According to Marc Ambinder there are going to be some vacancies this summer … unfortunately (I suspect) not involving the most vacant of our justices. (Yeah, Clarence, I mean you!)
In WPS News, the Beat are on track to be in their new stadium come May … and here’s a profile of Kasey Moore … Boston Breakers’ defender extraordinaire.
Enough people have shared this with me that I thought I’d better post it … it’s a work of genius!
… and then, what better to follow it with, than a visit from the Church Lady!
Dear Pat Robertson,
I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I’m all over that action.
But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I’m no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished.
Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth — glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven’t you seen “Crossroads”? Or “Damn Yankees”?
If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it — I’m just saying: Not how I roll.
You’re doing great work, Pat, and I don’t want to clip your wings — just, come on, you’re making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That’s working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.
And then there’s tomorrow’ State of the Union message … I wonder if decorum will prevail (for a change).
And then there’s the news (from the USWNT and WPS) that Aly Wagner has retired. She was an incredibly skilled player for whom injury and fitness issues seemed to frequently get in the way … at least in the latter part of her career. We never got to see her play too much here in Boston, as the WUSA folded right after she was traded to the B’s for Angela Hucles back in ’03. Long time ago!
It’s still dark here – so hard to tell if the rain has stopped. Sounds like HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew had some basement flooding over NY way. (Hope none of those hops were harmed!!!)
Today, as we prepare for the deluge here in NH, I am not going to pretend to be anything but lowbrow as I focus on idle speculation and rumors, before getting some breakfast.
First off, yes – the Colts and Saints are in the Superbowl. It could maybe, possibly, ya-never-know, even be a good game.
I’m off, shortly, as ChristopherCornblog and I head out with JBD to help move her Mom’s things out of her apartment. A sad piece of the grieving process that can be shocking in its very mundane-ness.
In the meantime, here is a piece by Ruth Marcus from the Washington Post about the stunning intellectual dishonesty of last week’s decision by SCOTUS.
Many of those commenting on the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission have focused on the power-grab part. I agree with them. It was unnecessary for the court to go so far when there were several less-radical grounds available. It was audacious to seize the opportunity to overrule precedents when the parties had not pressed this issue and the lower courts had not considered it. It was the height of activism to usurp the judgments of Congress and state legislatures about how best to prevent corruption of the political process.
“If it is not necessary to decide more, it is necessary not to decide more,” a wise judge once wrote. That was Chief Justice John G. Roberts — back when — and dissenting Justice John Paul Stevens rightly turned that line against him.
As bad as the court’s activism, though, was its shoddy scholarship.
Read on …
Can we impeach one or two of these duds .. er, I mean dudes?
In other news … who do you have winning today, Mo?
Sorry to say it, but I am kinda hoping for an upset in the early game … and then for the Saints to keep marching. (Hope Reggie B is at full strength!)
Okay, yesterday was the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. How amazing to think about that decision on the heels of the recent SCOTUS debacle. So in honor of Roe v. Wade, HollyCornblog suggests that we visit the Angryblackbitch to read her post from yesterday – Blog for Choice – Not a PLea or a Request but a Demand. And you can check out the other Blog for Choice blogs here.
Here’s a bit of interesting advocacy work that Boltgirl (rained in as she is) totally beat me to. Cindy McCain has come out in support of Gay Marriage. A little late, but …
Of course the cynical part of me thinks she likes the photo … or is really, really mad at John about something … after all, as noted in HuffPo, “For many involved with the equal marriage battle, it will be difficult to square this glamorous, newly-liberated vision in the NoH8 ad campaign with the elegant, enameled 2009-edition Cindy McCain, cheering and clapping at Sarah Palin’s rallies and speeches.”
Hard to know another’s heart … so let’s just say “Good for you, Cindy – hope there’s more where that came from!” and leave it at that.
Meanwhile JD Hayworth … Arizona teabagger [sic] and talk show host … looks like he may be planning a run against John. So it’s been a bad week for Senator McCain.
Oh, but take heart, John … at least your last name isn’t Edwards! Bet John and Elizabeth can’t wait for Andrew Young’s book to come out.
