As Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation approaches crunch time, some GOPers are lining up in opposition. In an op ed in USA Today Jeff Sessions has written “I don’t believe that Judge Sotomayor has the deep-rooted convictions necessary to resist the siren call of judicial activism.” Say what? My only comment would be to echo Senator Sessions in explaining why I wouldn’t vote for him or others of his ilk … they lack the backbone and/or brain cells necessary to resist the siren call of stupidity. Seriously.
But I’m kinda pissed at Obama, too (and HollyCornblog is nearly apoplectic). Bud? Seriously? (It’s not the choice per se, but the disingenuousness. Bud? Come on.) At least Officer Crowley was honest and didn’t vet his beer preference with his handlers beforehand. Bud???
On the soccer front, the Breakers go against the Freedom tomorrow night … more details to follow. (I think that the game may be webcast.) The game has playoff implications for both teams – and hopefully Kelly Smith will be back with the B’s and able to play!
The Phillies continue their roll – and the Red Sox won.
Sounds like this is going to be the story of the week. The mosquitoes may well have managed to take over the world by Friday.
The WPS play-off picture is falling into place a bit more, with the weekend’s action complete. Sadly, the Red Stars and FC Gold Pride are now out of the mix.
Here’s a great bunch of Breakers’ photos posted by revsnet – enjoy! (And as a sample, here’s one that I just title “OMG” – hope it’s okay to post it, revsnet!).
So anyway, back to the WPS playoff picture. Wednesday’s game with the Freedom could clinch a berth for the Breakers. Then, if they can beat the Athletica on Saturday, they’ll scure a home game. GO BREAKERS!
Meanwhile, Palin said good-bye yesterday (and anyone who actually believes it’s good-bye should check out that bridge to nowhere she was building, too. According to Huffington Post,
Her first order of business as a private citizen is to speak Aug. 8 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. She also wants to campaign for political candidates from coast to coast, and continue to speak her mind on the social networking site Twitter.
Gotta say that Twitter is a great venue for her – 140 characters being the upper limit for expressing the depth and complexity of her thinking. Her speech is bizarre and includes this line: “How about, in honor of the American soldier, you quit makin’ things up?” How’s about you quit doin’ it, too, Sarah?
Actually, I suppose the really scary thing is that she may not exactly be making things up – she may be saying what she actually believes. So we’re back to the depth and quality of her thinking. Either way, Sarah, I really do wish that this were truly good-bye. Our country needs a LOT less of you.
If you hate the sound of her voice … here’s a transcript from Mudflats. And a quick take from Shannyn Moore. Word salad, indeed! It would be nice to have a mental health professional somewhere offer up a diagnosis. There is a paranoid flavor, that’s for sure. Narcissism, too. What else? Might be worthy of a web poll. Hmmmm.
… but it’s a grey, rainy morning here in NH. Cool, too. So much for mowing the grass today!
At least the weather was decent for last night’s Breakers’ game. I didn’t go, but it looks like the B’s worked hard and pressured Sky Blue (especially in the first half) … but couldn’t put the ball in the net. The match ended in a 0-0 tie. This is a step in the right direction (the first time the Breakers have come away with something other than a loss against the NY/NJ side). But the tie also means the Breakers can’t clinch a playoff berth this weekend. Too bad.
As the season winds down, how about following Alex Scott on Twitter? She’s been putting up some nice photos of her English mates as they head into Women’s Euro 2009. Here’s a nice preview, with some highlights about players to watch.
I’ll be rooting for them as the tournament gets underway in Finland on 8/25/09. Meanwhile, back in the States (and the WPS), I’ll be rooting for the Red Stars to top the Freedom this afternoon (4PM ET webcast) … and for FC Gold Pride to beat the Athletica (6PM ET – FSC) … just because. Oh, and I do realize that you hadn’t asked who I was rooting for … but JordanCornblog is nothing if not shamelessly narcissistic!
The website for the England women’s team is all bollixed up at the moment … but I’ll add the link when I have a chance … and certainly before the Euros!
In WNBA action the West soundly beat the East in the All Star game. Details at the WNBA site. Swin Cash was the MVP … and looks like Taurasi got some minutes (and 18 points). Here’s a nice interview with Tamicka Catchings about her career … and the ongoing connection she has with Pat Summit. Meanwhile, giving UConn equal time, here’s a nice article about their representation in the All Star game – which looked a little like a UConn alumni game at times!
Need to mention that the Phillies took the lid off, in a 14-6 win over the Cardinals. The Red Sox won and gained some ground back on the Yankees.
