Mowing the lawn yesterday was an exercise in staying hydrated and sweating out whatever I had just put in. Now it’s back to work … as the heat descends. I’m feeling sad, as I got word yesterday that two clients at the mental health center – peple I’d known for years – passed away this weekend. It’s a hard life and they both came to it filled with unique spirit and courage. I will miss them and will think of them often, I know.
But now it’s onward … into the heat of this August day. Hope you have a good one!
Soooo … Congrats to Sky Blue FC (Beulah will be writing this one up late Tuesday, most likely). Next up the Athletica at 7PM ET on Wednesday on FSC.
Now onward! Grass to mow … water to drink … more grass to mow .. more water to drink. A sweaty, zen-like day in the works here! (Oh, and we had a very nice couple of days at the lake, where ChristopherCornblog remains stranded while he waits for his car to be repaired … hopefully by this afternoon. There are definitely worse places to be stranded!)
… and a poem cribbed from The Writer’s Almanac … for no particular reason other than the fact that it was there!
Occupation
by Eliza Griswold
The prostitutes in Kabul tap their feet
beneath their faded burqas in the heat.
For bread or fifteen cents, they’ll take a man to bed –
their husbands dead, their seven kids unfed—
and thanks to occupation, rents have risen twentyfold,
their chickens, pots and carpets have been sold.
Two years ago, the Talibs favored boys and left the girls alone.
A woman then was worth her weight in stone.
Lovely, Chuck … how much has the insurance industry poured into your campaign coffers? This is cold, cold stuff – unless you are unimaginably dumb, Senator, which I somehow doubt.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2xVamHocZk
Meanwhile, Cheney is working on his memoirs and waxing slightly more talkative than usual. Watch out, Dubya … methinks you’re about to get slimed. It’s fun to watch the bastards turn on each other, isn’t it?
I’m going to be off-line for a few days … so am referring all JordanCornblog readers over to Boltgirl for the duration. She’s on a roll. (I especially enjoyed her treatise on Ms. Sarah P – you nailed it, Boltgirl!)
In the meantime – don’t forget to root for the Phillies and the Red Sox as they both return to their winning ways (nice welcome for Pedro, Phils)!
Oh, and Round 1 of the WPS playoffs takes place this Saturday at 4PM ET … Sky Blue vs. the Freedom … on FSC (no webcast from what I can tell … sorry, Alice.) Go Blue!
Meanwhile the ousted teams look ahead … and I’m pleased to read that Kate Markgraf plans to be back for 2010. That oughta give the Red Stars a nice boost.
First … ChristopherCornblog’s car started smoking en route to the lake last night (and I don’t mean that it initiated an unhealthy and expensive nicotine habit). Luckily he wasn’t far from Rensselaerville when it happened, so he was able to call HollyCornblog for a ride. Too bad for him, though – his time on the dock will be somewhat curtailed by car headaches. Hope it’s nothing dire!
The Phillies start Pedro tonight – which has Jamie Moyer miffed and some thinking they are acting desperate. I’m holding my opinion … and glad to see they pulled out a win last night.
Finally, here’s something from RPE that HollyCornblog, in particular, will find interesting. It’s “Three Sheets Tanzania” – a drinking tour of Tanzania. Apparently, this is but one episode of a drinking tour of the world … hmmm. It’s actually pretty intersting.
This video is worth watching, if you haven’t seen it. The analysis is reasonable, clear, and cogent (as we expect from Rachel). The direction being taken by Fox et al is frightening. Thanks for sending this, ChristopherCornblog …
No – actually, I have not been off-line because I am in mourning for the Breakers – although I AM quite bummed that they didn’t make the play-offs (AND that their season ended with a terrible bit of officiating).
What happened was that we lost our internet this morning. Turns out it was a modem problem – and Fairpoint was actually helpful in getting it resolved.
Maybe I’ll need to revise my thinking … a bit.
Back to the Breakers – I’m sad to say good-bye to Kelly Smith and Alex Scott – and sure hope Lil will be back next year. Here’s a nice article by Smith – just tidbits about team England, the Euros, the Breakers, physical therapy, etc. She puts together a very enjoyable read!
I hear the Euro’s won’t be televised. That’s a real shame … and I’ll keep an eye out, in case someone changes his or her mind as the tournament gets closer.
Damn it’s chilly (again) this morning. Bracing. We’ve got a nice big stack of big old birch logs to start sawing up and splitting, compliments of ChristopherCornblog (and yours truly – who stripped and trucked the last load up the hill). And man am I sore now! It felt good – but the lesson is that you can’t sit at a computer for 6 years and then chop and saw and lift and carry .. and not expect to be hurting. Lesson learned.
