Such a nice taste of spring this past weekend (if you don’t think about global warming, that is). We had a great visit with friends, and some outdoor activities, including two fires – one nighttime beauty at the top of the hill in the fire pit … and another in the chiminea last night before dinner. So warm last evening I half expected to hear the first peepers … but we’re getting WAY ahead of ourselves.
We did notice a daffodil pushing through the field grass yesterday afternoon. Go back, little guy, go back!
I spent a good part of the afternoon trimming apple branches for drying, sawing, and, ultimately, some sweet burning come next year.
Meanwhile, in sharp contrast, HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew headed up to the lake.
There they found everything in order … but rather wintry … to say the least!
The place has withstood the winds for 108 years … but man … those are some wild winters (and some humungous snow piles) up there!
Check this out … CharlieHopbrew walks beside the shoulder-high phone line.
He is snowshoeing over a drift in the back yard that has nearly buried the woodshed.
Careful, Charlie!
You’re taking “Reach out and Touch” to a whole new level!
And the Cornblog mailbox … looks pretty comfy there, doesn’t it?
All nestled in the snow up by the road …
Hard to believe that the snow will all be gone … boats in the water … dock in … windows open … sun shining … and all things back to summer-normal in another couple of months.
For now, though, winter appears to be rather firmly entrenched up there in those howling Helderberg hills!
The weather’s turned, and the old neighbors creep out
from their crammed rooms to blink in the sun, as if
surprised to find they’ve lived through another winter.
Though steam heat’s left them pale and shrunken
like old root vegetables,
Mr. and Mrs. Tozzi are already
hard at work on their front-yard mini-Sicily:
a Virgin Mary birdbath, a thicket of roses,
and the only outdoor aloes in Manhattan.
It’s the old immigrant story,
the beautiful babies
grown up into foreigners. Nothing’s
turned out the way they planned
as sweethearts in the sinks of Palermo. Still,
each waves a dirt-caked hand
in geriatric fellowship with Stanley,
the former tattoo king of the Merchant Marine,
turning the corner with his shaggy collie,
who’s hardly three but trots
arthritically in sympathy. It’s only
the young who ask if life’s worth living,
notMrs. Sansanowitz, who for the last hour
has been inching her way down the sidewalk,
lifting and placing
her new aluminum walker as carefully
as a spider testing its web. On days like these,
I stand for a long time
under the wild gnarled root of the ancient wisteria,
dry twigs that in a week
will manage a feeble shower of purple blossom,
and I believe it: this is all there is,
all history’s brought us here to our only life
to find, if anywhere,
our hanging gardens and our street of gold:
cracked stoops, geraniums, fire escapes, these old
stragglers basking in their bit of sun.
With 50 senators ready to give the thumbs up on reconciliation, are we about to see some change actually happen? The complexity of the issues and the utter brokenness of the system leave me tearing at my hair and honestly almost preferring near-random change to inaction. (Of course I would not be saying that were Dubya still appearing to be in charge.)
On the sibling rivalry front, do you ever wonder what Liz Cheney and Mary Cheney actually think of one another? Can you imagine what lurks under the surface at family Thanksgivings in that household? Man … if any one of them every were to open up and actually experience the internal dissonances and conflicts that they each harbor it would be so amazingly and gloriously messy! I wonder if they actually dissociate, as a way of coping … or are content to just be deeply and unrelentingly hypocritical. It’s a question I sometimes ponder when running uphill (anger helps energize me for those climbs)!
Big Ben … WTF? And this, right before your sister is gearing up for Tournament time? That stinks, any way you look at it.
