June 19th

June 19th

Only one significant event happened today, but that event is so momentous that it eclipses any attempt in the future to out-do the do. Yes, June 19th is the anniversary of the most awesomest, amazingest acronym ever-est. No one else has had such a major honor bestowed upon him (her? you jest!). There is no AART, no CART, no LART, no DART. There is only the BART. Yes, the construction of my namesake began on this day in 1964 in San Francisco. There is, however, a small feeder section in a certain feminine section of the Bay Area that is named the TART. If you're really quiet you can hear the plaintive notes of a  recorder busker trying to eke out a living on the TARTLine.


Something New (2006/I)

Not the 1920 movie written, directed and starring Nell Shipman who, as the IMDb says, is a "Canadian-born actress, writer, producer and animal trainer, best known
for writing and acting in several James Oliver Curwood stories and for
her portrayals of strong, adventurous women."

This one is also directed by a woman who doesn't cast herself but did cast a leading actress with the same first name. Very sweet, romantic, predictable but fun movie. Interracial relationships as well as inter-income issues. Featuring a very hot landscape architect (hot as in sweaty, also good-looking), but aren't all landscape architects hot? Let's ask Deborah, whose birthday is not June 29th. Sorry. I'm sure she's hot but she is my sister.

There's a special feature on the DVD about do's and don't for dating. One they didn't mention would have to be eating off your date's plate at her parents' home. Blair Underwood  learned his lesson.

For those who care, and it seems a ton of people on IMDb do, the director is biracial with an American Jewish mother and a Muslim Moroccan father. The fact that she's very light-skinned seems to be a big topic. The writer is an African-American woman which didn't get quite so much attention. Very odd non-speaking cameo of the Cheers guy, John Ratzenberger.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Very funny Woody Allen movie. He didn't cast himself but instead used several of the cast members to sound just like him. Kind of unnerving to hear his neurotic lines come out of someone else. Good writing, nonetheless. Javier Bardem is great especially after seeing him as a pschyo killer and as an deeply romantic young/old man. He is really hot in this movie. So hot he can make straight men swoon. Not me, of course, but to paraphrase Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets, he makes me want to be better looking.

Up (2009)

Lots of fun. We saw it in the theatre with 3-D. Well worth it. Ratzenberger is in this one, too. I think he has been in all the Pixar movies.

La passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)

La passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)

Wow! Movie-making history and mostly even historical (except for a few interpretations and anachronisms like eye-glasses). The commentary is well-worth the time. We watched the movie with the optional and beautiful musical score sung by Anonymous 4 even though the director intended for it to be watched without sound. The musical score was synchronized recently (relatively). The movie I had was borrowed from a friend and contained a booklet with the translation of the songs. I don't know if the rental version would have that.

The director, Carl Dreyer, was described by a cast member as "certifiable insane." That might explain the use of real blood in the blood-letting scene (noticeably less difficult to watch for certain licensed medical personnel in attendance the other night than for certain squeamish husbands). He also used real nursing mothers, but then so did The Wild Bunch (1969) which revolutionized movie-making by using real bullet sounds. Not much of a connection, but there it is.

For those who won't watch the commentary first or read the authoritative Wikipedia article ever, let me enlighten a few things that would have helped me understand what was going on.  The soldiers in the English-looking WWI helmets are actually English. In character. I have no idea what they were for real but the general is played by an actor who owned the inn where Rasputin held his orgies. The reason the helmets look like WWI-era is because that's what the commentary says the helmets in 15th century English-occupied France may have looked like. Also because English helmets are like English cuisine--unchanged in 500 years. No wonder they had to conquer the world; they were sick of their own cooking.

The Catholic priests are going to evoke disgust but then last week's report of the decades-long abuse in Ireland by priests and nuns should evoke enough disgust for a lifetime It might help to know that that the actors were well-known on the French comedy scene. Also, the actress who plays Joan was famous on the same stages. She got even more famous in 1972 when Patti Smith wrote a poem about her.

The director shot the movie chronologically and in almost the same amount of time as it took for the trial to take place. He insisted that everyone remain available and that the priests keep their topnotchers shaved even if they wore a yarmulke the whole time. He made a point of using no make-up. It works. Tremendous power in the acting.

It is not true, though tempting to imagine, that Dick Cheney played a role in the trial which of course included a trip to something that could well have been a waterboarding  station.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (...