I’ve been doing a “cleanse” since 7/31/09. Not the kind where you actually radically change your diet (which would entail going through horrendous caffeine withdrawal – a small-but-painful fact that has always stopped me). I’m doing the kind where you drink concoctions and take supplements and gulp down lots of water. And I have to say that I am feeling clearer and more energetic than I have in some time. I don’t know if it has to do with the cleanse materials I’m ingesting – or with the fact that I’m simply being more mindful and moderate about what I eat – but it’s nice. And it’s a reminder that no matter what is going on in the world, I can make choices that enhance my quality of life.
It can feel challenging, these days – as I notice my aging and can feel the lamentations rise in my throat. How did I get here? When did I stop being 25? What’s next? Living in the moment takes on a whole new meaning these days … and boy is it an adjustment. On the other hand … it sure is nice to be so wise! ;>)
So … today, what have we? The Freedom (who have had the same coach for the last century) beat Sky Blue FC (who are on the 3-coach-a-season diet) 3-1 to secure third place (and a home play-off game) last night. Did I say DAMN?! Sounds like Abby had a monster game … and the only good news is that, after the Breakers beat the Sol, they’ll face the Freedom – who’ve been easier for us to manage than Sky Blue this year.
August 15 marks the 40th aniversary of Woodstock. Not that I was there or anything. I was in upstate NY, though. Does that count? I’d have loved the music – but the sex-drugs-and-chaos of it all would have been quite frightening to me, I’m thinking. (Probably a bit too reminiscent of my dysfunctional home to make for a fun time.) Still, as a marker of my generation, I feel a nostalgic connection to the event .. and enjoyed this article from the NY Times – along with the photo galleries that accompany it.
Finally, I love Princess Sparkle Pony’s take on the current GOP strategy re. healthcare reform. Tantrum Politics is the best descriptor I’ve heard for the disruptive tactics now being fomented. We need dialogue and problem-solving, folks – not screaming and crying. This is absolutely ridiculous.
Oh yeah – and the Red Sox and Phillies both lost. Dang it all!
I’ve been reading what I can find about the coaching mess at Sky Blue FC … and finding little of actual substance on the subject. Overall, the management does itself no favors by dissing Kelly Lindsey in their public comments. They come off looking very small, indeed. Yet, at the same time, her behavior (abruptly quitting her job with only a couple of games left in the season) is puzzling and awfully dramatic and abrupt. What could prompt such a reaction?
The guy who is apparently at the heart of this most recent mess is Joe Dorini – the assistant coach who was suspended while suspicions of some kind of egregious behavior on his part were investigated. Sounds like his and Kelly’s resignations were both related to this suspension. Sounds messy. The whole thing does.
Meanwhile, the team is attempting to make it into the play-offs with Christie Rampone (still recovering from emergency abdominal surgery due to a burst ovarian cyst) at the helm as player-coach.
I guess one of the questions I have is … if Christie can stick it out to the end of the season, playing through pain and all the difficulties that the team has experienced … and if Natasha Kai (in need of shoulder surgery) can play through it to the end … and etc., etc., … Kelly, why couldn’t you deal with a difficult management situaiton (if that’s what it was) for a couple more games? It’s not like you had to stick around for another 10 years or anything. What was so intolerable?
Anyway – I’ll be rooting for the players tonight. Not for the coaches – not for the management – just the players. Hope they can pull off an amazing win and make their way into the playoffs (even though they have proven a tougher match-up for the Breakers all season).
7PM ET tonight – be there!
Go Sky Blue FC – you guys have hung in through thick and thin. Keep it up!
Okay – so we’ve gone from monsoon season to beautiful, crisp, fall weather in the span of a week or so. I hate to be a whiner, but let’s just say that I’m still hoping for a smidgeon of summer before Fantasy Football season gets underway! And no – I really am not complaining. Today ChristopherCornblog is going to be taking down some ice-storm-damaged trees … and I’ll be gathering up the larger pieces of detritus to cut up for the chiminea … so a coolish day is actually rather nice. But still … dog days of summer anyone?
Speaking of FFootball, things are shaping up and we’ve got 8 of our 12 teams set. Four to go, folks! (Don’t make me go public again!)