Speaking of Tournaments … are you ready? Here’s the TV schedule (Central time, remember) through Selection Monday (that’s the Women’s selection date … the one that most of the world is ignoring … but not us!!!):
SATURDAY, MARCH 6 Big East Second Round Game 1……….11:00am……….Big East Regional Sports Network Atlantic Sun Championship……….11:00am……….CSS ACC Tournament Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net Summit League Quarterfinal 1……….12:00……….Metro Sports Big East Second Round Game 2……….1:00……….Big East Regional Sports Network Pac-10 Wildcard Game……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net Summit League Quarterfinal 2……….2:30……….Metro Sports ACC Tournament Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net SEC Championship Semifinal 1……….2:30……….ESPNU Big Ten Tournament Game 8……….4:00……….Big Ten Network SEC Championship Semifinal 2……….4:30……….ESPNU Big East Second Round Game 3……….5:00……….Big East Regional Sports Network Big Ten Tournament Game 9……….approx. 6:30……….Big Ten Network Big East Second Round Game 4……….7:00……….Big East Regional Sports Network Texas A&M at Kansas……….7:00……….Sunflower Montana State at Northern Arizona……….8:30……….NAU Dish Network Channel #9411
SUNDAY, MARCH 7 Big East Quarterfinal 1……….11:00am……….ESPNU Southern Conference Semifinal 1……….11:00am……….SportSouth MAAC Championship……….11:00am……….MSG/MAAC TV Atlantic 10 Semifinal 1……….11:30am……….CBS College Sports ACC Tournament Championship……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net Summit League Quarterfinal 3……….12:00……….Metro Sports Big East Quarterfinal 2……….1:00……….ESPNU Atlantic 10 Semifinal 2……….1:00……….CBS College Sports Southern Conference Semifinal 2……….1:30……….SportSouth Texas at Baylor……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net Summit League Quarterfinal 4……….2:30……….Metro Sports Big Ten Tournament Championship……….3:30……….ESPN2 Oklahoma State at Oklahoma……….4:00……….Sooner Sports Network Big East Quarterfinal 3……….5:00……….ESPNU SEC Champhionship……….5:30……….ESPN2 Big East Quarterfinal 4……….7:00……….ESPNU
MONDAY, MARCH 8 Sun Belt Conference Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Cox Sports/CSS WCC Championship……….2:00……….ESPNU Sun Belt Conference Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Cox Sports/CSS Atlantic 10 Championship……….4:00……….ESPN2 Southern Conference Championship……….4:00……….SportSouth Big East Semifinal 1……….5:00……….ESPNU High Point at Liberty……….5:00……….Flames Television Network Big East Semifinal 2……….7:00……….ESPNU
TUESDAY, MARCH 9 Sun Belt Conference Championship……….1:00……….ESPNU Summit League Championship……….3:00……….ESPNU Big East Championship……….6:00……….ESPN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 C-USA Championship Semifinal 1……….5:00……….CBS College Sports C-USA Championship Semifinal 2……….7:30……….CBS College Sports
THURSDAY, MARCH 11 MAC Seminfinal 1……….11:00am……….Fox Sports Net Southland Conference Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Southland Conference Television Network MAC Seminfinal 2……….1:30……….Fox Sports Net Southland Conference Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Southland Conference Television Network
FRIDAY, MARCH 12 Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 1……….11:00am……….Fox Sports Net C-USA Championship……….12:30……….CBS College Sports Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 2……….1:30……….Fox Sports Net Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 3……….5:00……….Fox Sports Net Southland Conference Championship……….7:00……….Southland Conference Television Network Big 12 Championship Quarterfinal 4……….7:30……….Fox Sports Net
SATURDAY, MARCH 13 Pac-10 Semifinal 1……….TBD……….Fox Sports Net Pac-10 Semifinal 2……….TBD……….Fox Sports Net CAA Semifinal Game #1……….11:00am……….The Comcast Network/CSS/Comcast SportsNet/WSKY Big 12 Championship Semifinal 1……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net MAC Championship……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net Big South Conference Semifinal 1……….12:00……….SportsSouth Big West Championship……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net Prime Ticket CAA Semifinal Game #2……….1:30……….The Comcast Network/CSS/Comcast SportsNet/WSKY Big South Conference Semifinal 2……….2:00……….SportsSouth Big 12 Championship Semifinal 2……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net WAC Championship……….3:00……….ESPNU SWAC Championship……….5:00……….ESPNU MVC Semifinal #1……….5:00……….Fox Sports Net Patriot League Championship……….5:00……….CBS College Sports MVC Semifinal #2……….7:30……….Fox Sports Net