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Not a bad movie. Well-liked by all including the current resident teenager, or, to paraphrase a phrase describing someone else besides James Brown, "the hardest working teenager not currently frolicking in Israel." Some of us may remember that Mr. Brown, who had the trademark description of being "the hardest working man in show business," was, on occasion, in trouble due to domestic abuse concerns. While he was in some such trouble at one time or another, another musician was described as "the hardest working man in show business not currently on a work-release program."

From the files of Wikipedia found on the Internet where you can also find the original story which will take about two hours and 15 minutes less time to read than to watch the movie.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy drama film, based on the 1921 short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald."
He of Saint Paul fame and who has several Historical Literary plaques around town.

 Since Russia oddly figures into the movie we can inject Mr. Karl Marx, of some fame or other who had the oddly original idea that
everything ran on an economic basis. Hence, a story that originally
took place in Baltimore now moves to New Orleans due to the constant
struggle between the classes (read states) in giving tax breaks to Hollywood "intelligentsias". In an extraordinary act of compassion, the film makers donated the movie props to Katrina survivors. What next? Hardtack?

The Queenie character name given to the adoptive mother is oddly the same as the character name that Hattie McDaniel had in Show Boat (1936) . Hattie of Gone with the Wind (1939) fame and who famously said she didn't mind playing a maid if she was making 700 dollars a week. So goes the  class warfare in once and still-segregated Tinseltown.

Oscar Hammerstein was involved in Show Boat somehow and was also involved with the dance that Daisy performs in the movie. And, of course, we all know where Daisy comes from. At least us historical literary intelligentsia types who either read The Great Gatsby or saw the movie. So now you have all the essential trivia that I bothered to dig up, some of it actually on my own.

Oh, and also, that really is Cate Blanchett on the hospital bed in makeup. She happens to share the same birthday as Linda which was yesterday which is when I meant to click Send. Happy Birthday, Linda!

The Way We Were (1973)

The Way We Were (1973)


We watched this classic in loving memory of Ernie. Type "Ernie Amatniek" and the  "Abraham Lincoln Brigade" into an Internet search and then watch the opening scenes with Katie handing out leaflets.

Katie played by Barbra you-know-who says "It's amazing how decisions are forced upon us willy-nilly."  Odd coincidence that we saw this movie soon after the death on April 26th of Salamo Arousch, the Greek-Jew featured in  Triumph of the Spirit (1989). His story was described as being one of "choiceless choices," meaning the Nazis gave him the choice of who to have killed if he won the boxing match. Katie's story certainly is not on the same scale, but there is a similarity since she is talking about the late-1940's Hollywood witchhunts (pre-McCarthy) that this movie uses as a backdrop.

Great movie regardless of all the problems with it. Fascinating  special feature made in 1999 included with the DVD. It fills in the plot holes and adds some wonderful insight. Robert Redford is missing apparently due to scheduling conflicts. Couldn't they wait? What's another decade or two? Well, maybe they were right to go ahead without Redford. Interesting to hear Streisand called "the first openly Jewish actress." Watch Sydney Pollack play with the rubber band and then watch Absence of Malice (1981). Oh, there's also insight into a certain song that sold a million copies.

There's talk that Babs wants to make a sequel with Katie and Hubbell's daughter repeating the same mistakes. Again with a member of a different ethnic/gender/hair color group. Except now she doesn't have to go to Harlem to get her hair ironed.

Monster's Ball (2001)

OK, so political correctness has it's place. And this movie raises all sorts of PC places. But as a movie, it's great. Halle Berry won Best Actress for this and not only for the sofa scene. Coronji Calhoun, the extremely over-weight ten year-old who played her son, was not nominated and doesn't show up on the Internet any later than 2005. There do seem to be people looking and trying to help. I suppose that lets me off the hook.  He was incredible. The IMDb says Berry told him to remember it was just a movie. He said it was no where as bad as what the kids at school did to him.

Directed by Marc Forester who also did several of my favorites, Stranger Than Fiction, Kite Runner, and Quantum of Solace. Billy Bob is good as is Heath Ledger. Peter Boyle is terrific. Anybody remember Joe (1970)? You'll have a hard time watching "Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996) (TV series) after these two. There's a great and horrible scene of the three men in the living room. If Monster's Ball is about confronting racism then it is also about confronting classism and the pre-redemptive sense that those people who belong to the "lower politically incorrect" class  still belong to the human race even if they are the same color as us. But redemption is what this is ultimately about. Although how does a private home, even in the South, have a private cemetary on the property? And why are there three graves when one burial was shown in a public cemetary?