And today is Sarah P’s official last day. Loved this Tweet about her forthcoming book … RT @Mudflats RT @shannynmoore – Palin’s book will have 900 chapters…all 140 characters each. / …and none of them will make sense. Watch Dave as he shares the Top Ten Things overheard at SP’s farewell rally …
In case you haven’t seen this yet on You Tube, this almost made me want to get married … ;>)
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
And thanks, Alison, for the quote – and Boltgirl and Alice, for sharing your opinions. (Lack of Phillies’ love is nothing new in my little world … but, as any Cubs fan knows very well, too … we carry on in spite of any/everything!)
As for the Athletica and the Red Stars … I haven’t followed either team THAT closely, but having seen the Red Stars in Cambridge on the 15th, I’d have to say that one of the things that I noticed was the stretches of time that it was possible to forget that Carli Lloyd was on the field. It has seemed that her head wasn’t in the game for much of this season … hard to know why.
I also looked at the team-by-team stats on the WPS site and one thing that stood out for me was the big difference in fouls committed vs. fouls suffered by the Red Stars. Don’t know how the opposition is scoring on them, but it looks like they are giving up a lot of free kicks. Finally, Caroline Jonsson started out on a tear this spring … but her goals-against average looks high compared to Hope Solo (for example) … so I’m thinking that may have contributed to some lost ground. (Of note – she tops the list of league leaders in goals against and in saves – so I guess we need to look at the Red Stars’ defense – why so much action for Caroline??)
As for the Athletica … they just seem to me a team that took sometime to gel. Eniola Aluko shines on the offensive end (among the top players in both goals and assists), and Hope is Hope. Doesn’t hurt to have Lori Chalupny on the field, either (my vote for the next Kristine Lilly).
The Athletica host FC Gold Pride on Sunday in a match that could clinch a play-off berth for the Athletica … and could eliminate FC Gold Pride from contention. The game is at 6PM ET and will be televised on FSC.
Meanwhile, the Breakers face off against their nemesis (so far) Sky Blue FC. A Breakers win coupled with a Freedom loss would clinch a playoff berth for the B’s. And the Red Stars face the Freedom at 3PM on Sunday. The game will be webcast (thanks Red Stars). I’ll be rooting for ya!! (Looks like Kate Markgraf will be at the game … nice to read her recent blog post!)
On the WNBA front, the All Stars have gathered at Mohegan Sun in CT and are practicing up for ther face-off today at 3:30 PM ET (televised on ABC). Speaking of the All Stars, I see that DT is in the mix, in spite of her serious lapse of judgment (and Mechelle Voepel’s eloquent piece on the subject). I do hope she can turn things around for herself … not sure an All Star call-up makes sense right now, though. It smacks too much of a financially-driven decision … after all, they’re playing in Connecticut!
Here’s a good piece by Jeff Jacobs (Hartford Courant) about Taurasi and her situation … which won’t be resolved til she goes back to court later this summer. Jeff thinks she should play, but as he says …
… my opinion should not for a minute diminish the gravity of her blunder. A blood draw by Phoenix police showed she was driving with a 0.17 blood-alcohol level, more than twice the legal limit. Taurasi is listed at 172 pounds, so according to a Blood Alcohol Content Calculator, that would mean seven or eight drinks in two hours. Leaving a nightclub for the Phoenician Hotel following a game against the Seattle Storm, she never should have put the key in the ignition of her 2006 Land Rover.
That’s a lot of alcohol … FAST.
Anyway – time to sign off here. News of the world will have to wait ’til tomorrow (if then). Palin says good-bye at a picnic tomorrow (would that that were actually true) … and her next steps are unknown. Expect to see her on TV often, though.
Meanwhile, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has taken up President Obama’s suggestion and said yes to a beer with Sgt. Crowley. I like the direction this is taking, so long as:
DT doesn’t join them and
This doesn’t turn into any kind of a reality TV show.
Would you rather search for yourself to find out that the Athletica have replaced the Breakers in second place in the WPS? Or that the Sol have captured the regular season title?
That’s what I’m wondering … along with the perenniel question … How much more can it rain!!?????
Quick stuff this morning, as the dogs bark and the sun makes its way through the green leaves and into the blue (for now) sky.
The Phillies lost to the Cubbies yesterday … so that means their new winning streak begins now! The Red Sox lost another game … and some more ground to the Yankees. (Not good.)
The USWNT defeated Canada 1-0 on a late goal by Christine Nairn (her first in international play). The other Christine (Sinclair) is still looking for her 100th – after a close one that was turned away by Hope Solo last night!
Over in the WNBA, they are making their “First Half Awards” as they head to their All Star break. These awards highlight the “best of the best” so far in 2009. Nice to see Charde Houston having a break-out season – and Chamique Holdsclaw putting together an awesome comeback year!
Yes – the Phillies continued their win streak with an extra innings victory that brings their at-home record to .500. Keep it up, guys – I’m loving this!
As for Palin – there’s another ethics issue – but she is such low-hanging fruit these days it’s almost no fun anymore.
