So, the Phillies got Roy and lost Cliff and some good prospects – most notably Kyle Drabek. Is it a wash? Hard to know. I was sad to see Lee go. But Halliday is a great catch. Here’s crashburnalley on the deal:
So the Phillies may have Halladay, one of the best pitchers in baseball, until 2014. Of course, he’ll be 33 in May, so the Phillies aren’t paying for his prime years. However, he has shown no signs of slowing down with four consecutive seasons in which he’s thrown at least 220 innings and made 31 starts, and he’s finished in the top-five in AL Cy Young voting as well.
Aside from gaining Halladay and $6 million and relinquishing Cliff Lee, the Phillies have essentially swapped prospects. Destined for Toronto’s Minor League system are C Travis D’Arnaud, P Kyle Drabek, and OF Michael Taylor. In are P Phillippe Aumont, OF Tyson Gillies, and P Juan Ramirez from Seattle.
What is fascinating about the Halliday deal – and endears him to me TOTALLY – is that he apparaently gave up a LOT to be with the Phillies. I would do the same … but it’s so NOT what you usually see, it boggles the mind:
Roy Halladay signed a contract extension today that will guarantee him $60 million over three years, with a vesting option that would pay him another $20 million if he pitches enough innings in the first three years of the deal.
That’s the story here: Not the first trade, not the second trade, and not the third trade. The story here is that one of the best players in baseball took somewhere between 35-50 percent of his market value to facilitate a trade, leaving somewhere between $60 and $100 million in guaranteed money on the table. This is a staggering upset, one for which there is virtually no comparison in baseball history.
It’s in the single digits outside and I’m thinking baseball … gotta be a connection there somewhere!
Other news? Nothing grabs me. Too much Tiger … although I do kind of enjoy seeing that his wife is probably filing for divorce AND also close to signing a deal with Puma (rival of Tiger’s Nike). I predict an interesting Super Bowl ad … whaddya think?
Obama’s approval ratings are falling … mostly because people in this country don’t have the perspective to see that we are in a deep, deep hole … or the patience to realize that it takes time to dig out. Good grief, it hasn’t even been a year!
But no – we pound our little fists on the table, chanting that we want our Maypo NOW … and if the President can’t deliver NOW we are going to get testy and say we don’t like him. We are such immature idiots. (And, if course newspapers like the Wall Street Journal publish our silly opinions as if they carried meaning.) What would we do without the latest polls? How would we know what to think?
I’m interested to see Christopher Hitchens criticizing Ms. P. with such energy. Quite a rant. Ya gotta wonder if there was some personal offense that the Guv paid to Mr. H to get him so riled.
Ah well – it’s enjoyable … as is Posterous. Have you explored it? Great tool, from what I can tell so far! It’s an application that allows you to post to your blog – as well as lots of social networking sites – all by simply sending an e-mail to post@posterous.com. Once you’ve posted to the blog, for example, you can edit as you wish – and the changes appear on your blog but don’t affect the original posting.
It looks like a nice way to create an on-line blog-type mechanism for sharing photos, videos, etc. You can make it public – or create groups – so that your data is shared in a more limited circle.
Went to see The Messenger last night and have to say it’s one of the best movies I have seen in quite awhile. It’s hard to watch and left me silent … and has stayed with me, for sure. It’s gone from Red River after Thursday … a must see, in my book!
Looks like a beauty of a day. I’m off … hoping the driveway isn’t too slippery this morning!
This is the kind of lofty and thoughtful deliberation that we expect from our Senators: “In an interview with the New York Times, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) revealed Tuesday that he decided to oppose a Medicare buy-in in part because liberals like Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) liked it too much.” Can you say Junior High School?
Odd choice of words by Obama, saying we are “on the precipice” of a healthcare bill. For someone as enamored of words as he is, I found this very striking! Doesn’t sound good at all.
Could you please remind your “independent” Senator that he is absolutely dependent on one thing – his constituents? (And could you also remind him that the insurance industry doesn’t fall into that category?)
Here’s a piece from HuffPo exploring Lieberman’s strange flip-flop on Medicare. Any way I read it, Lieberman is even smaller and more despicable than I had imagined.
Come on, Nutmeg State … can you get through to him? (Or Al Gore – not that I think you could get through to him – but I’d love to hear what you think. Some scathing words would be appreciated right about now!)
Ah well – on a brighter note, don’t you love it that 22 million lost, Bush-era e-mails have now somehow been found? Hope that ruins Cheney’s holiday. Really, really do.
Now that there are so many cats out of the bag, I see no reason not to jump on the bandwagon and come clean.
Yes, I, too, had a fling with Tiger. It was a brief encounter, and he may not even remember it, but I do. In fact, I remember EVERYTHING, as you may have gathered from Saturday’s post. (A bit of unsolicited advice to Tiger … if you are going to have affairs in the future, Alice might be a better choice – she doesn’t remember too much!) 😉
Needless to say, I feel terrible about having deceived so many people, and will be taking an indefiniate break from my regular job, while I work to become a better person.
I do hope that my many endorsement deals won’t dry up, but if they do, I take heart in knowing that there’s always the blog to fall back on.
Again, my apologies to everyone. Please understand that, during this difficult time, I would appreciate some privacy (unless, of course, you want to talk about a book deal).