SUNDAY, MARCH 14 Pac-10 Championship……….TBD……….Fox Sports Net MEAC Championship (tape delay)……….10:00am……….ESPNU CAA Championship Game……….11:30am……….Comcast SportsNet/CSS/The Comcast Network Horizon League Championship……….12:00……….ESPNU Big 12 Championship Final……….12:30……….Fox Sports Net Big South Conference Championship……….1:00……….SportsSouth NEC Championship……….2:00……….ESPNU MVC Championship……….2:30……….Fox Sports Net
So it’s Friday … and the “true colors” theme continues to be apt, as I see that … Roy Ashburn, a rabid anti-gay GOPer … was arrested for DUI after leaving a gay nightclub, according to sources. Here’s his voting record … a profile that’s becoming more and more familiar, eh? I mean, might we safely begin to assume that a rabid anti-gay stance is a sort of back-handed way of coming out? That’s what I’m thinking.
It’s no wonder that some many GOPers seem awfully cranky. Their heads must be near-to-exploding with cognitive dissonance!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1V9ikhmrRw
Here’s a nice piece by Yael Averbuch, chronicling her Algarve experience and sharing her excitement for the upcoming WPS season! Love what she’s picking up from Pia … something I’ll keep in mind as I enter my day today …
On Tuesday, I jotted down a few notes in our team meeting. At the top of my paper it says, “TWO MORE STEPS.” This was something that Pia had written on the dry erase board. It means that in the attack we want to make each run just two steps longer. When defending, we want to close that space just two steps more so we can tackle. But the philosophy behind it is to just do that little bit more. We can all give a little more to make ourselves better and to invest in the team’s success. After writing “TWO MORE STEPS,” I listed some of the things that I want to focus on moving forward into this W.P.S. season. I can’t wait to get home and continue working on those things!
From USSF, here are highlights of the final!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU6cR5a9X-s
On the local scene, the Breakers’ Members-Only Meet The Team Party is set for Monday, April 5th in Cambridge. Here’s what they say …
Mark your calendars now for the annual Meet The Team Party on Monday, April 5th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Hyatt Regency, 575 Memorial Drive in Cambridge. This private reception is exclusive for Breakers Members and is free of charge. Be the first to meet every player on this year’s team, hear from the coaching staff and collect autographs and photos from all of your favorite players. Please RSVP your attendance by Monday, March 29th to Bailey Frye at bfrye@bostonbreakers.com. You may bring one person for each ticket in your Membership package. You may also give away your invitations to guests if you do not plan to attend yourself, but we will need to know their names by RSVP.
Alice? Ron? AMR? Stephen? Boltgirl? 😉 Will you represent us if we give ya the passes? MLD, are you going? Need more tix?
The GOP’s hate and fear-mongering is over the top, and inexcusable. The big question for me … are we a nation of idiots? Will the good people of Kansas … not to mention the rest of the states …keep falling for this crap? Is it possible to rescind a political party’s right to exist? I’d like to explore that.
And then there’s Sarah P – unleashed in Hollywood and definitely showing her true colors there. No need to comment further.
On a happier note, the USWNT showed their true colors with a win over Germany on a muddy Algarve pitch … and their 7th Algarve title! Thanks to mld, there’s some highlight video that you can watch – looks like very difficult conditions! Nice to see Carly start scoring again, eh mld?