If these were people of stature, this would have the trappings of tragedy. As it is, though, sordid is the word that comes more readily to mind. Mark Sanford must feel positively righteous!
As a healthy antidote to all this sordidness, I read, quite happily, on BigSoccer that the WPS schedules this year have more games (24, I believe … official schedules will be posted in February) and will run into early September. For season ticket holders in Boston who brave the April sleet, stretching out into an early September game or two sure sounds lovely! (So lets get those home play-off games locked away this year, Breakers, okay?)
Here’s a snippet about Maggie Tomecka … Breakers’ midfielder and resident anesthesiologist!
And on the Phillies phront … here’s a nice piece from Crashburn Alley about where the team stands, personnel-wise, entering the 2010 season. Sounds like Jayson Werth may be gone after next year. His performance in 2010 will be all about winning for the Phillies AND putting himself in a position to command a HUGE contract going forward. It’ll be interesting to see how that works out … he certainly seems a star on the rise, if he continues on his current trajectory.
Finally – here are some sites I was playing with last night – for your weekend noodling around:
Birth Records Search is free and lets you search for friends’ and family members’ birthdays with just a few pieces of info. I couldn’t find myself … but finding myself has never been my forte!
On the flip side of the coin, the Social Security Death Index lets you search their database for dates-of-death, should you have occasion to need such information. I searched for my great aunts and found both – and this database includes birthdates, too.
And last (really) Concord’s own Matt Bonner (of San Antonio Spurs fame) has a blog – The Sandwich Hunter. Nice one, Matt!
In a decision that I can only describe as chilling, the Supreme Court has opened the doors for corporate capital to pretty much buy whatever it wants.
While I don’t think that money was the issue for Coakley on Tuesday, truth’s comment on the race is telling:
Here’s the stat that brings it all home: After the primary, Scott Brown ran 66 events. Martha Coakley? 19 events.
Plus he saturated the TV with ads and she didn’t respond for almost 3 weeks.
Sheesh.
If Massachusetts can be convinced this easily to behave like a red state, can you imagine how the rest of the states’ voters will respond when infusions of corporate money start churning out slick ads? Can you imagine how Exxon and the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries are salivating?
The majority’s approach to corporate electioneering marks a dramatic break from our past. Congress hasplaced special limitations on campaign spending by corporations ever since the passage of the Tillman Act in 1907….We have unanimously concluded [in 1982] that this “reflects a permissible assessment of the dangers posed by those entities to the electoral process”…and have accepted the “legislative judgment that the special characteristics of the corporate structure require particularly careful regulation…The Court today rejects a century of history when it treats the distinction between corporate and individual campaignspending as an invidious novelty born [in a 1990 opinion].
And for those who have the stomach, here is the entire decision … right here … as the havoc being wreaked by Dubya continues … all created by the other terrible, terrible decision of the Court, in Bush vs. Gore.
On a more positive note, I guess you could take this as in some sense a reflection of the fear that Obama (and the idea of change) has struck in the hearts of the entrenched powers in these parts. But it’s that much harder, now, for change to come.
And on another positive note – let’s be grateful that the egoistic ambition of John and Elizabeth Edwards didn’t land him in the White House. Can you imagine how this would be playing? Yikes! And no, you don’t get to play like victims who just want some peace and privacy. This is the fruit of your selfishness and ambition – both of you. I feel like that other Edwards – the firebreathing one – Jonathan. Shame!
And then there’s A-Rod. No, not the one with the two paintings of himself as a centaur in his bedroom (now there’s an idea, John). No, the A-rod who’s getting a second chance to show her stuff in Philly. It’ll be fun to see her for the home opener in Boston in April.
First off, thanks to Stephen and AMR for weighing in on the events of these times … we need all the help we can get!
Second, did anyone else notice the spike in the stock market when Massachusetts was effectively voting down healthcare reform? Could the battle lines be drawn any more clearly?
First off, let’s stop calling it healthcare reform … it’s insurance industry reform. Oh, and as Joe Lieberman’s behavior attests, the industry ain’t happy about it.
