maybe a little more time from Tiffany Weimer … what do you think, Tony? It actually will be interesting to see what sorts of adjustments he makes.
And last but not least … this takes @ 4.5 minutes to watch and is quite amazing. Thanks, Alison, for sharing it with me … wonderful images of women in sacred art through time. I must admit, though, being from Canterbury and all, I felt the absence of Ann Lee … not to mention my current personal favorite sacred image of womanhood … Rachel Maddow!
Usually I hear the phrase Wild Geese and I think of Mary Oliver … or Joni Mitchell’s Urge for Going. (The version below doesn’t include the relevant line for my purposes today. It goes … “See the geese in chevron flight flapping and a-racing on before the snow// They’ve got the urge for going, and they’ve got the wings so they can go.”) I’ll see if I can find it and add it in later!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3EofN3Flag
But now I have a new poem … one from The Writer’s Almanac that I liked especially for today … as we celebrate the Beeg’s B-day (and a cowbird perches on the tippy top branch of the swaying crabapple outside my window)!
I’m picking beans when the geese fly over, Blue Lake pole
beans I figure to blanch and freeze. Maybe pick some dilly beans.
And there will be more beans to give to the neighbors, forcibly if
necessary.
The geese come over so low I can hear their wings creak, can
see their tail feathers making fine adjustments. They slip-stream along
so gracefully, riding on each other’s wind, surfing the sky. Maybe
after the harvest I’ll head south. Somebody told me Puerto Vallarta is
nice. I’d be happy with a cheap room. Rice and beans at every meal.
Swim a little, lay on the beach.
Who are you kidding, Charles? You don’t like to leave home
in the winter. Spring, fall, or summer either. True. But I do love to
watch those wild geese fly over, feel these impertinent desires glide
through me. Then get back to work.
Beeg … may you enjoy your day … work, impertinent desires … every last bit of it!
Okay … here’s a cover version … with scrolling lyrics, no less. Haunting song, this!
A friend e-mailed this to me and I thought it was worth sharing … especially since I am (of course) in a rush. As an aside, the mention of a certain someone is merely a part of the article I am lifting … it is NOT anything I would have included, given my druthers … but I felt it necessary to include the piece in its entirety …
Obama to Nominate Jesus Christ to Supreme Court
By Rick Chertoff, Reader Supported News
17 April 2010
President Barack Obama is expected to nominate Jesus Christ, an immigrant originally born to a virgin mother in Bethlehem, to fill the new vacancy on the Supreme Court. Although Mr. Christ is over
2,000 years old, He is immortal, so Democrats and Republicans expect that He will serve on the high court forever or until He decides to start the End Times. Republicans are expected to fight the nomination on the grounds that Mr. Christ would radically move the Court to the left. The GOP is also concerned that, despite decades of controversy and speculation, Mr. Christ has never revealed his position on abortion. Mr. Christ, according to many authorities, is expected to oppose the death penalty in all forms. Michael Steele, the head of the GOP national committee, issued a statement: “Christ is a complete mystery to us. He won’t reveal His physical appearance and many of His positions are unknown or the subject of speculation. He is a stealth candidate. Why won’t He reveal himself? Who does He think He is?”
Republicans are reportedly outraged that Mr. Obama even considered Mr. Christ, who has been widely quoted for his sentiments supporting the poor over the wealthy. In a Facebook post, former half-term Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin called for an investigation into the Bethlehem chapter of ACORN because of what she termed the “highly suspicious” coincidence that both President Obama and Mr. Christ had each spent three years as community organizers. In her post, Palin also wrote that “More and more of good God-fearing smalltime Americans from hardworking smalltime towns from great parts of this real America, West, South, East, North, are seeing more and more every day that Christ is a community organizer. We don’t need another community organizer in the White House!”
Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) asked, “We’re not even sure where He was born. Why is He afraid to show us his birth certificate?” Bachmann also announced that she would vote “no” when the Christ nomination came before the House of Representatives. Later, her congressional staff released a statement saying that the Congresswoman had forgotten that the House does not vote on judicial nominations.
According to Rush Limbaugh, “Christ doesn’t know anything about free enterprise. This is part of the Obama conspiracy to drag us to socialism. If this guy is approved, I’m moving to Costa Rica.” Sobbing, Glenn Beck attacked Christ’s support for the separation of church and state, telling his audience “You know who else wanted a separation of church and state? Hitler.”
Several Catholic priests were contacted for comment but refused to discuss the issue, and, even though they weren’t asked, all empathetically denied that they had personally molested any children.
Democrats are optimistic about their chances of shoving Mr. Christ down the throats of Americans using normal constitutional and parliamentary procedures. Many Democrats are hopeful that Mr.