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

This could have been a much better film about confronting racism. Samuel Jackson is raising two daughters by himself after losing his wife a year earlier. The way she died is pivotal in understanding his character. You won't find out until later in the film, but it adds a much deeper complexity to his character. Unfortunately, the doofus white guy that moves in next door with his hip, beautiful black wife is not complex at all. Can I share a funny scene? Stop reading if you don't want to spoil it. The white guy drives up to his house after work. He has loud rap music on the radio. Samuel Jackson walks up to him and tells him he can listen to that music all he wants but in the morning he's still going to wake up white. Too bad it just slides into inanity after that. Wait, that was already inane. But funny.

Nights in Rodanthe (2008)

This is the movie that Mom gave a thumbs up to. It is also about confronting racism. Mainly, why does the director feel the need to cast a character as having a best friend as black when they're both  white in the book? But if  Diane Lane, who was born in 1965 and over-wrought Richard Lear who was born in 1949, can get it on then what the hell. Not as bad as Dustin Hoffman and any female currently able to walk. But, still, it's a bit too much male fantasy. Not mine, of course. I kind of stopped talking about the confronting racism rant two sentences ago and  moved on to the age difference rant. OK, now onto the movie rant.

Ann Peacock is one of the screenwriters. She wrote the screenplay for A Lesson Before Dying. I loved that one. This one, no. Sorry, Mom.

Picky Problems:
Wrong season for hurricanes and hurricanes don't quit after one night.
Coastal people don't leave their cars where the storm surge will get them.
They also board up their windows a little more carefully. Lane should have known that.
Gere enters the inn and leaves the door open.
Lane buys Wonder Bread at the local store. What kind of B&B has Wonder Bread on the premises?
Gere looks dead.
Really. Not just because he's in character. Dead. As in toast. Maybe that's what the Wonder Bread was for. Metaphor.
Emmy Lou Harris pronounces Rodanthe one way and the radio announcer at the village says it another way. Wikipedia does it one of the two ways. I think.
It's a chick flick. Metaphorically speaking.


Ok, it's after midnight. Alan just got home from a babysitting job. I'm going to bed. I have to get up early and make breakfast. Happy Mother's Day, mamas and Obamamamas.

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Today is the 17th anniversary of the Westray Mine disaster in Cape Breton, Canada. And by coincidence, I had just finished this incredible book by a Canadian author, Ann-Maire Macdonald. It would not be an exaggeration to say it was one of the best books I've read in a long time (other than History of Love, of course). Powerful. I felt like falling on my knees. She seems to be famous in Canada as well as in lesbian circles. It's not a lesbian book but there might have been a  lurid scene or two. I'm not sure. I closed my eyes when I came to it. I may be undecided, too. Which one?

It really wasn't lurid. I just wanted to use that word. Twice.

Also, by coincidence, I found this book in the store at the same time as I was working my through my copy of the Passamaquoddy-Maliseet Dictionary by David A. Francis and Robert Leavitt. I am enjoying the dictionary very much. I've always needed a polite way to say "Come visit when you're sober." However, Linda now has a way to say "This man, they say, was very bad, but his wife was a good woman."

Did anyone see The Linguists (2008) on PBS last February? What a treasure for all of us to have a dictionary like this. I am enjoying it but am also deeply disappointed as I had hoped to gain a few new two letter words with which I could trick my Scrabble opponent/siblings into believing they were legitimate English Scrabble words. To paraphrase Roy Scheider  from Jaws (1975), "Robert, if you want to play Passamaquoddy-Maliseet Scrabble, then you're going to need a bigger board." Those are some long words. But, I propose that at the next get-together we all play Scrabble. I'll bring the dictionary.

Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

Yes, we still have no second senator. Some might say that's a good thing. Here's some quickies of the past few weeks.

Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

We finally saw this on video after Tish recommended it. We liked it. Very sweet. Not as much gratuitous sex as Amy Adams had in Enchanted (2007) with P. Dempy and and a bath towel. Remember the father in Breaking Away (1979)? The same actor has the same role in this movie. And he doesn't look any older.  His work in Breaking Away was heartbreaking especially when he tries to sell the car. Also, Alan Arkin is always good.

Le voyage du ballon rouge (2007) or the Flight of the Red Balloon for those who forgot.

It's French so there's smoking. It's also 79 minutes longer than Le ballon rouge (1956) (or the red balloon, nevermind). This new one is not a sequel or a remake but "inspired" by the original. It's also extreeeeeeemly slow. If you like Franz Lizt then it should be easier to stay awake. Bear in mind that the movie is not about anything happening but more about what goes on in people's lives. The balloon acts as a support figure for one of those people. It's a must-see if you love the Red Balloon or if you love super-indie Chinese directors.