This morning I was greeted by a nice piece in the Concord Monitor (our local paper) decrying the obstructive tactics of our erstwhile Senator (that’s Judd Gregg – Jeanne Shaheen is slightly less erstwhile – but only slightly). For the first time, I can appreciate the positive aspects of a lame duck (yup, that’s you Sarah) leaving office before the end of his/her term. Unfortunately, Judd has stuck around and is contributing nothing but trouble, without fear of consequence. Bummer.
On a much more positive note, I wanted to share a story that I heard on NPR yesterday about the company run by two RPI grads called ecovative design. They make things like packing material and insulation out of organic, biodegradable materials – mushrooms being a key ingredient. You can just add their packing material to the compost heap where it degrades into soil.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgBqheERA0Y
I had a few questions about the insulation, and haven’t been able to explore the site enough to find answers. Basically, am wondering what keeps this organic insulation material from “composting” in the walls of the house. Also wondering whether it will attract more critters. I’m sure the answers are somewhere on the site.
Also I’ve been interested to read about the controversy that e-books have introduced into the publishing world — this over the rights to material published long before e-books existed. It seems to me that it ought to be possible to negotiate some sort of equitable solution. Sounds like a big piece of this problem is the publishers wanting to share only a very small percentage of the sales. Yet their overhead is so small — I don’t really get why they’re struggling on this.
Today ChristopherCornblog and JBD will be dragging home our Christmas tree — an annual event that I am convinced is always puzzling to the dogs. In other “chore” news (you were waiting for this, right?) I got the basement in shape for exercising yesterday, but have yet to shovel out the chiminea. Gotta get cracking on that so that we’re dug out enough to welcome what sounds like another snow storm on the way.
Ah yes, memory. Last night I was watching Villanova versus William and Mary when my couch-mate made a comment about which I immediately thought, “Hmmmm, I wonder if Boltgirl has written about that?” Of course I didn’t write it down, and this morning, except for the fact that it happened, I can’t remember a damn thing about the details.
I do believe that we carry with us somewhere, everything that has happened to us. Everything that we have seen, tasted, smelled, experienced. With time and effort, I also believe that we could probably access just about everything – depending on how tenacious, open, and long-lived we are.
So it’s interesting to know that as I do my work at work, and sleep, and eat, and walk through my days I carry inside the colorful weave of every moment that has preceded my present one. Yup – there’s my mother’s noisy late-night harangue on November 9, 1965: the entirety of the first Spice Girls movie; the desk I was sitting at the night the news of John Lennon’s murder came over the radio; the mailbox at the corner of Park and Bewley Roads in Havertown, PA; drinking orange juice on spring’s first warm, sunny morning in late March of 1956; and Christmas dinner at my grandparents house in 1967 (when we drove there through a snowstorm and heard “Penny Lane” on the radio) … etc., etc., etc..
I find that comforting, with the possible exception of the Spice Girls movie.
So what else? I see that the Phillies are front runners in the race to acquire Roy Halladay. Apparently they aren’t going to be sacrificing Hamels in the process either. I like it that the Phillies are being recognized as the class of the National League, and their main hope for duking it out with the AL. Right on! Check Crashburn Alley for the latest on this breaking story … ;>)
Oh, and I’m still glad that I’m not Tiger. Probably smart for him to take some time. Probably good that at least his kids are young enough that these will be blurry memories at best. I never pay very much attention to Tiger, either way, but if he can get his shit together, more power to him. Sounds like he’s been behaving like a sleaze ball though – and you can read all about it ohn The Huffington Post’s Tiger Woods Big News Page. (Note to self: this is probably not something to aspire to.)
In contrast, I came upon an article in which Kelly Smith describes her struggles with alcohol and depression early on in her career. I guess the upside of being a female athlete is that, for the most part, you can go through your struggles without the glare of publicity, and then decided when (or whether) you want to share your journey. I admire her for being forthright — and for recognizing and addressing her problems.
Okay, time to get rolling. On today’s agenda … digging out the chiminea and doing some cleaning of the basement. among other things. Have a good one!
Rashard Mendenhall and the Steelers did NOTHING for the Blitzen’ Babes last night. Guess it’s back to the drawing board on the running back front. Scary to see the Steelers and the Pats on a seemingly similar trajectory. And, while I know all this football talk is annoying to Alice, I just have to add that it is going to be SO gratifying to see the Eagles pummel the Giants on Sunday night! There, done with that.
Another item on the dang it all front … this tidbit from California, where teabaggers are pushing a strange initiative that would effectively require children to perform Christmas Carols in public schools. Talk about visiting childhood trauma on your offspring! Pushed by the aptly named Merry Hyatt, “The initiative would require schools to provide children the opportunity to listen to or perform Christmas carols, and would subject the schools to litigation if the rule isn’t followed.”
This, while Americans are perishing for want of healthcare, shelter, food … Jesus Christ! I am wondering, now, whether it’s possible for one citizen to sue another for wasting limited legislative time with cock-eyed initiatives.
Meanwhile, reading Nourishing Words has led me to think more about small ways that I can lower my carbon footprint. We don’t have a snowblower – and I am psyched to read about the number of calories burned by shoveling. (Bring it on!) And I’m thinking that one small thing I can do is not idle my car to warm it up on these frigid mornings … except maybe for @ minute so I’m not harming the engine in some way. Scraping my windows without the defroster blasting will burn more calories … and I’ll be starting my day with a good vibe! 😉
Finally – a heartwarming video that I meant to post a couple of weeks ago … sending warm and healing energy to everyone, everywhere, who is or has been affected by breast cancer!
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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