That’s where I see the battle. It’s between democracy and capitalism – with capitalism- run-rampant coopting our democratic processes and winning at the moment.
So the question is, can democracy and capitalism figure out a way to happily co-exist?
Well, first off, our democracy needs to find its feet and get back some traction. Voters need to stop voting their fears and allowing themselves to be manipulated by the corporate world. Can that happen?
I feel discouraged about it at the moment.
Another possibility would be for the bankers and insurance executives and oil tycoons – all those CEO’s, CFO’s, COO’s and other capitalists (who are, after all, human beings) to realize that some of the lessons of kindergarten, like playing nice and sharing, actually should apply to adult life, too. Can that happen?
I feel discouraged about it at the moment.
Oh, and the press and politicians and pundits need to stop being opportunistic and manipulative, ammassing votes like money, via whatever means possible. It would be good to actually start seeking solutions and telling the truth. Can that happen?
I feel discouraged about it at the moment.
But then again, there’s this … which I try to keep in mind …
After 5000 years of recorded human history, you wonder, What part of 2,000,000 sunrises doesn’t a pessimist understand?
What a difference one year makes. Who would have thought that an anniversary of such large proportions could be overshadowed by an event of such……patheticness (yes, I made that up) ? My fellow liberals sulked around – their eyes filled with doubt and their guts in knots. This is NOT how we expected January 20, 2010 to be.
In the heat of the moment, I swore off politics and policy. Why the hell should I care so much? But, the truth is, I do care. I cannot imagine being an “uneducated” voter or, worse yet, not being a voter at all. To settle my mind, I decided to do a little research (as usual). The conclusion left me feeling sicker than hearing Scott Brown pimp out his daughter on national television.
So, the popular phrase I heard today was “Scott Brown will listen to his constituents!” Since a state by state breakdown is simply too much work for this tired soul, I decided to explore this statement a bit further at the presidential level. Who, truly, are a candidates constituents? And, just as important, who really counts?
In the 2008 Presidential Elections, there were roughly 132 million voters. Sounds pretty damn good, right? That actually works out to about only 44% of Americans. So, already, we’ve eliminated more than half of all US citizens in my “constituent” category.
Obama won by a margin of, roughly, 53% to 46% over McCain. So now we’re talking about really only one-quarter of Americans who voted to have Obama as their President. Technically speaking (in my mind only, of course), Obama’s constituent base consists of about 70 million people.
So, can someone tell me who the hell the President is trying to appease to? Please don’t tell me that it’s the 61 million who didn’t want a thing to do with him. Who flocked to the polls and did their best to keep him out of the Oval Office, and, more importantly, would rather have had Sarah Palin in power than him.
Please tell me that this whole fiasco is the biggest wake-up call for our political leaders to get their heads out of their asses and start moving forward with their agendas. Because if this isn’t, I don’t know what is. Pass the damn health care reform. Focus on job growth and placing real controls on Wall Street. Coakley may not have been the most amazing candidate to grace a Massachusetts’ Senate Race but she sure as hell beat the alternative. I don’t think I can handle too many more “alternatives” heading to Washington come November.
For a different (and far more comical) analysis, watch Jon Stewart’s “Mass Backward” clip.
The clock is ticking, guys. Question is, will you be collecting your unemployment check come January 20, 2011?
While the snow squalls continued yesterday in NH, and ChristopherCornblog experimented with the wovel, strange things were happening down in the flatlands of Massachusetts.
That normally, reliably sane populace went right off the deep end. It was worse than what we’ve seen in states where we expect that kind of behavior. Strange and unsettling. There’s a new Senator … and a new political landscape. (And I sure wish that Teddy had taken better care of himself.)
This piece – Seduced by Our New Senator – by Brian McGrory of the Globe is the best explanation I’ve read yet on what happened. He captures the way I’m feeling perfectly …
I’m going to need some Advil and a cold compress, please. I’m the Massachusetts Electorate, and I have what is bar none the absolute worst hangover of my entire voting life.
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 bit of interesting advocacy work that 
And on another positive note – let’s be grateful that the egoistic ambition of John and Elizabeth Edwards didn’t land him in the White House. Can you 
JordanCornblog 