I will admit, my hands are shaking a bit as I make my first post under JordanCornblog. There are probably a number of reasons why I am nervous about my initial entry. I suspect a large part has to do with the censorship I’ve endured throughout the years.
You see, I come from a family of Republicans or “nothings”. They either don’t talk policy/politics or they err on the side of conservative thought. Perhaps it was this upbringing that has fueled my desire to try to be reasonable. To listen to others when they want to share their thoughts. And, for the most part, I feel pretty good about my attempts. Except when I hear hate being spewed out for all to hear.
This weekend, as I went to dig into my Caesar salad at a local pizza shop, I heard the headlines blare throughout the empty restaurant. I paused mid-lift, looked up to see the infamous “FOX NEWS” logo flashed on the screen. The headline, bold and red, stated “Illegal Immigrant Crime on the Rise”. I looked around and quickly determined that, if I was going to have the stomach to consume my salad, the channel would need to get changed ASAP.
The issue wasn’t so much the story but, rather, the tone in which it was stated. Then, of course, they had to hear expert analysis about how much crime occurs in our nation from illegal immigrants. There was no mention about the amount of crime LEGAL citizens commit – only what those “damn aliens” are doing.
Due to my conditioning of “fair and balanced” news, I knew exactly who was sharing the story. I didn’t see this headline emblazoned on my local news or local paper. No, it was just on the network that feels the need to propagate fear and hate through their news.
I often wonder if we’ll ever get back to a time where the words “”muslim” and “airplanes” won’t send chills down our spine. Where politicians won’t play on these fears to push their own agenda.
Will we ever see the light of equality and reason or is there too much red hiding the way?
Been to Coby’s for breakfast (yum) and now the stove is taking the chill off here in the kitchen, while Chris Matthews et al debate the role of independent voters in the healthcare debate. CharlieHopbrew is getting a big old slab of beef ready to cook on the Green Egg … while HollyCornblog explores incinerator toilets, Yakima roof racks, and Nissan Cubes … and sets up her FFootball team. And me? I just chronicle it all!
So here I am at HollyCornblog’s and CharlieHopbrew’s after a nice, uneventful drive yesterday evening. We sampled two nice. hoppy Sierra Nevada brews last night and I learned what it means when something is labeled an “Estate” product. (The ingredients were grown right on the “estate.”) So I guess Sierra Nevada is the only estate brewed beer in the country – perhaps the world. Not only that, but Sierra Nevada is a nice, green beer that you can feel good about drinking!
I was moderate and so feel fine this morning- which is a good thing. (My beer-drinking capacity has dwindled over recent years – a fact of aging, I suppose – and not necessarily a bad thing by any means!
I also received some awesome b-day gifts that warmed my heart and brought back (mostly) happy memories of the World Series. (Go Phillies!)
Shortly we’ll be getting moving on the day, which includes a visit to the lake. I’m excited to check out all the changes … and have a chance to help with a few chores, too.
Onward … and I leave you with this lovely poem from this morning’s Writer’s Almanac:
Sorry to be rushed this morning, but I’m off to work, and then to HollyCornblog and CharlieHopbrew’s for a visit. Will plan to do some posting from over that way … maybe. ;>)
I make no claims to understand the mess we’re in … BUT the Wall Street piece of it all has seemed off-base to me for a long time … going back to the Bushies. Back then, I expected it to be off base. But Obama’s handling of those dudes has been at best puzzling and at worst dismaying to me.
Little snippets of information keep coming out that make no sense … like the fact that the auto-industry is expected to pay back monies they received (or so it sounds to me) while bankers and brokers appear to not labor under the same expectation – instead continuing to walk away with big, big bonuses after wreaking havoc on the economy.
Why is that? Ya gotta wonder.
On a lighter note, check out this piece from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – as Going Rogue goes rogue. (Poor Rachel Maddow!)
And stay tuned to JordanCornblog in the coming weeks – keep your eyes peeled for a new guest blogger.
According to the NY Times, Elizabeth Lambert has tons of regret … and at times doesn’t recognize herself in the video that went viral recently.