As I open up my various “news” sources this morning I veer away from the national news. Between screaming matches at rallys and birthers and death threats and Sarah Palin weighing in with some “trenchant” commentary on health care, it feels like this country is devolving into a kind of chaotic and stubborn stupidity that is shocking even if you’ve lived through Dubya and have come to expect a pretty high level of weirdness.
So instead, I turn to the sports pages – where I see that those intrepid Red Sox fans who stayed up to root for good vs evil were sorely disappointed last night. What a kick in the gut, eh? At least the Phillies lost relatively early and didn’t drag it out into extra innings.
On the soccer front, the WPS play-offs really DO begin this weekend, with the Freedom playing Sky Blue FC this evening (7PM ET) and the Breakers facing off against the Sol tomorrow at 6PM ET. Tonight’s game will have audio available on-line (I’m thinking of hanging by the chiminea and listening). Tomorrow’s game will be televised on FSC AND will be webcast. The Breakers have, so far, missed every opportunity to clinch a play-off berth. I’m hoping they’ll turn that around for themselves tomorrow in Cambridge!
The roster for the WPS All Star game has been named – with the next wave of top vote getters replacing those who’ll be out due to other commitments (like the Euros). Here’s how the roster has shaped up:
WPS All-Star Team Starters
Karina LeBlanc GK Los Angeles Sol Canada
Tina Ellertson D Saint Louis Athletica United States
Amy LePeilbet D Boston Breakers United States
Christie Rampone D Sky Blue FC United States*
Shannon Boxx M Los Angeles Sol United States
Lori Chalupny M Saint Louis Athletica United States
Formiga M FC Gold Pride Brazil*
Aya Miyama M Los Angeles Sol Japan*
Megan Rapinoe M Chicago Red Stars United States*
Cristiane F Chicago Red Stars Brazil*
Marta F Los Angeles Sol Brazil *next highest vote-getter to replace First XI
In addition, WPS All-Star Team Head Coach Abner Rogers and WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci named an additional seven at-large players to the roster, including:
WPS All-Star Team At-Large Selections (Commissioner/All-Star Team Head Coach)
Brittany Klein M Chicago Red Stars United States
Kristine Lilly F Boston Breakers United States
Heather O’Reilly M Sky Blue FC United States
Christine Sinclair F FC Gold Pride Canada
Hope Solo GK Saint Louis Athletica United States
Abby Wambach F Washington Freedom United States
Cat Whitehill D Washington Freedom United States
Don’t forget that today is the day to hear the interview with Pokey Chatman on Women’s Sports Talk Radio. Here’s a quick video preview FWIW – gives you some flavor for what WSTR is about …
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvOL8qD9JEc
And you can listen live to the interview, on Blog Talk Radio. Or check out other Women’s Sports Talk interviews and info there. It’s a big, wide, wonderful world on the web, ain’t it?!
With Sky Blue FC rolling over FC Gold Pride on Wednesday, the playoff picture for the Breakers has come into clearer focus. (By Saturday night it will be crystal clear.)
One thing that’s sure is they need to beat the Sol. Aside from that, here’s how it plays out (thanks to this illuminating post from Ryan Wood):
Washington vs. Sky Blue FC
Boston vs. Los Angeles
WPS First Round
Washington Win
Boston Win
Boston at Washington
Washington Win
Boston Tie
Sky Blue FC at Washington #
Washington Win
Boston Loss
Sky Blue FC at Washington
Washington/Sky Blue FC Tie
Boston Win
Washington at Boston ^
Washington/Sky Blue FC Tie
Boston Tie
Sky Blue FC at Washington *
Washington/Sky Blue FC Tie
Boston Loss
Sky Blue FC at Washington *
Sky Blue FC Win
Boston Win
Boston at Sky Blue FC
Sky Blue FC Win
Boston Tie
Boston at Sky Blue FC %
Sky Blue FC Win
Boston Loss
Washington at Sky Blue FC
# Sky Blue FC wins head-to-head tiebreaker over Boston for No. 4 seed
^ Washington wins head-to-head tiebreaker over Sky Blue FC for No. 4 seed
*Washington wins head-to-head tiebreaker over Sky Blue FC for No. 3 seed
% Boston wins head-to-head tiebreaker over Washington for No. 4 seed
Current Head-to-Heads
Boston vs. Washington 2-1-1
Washington vs. Boston 1-2-1
Boston vs. Sky Blue FC 0-3-1
Sky Blue FC vs. Boston 3-0-1
Washington vs. Sky Blue FC 1-0-1 *one game remaining
Sky Blue FC vs. Washington 0-1-1 *one game remaining
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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