Maybe I’m just tired.
Oh, and there ain’t much to say about the weather … either.
… and why are we so frequently subjected to news of Jon and Kate? Who are they and why oh why oh why do we have to see their faces splashed across every people-ish magazine and tabloid?
I guess we get what we deserve? Or what we ask for? It is SO depressing!
… or is that grey? Do the different spellings conjure different colors for you?
Either way, it ain’t sunny!
Some brief snippets this morning, as the Phillies continue to roll … and the Cambridge police really screwed up big time (at least from what I read on The Huffington Post.) Arresting Henry Louis Gates, Jr. in his own home …
Some of Gates’ African-American colleagues say the arrest is part of a pattern of racial profiling in Cambridge.
Allen Counter, who has taught neuroscience at Harvard for 25 years, said he was stopped on campus by two Harvard police officers in 2004 after being mistaken for a robbery suspect. They threatened to arrest him when he could not produce identification.
“We do not believe that this arrest would have happened if professor Gates was white,” Counter said. “It really has been very unsettling for African-Americans throughout Harvard and throughout Cambridge that this happened.”
I do kinda wish Al Sharpton would stay the hell out of it, though.
So it’s a big day here in Canterbury as Willie turns 10 and continues to have pretty good energy and quality of life on his daily dose of steroids. We are so glad you’re still here with us, Willie!
And it was a big day in Rochester yesterday, as Abby scored her 100th goal in front of a nice, big hometown crowd. The USWNT beat a fiesty Canadia team 1-0. The rematch is Wednesday night, as Christine Sinclair gets her second shot at her 100th. (The match is going to be televised on FSC at 8PM ET.)
Kelly Schmedes scored early last night, helping the Breakers to a 1-0 win over FC Gold Pride and sole possession of 2nd place in the WPS standings. The Breakers face Sky Blue FC on Saturday in Cambridge and need to keep winning – a challenge against the NY/NJ squad who have been their nemesis so far this season. Go Breakers!
Yesterday afternoon we attended a graduation celebration for @drpippa at the Canterbury Shaker Village – a wonderful event at which @drpippa read this poem by Alice Walker …
In case you are one of the 6 peple who missed it, here’s Pat Buchanan making a fool of himself on Rachel Maddow … time to retire this tired old horse, I’m thinking. He bites.
Meanwhile, as momentum to hit the August deadline for healthcare reform seems to be waning, Obama, being a practical sort, gives signs of backing away from that deadline. With an issue of such importance, I can appreciate some disinclination to rush it. But at the same time, this gives all the lobbyists more time to amp up the pressure, muddy the water, etc. Guess it’s time to start putting together bunches of letters to our Congressional delegations – have them ready for mailing as they all reconvene after the summer recess.
On the soccer front, I read that Christie Rampone had emergency abdominal surgery and won’t be available for the USWNT match with Canada this afternoon. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Here’s Abby and Chrtisine Sinclair – two amazing players – comparing notes as they each go for their 100th goal today.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKdJ37yPfHU
Meanwhile, in WPS action the Red Stars go against Sky Blue FC while in the nightcap, the Breakers take on FC Gold Pride. After tonight, the standings may look very different! With a win, the Breakers could move into second place!
Voting is underway for the WPS All Star game – and here’s the ballot. Vote for one (1) goalkeeper, three (3) defenders, five (5) midfielders and two (2) forwards. Fan balloting concludes on Friday, July 31 2009 at 8pm ET/5pm PT, so be sure to get the vote out for your WPS All-Stars. They’ll face the elite Swedish Club Umea IK on Sunday, August 30 (Fox Soccer Channel — 5pm ET/2pm PT pre-game, 5:30pm ET/2:30pm PT kickoff). Should be awesome! (If I’m remembering rightly, isn’t that Marta’s old club???)
In WNBA action the Mystics and Phoenix won – and today there’s lots of action (all on Live Access). Among the 5 games featured, perhaps the most compelling is the Fever vs. the Sun – as the Fever look to extend their win streak against Katie Douglas’ old team.
And for all the latest in women’s hoops, check out the Women’s Hoops Blog … great source of info!
Sounds like the Boston Aztec lost last night to Lancaster (3-1). Here’s the tweet about it: “Once again, the final is Lancaster 3, Boston 1 from Amesbury. Check out SNE’s story from this game tomorrow morning. Good night #wpsl” Too bad! Sounds like the Aztec dominated the first half but didn’t take advantage of their chances.
Oh, and HollyCornblog has gotten a new table for the porch at the lake – very, very cool. Thanks – can’t wait to see it in person sometime!
So now it’s time to get moving. Looks like a beautiful day. I’ll finish up the mowing – maybe do some weeding and garden clean-up. Then we have a graduation party to go to (congrats, Dr. Pippa) and lots of soccer to watch!
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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