Yesterday I had one of those angry right wing commenters visit. This time waxing eloquent about the HUGE economy of Texas … and how States like California are going down the tubes because they are fundamentally socialist. (The comment was attached to a really old post, BTW … Memo to the Red States from the Blue States.) It’s the usual stuff – blaming of the poor and disenfranchised … and equating success with goodness and worth, as simplistic Christians are wont to do.
I’ve been thinking about it and have come to the conclusion that the big difference between the Democrats and the Republicans comes down to early development and lessons taught (but obviously not always learned) in kindergarten.
It’s about sharing, folks.
That’s it, Texas. Congratulations on all the toys you have accumulated. Now, will you share?
No? Then I think someone needs to send you to the corner, so you can think about it.
Come back when you’re ready to behave like a big boy.
Soccer stuff? We’ve got the Algarve final today at 11AM. USWNT vs. Germany. Sadly, I’ll be out of the office … but here’s to a good showing and another win for Pia’s bunch!
So first off, birthday greetings to CharlieHopbrew, who is not only getting older … but also has to contend with a stove pipe set dangerously askew by the high winds and snow that pummeled so many of us this past weekend.
What can I say … it sucks all around!
😉
The USWNT defeated Sweden yesterday on the strength of two second half goals by the Boston Breakers’ own Lauren Cheney. Nicely done, ladies! Now it’s on to the final against Germany (tomorrow at 11AM ET – on MatchTracker).
And speaking of the Breakers – they’re in training now. Jordan Angeli is a rookie defender hoping to gain a spot on the roster for the 2010 campaign. (Here at JordanCornblog we think anyone named Jordan anything is the bomb!)
Finally – congrats to Tina Charles on her record-breaking night! Rebecca Lobo does herself proud in this interview with Tina … you gota watch! 😉
Today we’ve got the USWNT vs. Sweden on tap at 10AM ET … for a spot in the Algarve final. (US needs a win or a tie to move on.) Let’s hope Matchtracker is up and running!
Sadly, the tournament road ended for all of the Belmont High and Bates College baksetball teams yesterday … each team falling by decisive scores to higher seeds. I am thinking, in each case, they did very well to get as far as they did. Meanwhile, the Villanova men fell to Syracuse and the Lady Vols clinched their 15th SEC title. Coach P’s Duke Blue Devils also clinched the ACC title with a drubbing of Virginia (sorry, Patrick) on Friday. It’s time to start paying attention, folks. Coupla weeks and we’re off and running!
HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew have been moving piles of snow since Thursday … with beautiful results, as you can see.
Meanwhile, here in NH we’ve had about 3-4 inches in our neck of the woods.
Friends in the Monadnock region are looking a little bit more like these photos, from what I hear. It’s been a strangely spotty storm. The other night I was driving through Weare, NH and from one end of town to the other I moved from rain into snow, almost like there was a line down the middle.
What we’ve got here now may be gone by the end of the day.
Over at HollyCornblog’s and CharlieHopbrew’s? Not so much …
Other news? We had a very nice evening with friends – out by the chiminea, then sharing dinner and watching the Olympics for a bit.
I’m fighting a cold and it’s almost time for breakfast … kind of an aimless morning … but I’ll get myself going!
We’re still without power here, but the generator is cranking away … so JordanCornblog can, too!
Over in HollyCornblog territory it sounds like it’s been wild. She writes …
We have had SO much snow in the past few days (we had at least 2 feet by this morning). I don’t mind snow, but I like a little break between storms and it just doesn’t seem to stop. We are snow blowing 3 times a day here. I was late to work this morning after snow blowing last night ’til around 9:00 figuring it would all be clear for me in the morning………NOT SO! The plow had left piles at the end of our driveway SOOO high (almost as high as me), I couldn’t believe it, and that was after trying to keep up with the storm!
Here in NH it’s been mostly rain, although last night we got about an inch or two of wet snow – so now everything is etched in white. Looks really beautiful (and I am sure HollyCornblog does NOT want to hear about that)!