According to granitegrok Dave Lambert has tons of regret … and even offered “the most sincerest of apologies” to his friend Skip Murphy. (We are definitely going to miss Dave’s prose – come back soon!)
Elizabeth is receiving professional help. Dave is praying about it all.
My money’s on Elizabeth as having a snowball’s chance in hell of learning from this experience.
I hope she does.
And Dave … I’d suggest that you stop praying to your angry god and just start thinking. It’s amazing how powerful that can be!
Thanks to AMR, here’s a snippet of NH political discourse from Doug Lambert that was over-the-top even for some of the most conservative conservatives here in the Granite State (and that’s saying something). I won’t bother to quote it – you can read this guy’s intelligent and insightful comments at Blue Hampshire (the link above).
Perhaps Doug’s outlandish statements aren’t so outlandish after all – at least in the context of his (nuanced and thoughtful) views expressed over the course of his lifetime. According to GilfordGrok, here’s what he liked in high school: Back in 1982 when Doug Lambert got to choose three things he liked for the ages in his high-school yearbook, he picked “rock and roll, Chevys, and nukes.”
And the fallout continues – including Doug’s removing himself from the fray …
Even stepping back from his writing gig on GraniteGrok:
I will no longer write at GraniteGrok for an as yet undetermined amount of time. I plan on spending my time in prayer and reflection, looking inward to the unhealthy malice in my heart, for which I will ultimately have to face my Maker , begging for His undeserved mercy.
Prayer and reflection? I really, really doubt that. What a crock from GraniteGrok!
But perhaps he should be given the benefit of the doubt. Can I/we be bigger than he is/was?
Of course – not even a stretch!
And, as an aside … do you think this piece of work might be related to Elizabeth Lambert? There’s a similarity … can’t you see it? Prolly similar political and religious bents, too, doncha think?
So, here we are — another Monday. Football was a total bummer yesterday, with the Eagles succumbing to San Diego, the Steelers losing, etc. The Patriots were shocked by the Colts in the final seconds of their game last night. The only bright spot, as far as I was concerned, was that the Cowboys lost. That’s always good for a little pick me up in JordanCornblog’s world.
I’m a little surprised to see, in this morning’s news, that Hillary Clinton expressed anything other than horror at the idea of having coffee with Sarah Palin. I guess Hillary was being polite, but I imagine it would be a situation that could cause an awful lot of tongue biting and teeth grinding.
HollyCornblog has sent new pictures from the lake, including a very cozy looking wood stove.
She and CharlieHopbrew (mostly CharlieHopbrew, I think) built a cabinet to put in the corner and house stereo equipment and other doodads. The latest doodad is displayed on top of the cabinet — nicely done, HollyCornblog.
(ChristopherCornblog, in particular, is pretty happy!)
It’s a sunny day here in New Hampshire, and I’ve got a lot on my plate, so I think I’m gonna get rolling here.
RPE was home overnight last night — great to see her and know that she’ll be back shortly for Thanksgiving break. Thanksgiving? Hard to believe, with the warm sun out there. I’ll take it though!
Sir Hits Alot switched seasons in the blink of an eye. He put away his cleats and, last night, under cover of darkness, skated into town from the north to wreak havoc on yet another Concord team. I hear that there is now talk in the City Council of not allowing him past the Concord City limits … as he didn’t lose a step in moving from the pitch to the ice.
Yup, Sir Hits Alot was in fine fettle last night. With his team down 1-0, he flicked a nifty backhand into the net, scoring the first goal of the year for his Twin Valley hockey mates and getting them rolling toward their first win of the 2009-2010 campaign.
Needless to say, for Sir Hits Alot fans it was a very exciting and gratifying 3-2 victory over Concord Bantam 3. Here’s the Twin Valley Bantam 1 Schedule for the coming year … should you care to join us at an upcoming contest. Last year, you may remember, the Twin Valley Flyers won it all at the Everett Arena in Concord, NH on March 8, 2009 on the strength of a game-winner in OT by Sir Hits Alot (aka Mo). (You can see why the Concord City Fathers are tired of having him come to town!)