Christ’s past associations with prostitutes will earn him at least one Republican vote, that of Sen. David Vitter (R-LA).
If confirmed, Christ will be the first Supreme Court Justice who has at least one American city named after him: Corpus Christi, Texas.
Ah well .. breathe in, breathe out … in the grand scheme of things I am lucky, grateful … and it’s a beautiful morning. So life is good, even if I’m getting behinder and behinder with each tick of the clock!
The rain showers held off and the temperatures stayed reasonable as the Boston Breakers and Philly Independence played to a spirited 1-1 tie in front of 5286 fans at Harvard Stadium last night.
I thought the Breakers defense was particularly impressive. Kasey Moore and Amy LePeilbet were solid and playing together very well – and Kasey Moore clearly did a lot of off-season work. She is a different player than last year’s model. Well done! As for Amy – she is such a work horse out there. Knock her down (as Philly was wont to do … note their 17 fouls) and she’ll pick herself up and still catch you!
The offense still needs to finish, but watching Cheney post up and field balls like she was in the UConn line-up at the Women’s Final Four was pretty impressive.
And then there was our old friend Karina LeBlanc, who kept it close with some stellar saves off very good Breakers opportunities. We love ya, Karina – but could you stop?
Jenna P on her blog All White Kit has a very nice write up of the match. And for some highlights, check out the video from the WPS site:
In other news, the Phillies and Red Sox seem to be running in tandem these days. Hope they get their offenses going soon!
Oh, and re. all that black smoke coming from Iceland, here’s my theory …
You know how when they are electing a Pope the black smoke indicates a failed ballot … while white smoke means that a new pope has been elected? Well, isn’t it pretty obvious that God is telling old Benedict that there’s been a big mistake? Good grief – today is even the 5th anniversary of his election … and he was born on April 16th!
Could it be any clearer? Black smoke … God is telling you to step down, Ratzo … seriously. You need to listen!
Psyched for the Breakers home opener no matter what!
I read on Twitter that Kelly Smith is still tending to her knee.
Just seen a top orthopaedic physical therapist about my knee. Happy days ahead. I feel it in the air !!!
The bad news .. she’s still got an issue. The good news … she sounds upbeat about it! Hope it’s all good, Kelly – going to a PT is ALWAYS a great idea IMHO! And if this dude doesn’t work out and you need a good on in NH, check out Foothills Physical Therapy. (They’ve treated quite a few elite athletes, even here in little NH, and we could find a place to put you up for the night, too, I’m sure!)
In yesterday’s WPS match-up’s the Red Stars played to a 1-1 tie with the Athletica, showing well against a strong squad from St. Louis. meanwhile FC Gold Pride blew the lid off, beating Sky Blue FC 3-1 on the strength of 2 by Sinclair and 1 by Marta. I don’t know about you, but I think a team packed with Marta, Christine Sinclair, and Camille Abily is going to be very scary once they start clicking.
Anyway – a good soccer day yesterday … and I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing Lil, Kelly, Alex, Ali … and our newbies like Lauren Cheney, Stephanie Cox, Tiffany Weimer … who am I missing? Looking forward to seeing the whole Breakers crew … as WPS play returns to Cambridge, rain or shine.
Here are some slides of the Breakers’ “Meet the Team Party” back on April 5th … warm and sunny, as I recall … 😦
Meanwhile, these photos by Lisa Cole are cool (from the 2009 Euros). Wouldn’t you like to be at that table? And whose little rustic cottage is that? Pia’s, I’m guessing. 😉
Onward, here – lots more I could be writing about (Apocalyptic-ish clouds of ash, no hitters and 20-inning baseball games. But it’s time to get started on the day. Go Breakers!
There’s a long list of folks and entities to be congratulated this morning, so here they are in no particular order …
To the SEC for acting like a regulatory agency … and how interesting that it’s Paulson and Company that’s the particular entity within Goldman Sachs that’s especially on the hot seat right now. I hope that some piece of all this will eventually be traced back to the Bushies. Wish that a relentless and dogged prosecutor (like Kenneth Starr, but with a more substantive undertaking) would latch onto all this. Meanwhile the GOP continues to stonewall efforts toward reform … seems desperate and crazy to me and I’m glad the Dems are pushing ahead and calling them out.
To RPE for getting honors … yahoo for you! Well done and well-deserved.
To Roy Halladay and the Phillies, for another win … keep it up guys! (And to my man Chase Utley for topping the HR list this morning.)
To JordanCornblog for not mentioning you-know-who for nearly a week.
And to our daffodils, who’ve kept their heads up despite a bizarre month that included record high temps (87, I think I heard) and snow!