In other news snippets – I see that the USWNT won another nail-biter (seems to be a pattern under Pia) … pulling out a 2-1 victory over Norway on a muddy Algarve pitch. Here’s Cat Whitehill, talking about her final (signature) long ball … the one that led to the winning goal:
“There were a lot of big gaps when it came to their defense today and I noticed that Cheney and Abby were finding them really well. I was like, you know what, we don’t have much time left, let’s try and aim for that gap and I know that Cheney can out-run these girls. I thought she was going to score, but at least it got the ball down there and that’s what led to the goal.”
Lauren Cheney as been in the mix for an awful lot of the USWNT’s scoring this trip. Tony and I look forward to having her on the pitch for the Breakers. For me, she brings the added bonus of helping me get over my PTSD related to her last name … that would be nice!
Speaking of Tony and me … we are also looking forward to having Sarah Walsh in Breakers’ Blue. I have enjoyed watching her explosiveness for other teams and think it’ll be a great addiiton to our offensive arsenal.
On the b-ball from – first, I noticed last night that Conant knocked #1 Somersworth out of the Class M Girls Tournament. Belmont faces off against Fall Mountain today (assuming that weather doesn’t interfere) … and the Belmont Boys play Conant.
I was going to write something about Sarah Palin but, you know what? Life’s too short. 😉
Instead, here’s the Women’s hoops TV schedule … UConn-Notre Dame on Monday night might be interesting! Remember – all times listed are CENTRAL!
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Georgetown at Connecticut……….11:00am……….Big East Regional Sports Network/CPTV Bloomfield at Caldwell……….11:00am……….CBS College Sports Kent State at Bowling Green State……….11:00am……….Fox Sports Net Middle Tennessee at Florida Atlantic……….11:00am……….Cox Sports/CSS East Carolina at Memphis……….1:00……….CBS College Sports Montana State at Montana……….3:00……….KPAX Vermont at Hartford……….3:00……….CTSN Wright State at Cleveland State……….3:30……….SportsTime Ohio Pac-10 Wildcard Game……….4:00……….Fox Sports Net San Diego at Pepperdine……….4:00……….CBS College Sports Oklahoma at Texas……….4:00……….Fox Sports Net Oral Roberts at UMKC……….4:00……….Metro Sports Middle Tennessee State at Florida Atlantic……….10:00……….Sun Belt Network Detroit at Youngstown State (tape delay)……….11:00……….My YTV
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Richmond at Saint Louis……….12:00……….CBS College Sports UNC Wilmington at Drexel……….12:00……….Comcast SportsNet/Time Warner Cable South Carolina at Vanderbilt……….12:00……….Fox Sports Net Big Ten wildcard game……….1:00……….Big Ten Network Arkansas at Georgia……….1:00……….SEC Network Northeastern at Hofstra……….1:00……….FiOS1 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech……….2:00……….Fox Sports Net Duke at North Carolina……….2:00……….Fox Sports Net Florida State at Maryland……….2:00……….ESPN2 Alabama at Florida……….2:00……….CSS Penn State at Indiana……….3:00……….Big Ten Network Kansas at Baylor……….4:00……….ESPN2 Ole Miss at Tennessee……….5:00……….ESPNU
MONDAY, MARCH 1 Arkansas Pine Bluff at Jackson State……….3:30……….ESPNU Connecticut at Notre Dame……….6:00……….ESPN2
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!
Meanwhile, in sharp contrast, HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew headed up to the lake.
Check this out … CharlieHopbrew walks beside the shoulder-high phone line.
All nestled in the snow up by the road …
So first off, birthday greetings to CharlieHopbrew, who is not only getting older … but also has to contend with a stove pipe set dangerously askew by the high winds and snow that pummeled so many of us this past weekend.
HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew have been moving piles of snow since Thursday … with beautiful results, as you can see.
Over at HollyCornblog’s and CharlieHopbrew’s? Not so much …
JordanCornblog 