After last night’s win, a humble Sir Hits Alot, wearing his signature Bates hoodie and Bates hat, said “Aw shucks” when congratulated on the win. Perhaps with an eye to a future political career, he deftly avoided one potentially awkward question from a fan who asked, “Do you guys go after the girls when they’re on the opposing team?” (Just imagine the news picking up on that one when Sir Hits Alot runs for the US Senate in 2035 following his successful NHL career!)
Anyway – a few more snippets of conversation, and then, suddenly, he was gone … walking off into the rainy night … presumably heading back up north to plan his next marauding escapade!
Meanwhile, in a warm kitchen in upstate NY, where the woodstove crackles, drying out the damp morning air, Pliny checks her FFootball team one last time as she prepares to go up against Sir Hits Alot on the gridiron today.
Will he be too tired from his hockey exploits to notice that he’s down a player?
Will Pliny KILL JordanCornblog for cluing him in on this?
What a grey, November morning we’ve got going here in NH! It’ll be a great day for reading, once I get my chores done. (I’m guessing this opening isn’t making you want to read on. Not the most attention-grabbing fare today!).
I’ve been reading about stupid stuff on the net since getting up. Maybe that’s why bed continues to look inviting, even as I should be energetically making a shopping list and planning for the day.
What a slap in the face to the officials charged with keeping the “evil-doers” under wraps, for starters! And what a disregard for the legal system that supposedly makes us such a beacon of hope to the world! And what a cynical exploitation of people’s worst and most ignorant fears!
It’s the same old shit – a continuation of the tired, reactive, narrow, rigid, and fear-driven stance of the Bush-era.
Fear biters? Yup. They’re dogs who become aggressive when cornered and afraid. Here’s a bit of advice re. how to manage a fear-biter should you happen to have one: You should really enlist professional help to deal with a fear biter unless you are experienced with dogs. This kind of dog takes lots of patience and careful reading and may never become trustworthy. If you cannot resolve its problems, consider having it destroyed; don’t pass it along to someone else to become a problem for that person.
Fear-biters usually lack self-confidence and have checkered histories. The human equivalent of the fear-biter is the person no one wanted to hang out with in high school. For whatever reason (often, I surmise, quite sad) they were shunned and unhappy. Always the last to be picked for games, they had few friends and fewer successes as they grew toward adulthood.
These are some seriously pissed off people!
They approach every subsequent situation that life presents to them with a volatile mixture of fear and rage. No nuance here, folks – just good and evil, fear and rage, O’Reilly and Hannity. It ain’t pretty. Not only dangerous and unpredictable, it sounds like fear-biters are pretty impervious to new learning. It is very difficult to rehabilitate/reclaim them and I’ve found many articles that emphasize their volatility, single-mindedness, and the general lack of success in bringing them around. Quite often, the recommendation is to not waste time, and put them down.
So, the advice on handling fear biters is pretty much what they recommend doing about the scary folks that get their hackles up. Funny how that goes, eh?
But, I ask you, oh GOP sages, how can we call ourselves fearless defenders of freedom if we are afraid to try “evil doers” on our soil?
Oh, and are you really scared, or just trying to marshal all the fear-biting energy out there in the “homeland” to use for your own dastardly purposes? (Why does this have a familiar ring to it?)
So is Joe Lieberman a fear-biter?
I’m a little bit unclear about him. I actually have him pegged as more likely to roll over on his back and pee on himself. But maybe that’s just because of the way his voice sounds.
His bite may actually be the worst of the lot, because it comes with such an unctuous and smarmy prelude.
Time to isolate him in a pen of his own, dontcha think? Come on, all you non-fear-biting lawmakers. You don’t have to NOT bite, just because you’re not fear-driven.
You can do it! On behalf of America … give ’em a great big old chomp, will ya? At least Joe, okay?
Personally, I am getting to the point where I wouldn’t mind seeing a little blood … or one or two fleeing curs, tails tucked between their legs.
PS This is not meant to be in any way offensive to our canine companions – only to Joe Lieberman, Right-wing media hacks, former Bush Administration Officials, and GOP lawmakers.
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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