On the WPS front, Week 2 is about to get underway. The Athletica travel to Chi-town to play the Red Stars today. The Athletica are coming off an impressive win, while the Red Stars opened their season with a disappoionting loss to Sky Blue FC. Also on Saturday, FC Gold Pride (who on paper look like they should pack an awful lot of scoring punch) have their home opener, facing Sky Blue FC (the team in the puzzling orange uniforms – at least when they are at home.)
As an aside, can anyone in the world tell me why, why, why a team with the words “sky blue” in their name would NOT have sky blue uniforms? How did the decision get made? What was the thinking. I am truly curious about it. Alice, Dewd … perhaps we can discuss tomorrow as we drive to Harvard Stadium. K?
Anyway – I look for FC Gold Pride to bounce back for a win. Sky Blue wasn’t looking dominant last Sunday … and I’m thinking that that opening day loss didn’t sit well with Marta et al.
On Sunday we’ve got the Freedom versus the Beat and in an interesting home opener for the Breakers, the Philly Independence (with A-rod and Heather Mitts) are coming to town! (This match-up is also the game of the week on the Fox Soccer Channel – 6PM ET). As I’ve written in other posts, I’m particularly interested to see how A-rod performs on her old home field … after a first-year season that looked to be very difficult. I, for one, am hoping that she makes a good showing … BUT not enough to spell a win for Philly. (And I apologize ahead-of-time, because I know that when I tempt fate with complex hopes like that, it can really screw things up!)
The WPS … and Philly and Boston … are touting the “return” angle to the hilt. It’s great fun – and I hope it brings people to the stadium in spite of the crappy weather. (Won’t be as crappy as it is today … but still, typical New England April unpredictability.)
Quickly – before I make my shopping list and head to town to buy our supplies for the week – here are some more women’s soccer-related tidbits (again, in no particular order):
An interview with Lil from Fair Game Magazine … want to be fit? Be like Lil – play and practice smart!
For the upcoming Breakers’ game you can download game notes … or find out how to stream the game from your iPhone … right here. (They don’t mention streaming from a Droid … I am offended.)
Here’s the Philly take on the match-up – with a video interview with A-rod. Interesting to listen between the lines to some of her comments.
This morning it’s snowing in NH … yup, snowing. You knew it had to happen, didn’t you? My hope is that this will do in some of the black flies that were just starting to bite.
And safe travels to HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew … heading home from VA after their bike trip. The photo is of a lovely spot on the trail they were exploring near Galax, VA.
There’s so much I DON’T want to write about this morning … like you-know-who from Alaska … and Ben Roethlisberger (not that he was ever a real big hero of mine or anything … but good grief! (Maybe the Eagles should pick him up. Vick and Big Ben … it has a certain symmetry to it, doesn’t it? And do you think I’m a tad disgruntled with the birds … yup, I am!)
Today’s the day that RPE defends her thesis. D-E-F-E-N-S-E … D-E-F-E-N-S-E. Remember to stay low and keep yourself between the ball and the goal. Oh, wait a minute … are we talking Sociology? Oops … not sure I can help you there … so … err … good luck! We’ll be sending positive sociological energy your way all day … and most especially in the late morning! 😉
I started reading Game Change last night … what a page-turner that’s gonna be. Only about 20 pages in and John Edwards has already been described as an empty suit … and Chris Edley has been mentioned. I like it. (And check out the Bill Moyers interview wsith Chris and his wife in the build up to the last election; it looks good. Here’s the link to the transcript.)
Don’t forget the Breakers vs. the Independence on Sunday … a raw, dampish day … dang it! Ah well … it’ll build character. Yup, that’s how I’m going to think about it.
It’s the 145 anniversary of the day Lincoln was shot … a day that I always marked, growing up, enamored of everything having to do with Lincoln, as I was.
I well remember pouring over Jim Bishop’s The Day Lincoln was Shot – enthralled by the minute-to-minute account of that day. (As I recall, I nearly read it in a single sitting, while visiting my father’s cousin’s family when I was about 9 or 10 … having discovered it in a bookshelf at their house.) As to WHY I was so enthralled … that’s grist for another post, someday!
I’m running late as usual … but wanted to also share the WPS Power rankings after the week 1 games … Boston having moved up on the strength of goals from Lauren Cheney and Kelly Smith – and their usual solid defense. Onward Breakers – it’s Philly next … and a rare glimpse of JordanCornblog rooting AGAINST a team from The City of Brotherly Love.
Speaking of which, the Phillies play their second home game this afternoon (Kendrick on the mound) … and continue to pile up the early-season wins. (This’ll stand them in good stead come September.) Meanwhile the Sox have a 1PM-ish start up in Minnesota.
Oh … and love the new post from AMR … you GO girl!
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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