For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000)

Andy Garcia does a great job as does the rest of the cast especially Mia Maestro, who looks like a young Katherine Hepburn, and Charles Dutton as Dizzy Gillespie  with the  amazing chops and cheeks. Great music, great propaganda film depending on who you ask or just a good movie (originally for HBO TV). Good line about how worthless free education is if you can't read what you want.

Mad Max 2 (1981)
 aka "The Road Warrior"

I saw this in the theatre when it first came out in downtown Chicago during a late-morning layover on a cross-country Greyhound bus ride. Walking out of the theatre into the streets of Chicago at noon on a weekday! If only I'd known about Joseph Campbell back then what I still don't know now. I bet  Mel's wishing he'd known about  pre-nups back then.

Fast & Furious (2009)

A newspaper reviewer said that in honor of Earth Day Vin Diesel is changing his name to Vin Biodiesel. That would help. This is a movie only for teenage boys and their fathers who love the drive-in. It's manipulation of the rating system is shameless. But only one f-word to listen to isn't so bad except Diesel uses the "aint" word in every sentence. Shameless.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)

Also a drive-in theatre movie and surprisingly good. Funny, sweet. Clever jokes about weight issues (wait, I mean heavy jokes). Best use of a shopping mall since Woody Allen did Scenes From a Mall. Beautiful choreography of the robbers inside the mall. Any movie where the name in the title is one letter away from being a famous name can't be all bad. That's why you gotta love Yahoo. The CEO is named Bartz.

Tuya (Tuya de hun shi (2006) or Tuya's Marriage

Beautiful Mongolian film. Tammy Wynette and Johnny Cash could have gotten several albums from the themes in this film.

Transporter 3 (2008)

Jason Statham does his own stunts! And allows himself to be objectified at the hands of a beautiful woman! And can't act any better than the Biodiesel guy! Who cares!

Quickie time

Quickie time

 

Great news, folks! We have a decision in the US Senate re-re-re-re-re-count. Both contestants agreed to concede. Hallelujah, as Leonard Cohen would say who is going on tour and if anyone wants to send me lots of money then I would go see him but the tix are like too much.

 

The only other alternative, according to the judge, was to have Jesse Ventura referree a match between the two. They were going to rassle until the judge said they had to fight under their stage names: Self-Righteous Liberal and Never-Wrong Conservative. 

 

Speaking of Conservatives, I would be amiss if I didn't mark the passing of a true friend of Joe (McCarthy), Paul Harvey, age 90. I did enjoy listening to him, however, when I hitchhiked around the country years ago. It seemed like most people who gave me a ride had Harvey on the radio.

 

For some people, Harvey could be as irritating as that person in the theater who laughs louder than anyone and who always laughs before the joke gets finished or even started. It must be even more irritating if you happen to married to me. I mean, him. Sorry, Linda. Speaking of irritating, we saw this one in the theater.

 

Marley & Me (2008)

 

Directed by David Frankel of The Devil Wears Prada (2006) fame but not related to Viktor Frankl of Man' Search for Meaning fame. Cute, funny at times, extraordinarily poor dog parenting. I know the book is much different and that Marley actually ends up passing the obedience school in real life, but the movie is what most people are seeing. A simple Gentle Leader collar can work wonders. Lots of other issues I would love to nitpick on but will spare you. However, we have a dog we love and would hope we could all be involved in what happens at the end instead of the really stupid way the movie has it end. Great scene with Kathleen Turner (she has rheumatoid arthritis and has changed a good bit due to the steroids, in case you were worried). OK, some of you probably loved this movie and we did to. It's just easy to pick on. Linda's probably going to get mad at me because she seemed to have an emotional response to it but she's probably more concerned with  how she can avoid sitting next to one of those irritating laugh-a-matics who hasn't had an emotional response since Whoppie Goldberg was a ghost.

 

The Wings of the Dove (1997)

 

Beautiful adaptation of the Henry James novel with a screenwriting by an Iranian. (just thought I would throw that in for anyone who has a connection to Iran). Helena Bonham Carter makes it hot in a brief R scene. 

 
The Revengers' Comedies (1998)

A very strange Helena Bonham Carter made-for-cable movie set in England but with no f-words. Interesting premise. Hard to follow. I'm not sure I finished it. Hard to tell.

Honeydripper (2007)

Directed by one of my favorites, John Sayles. OK movie but I was expecting more music. Not enough scenes with Keb' Mo' as the blind guitar player.

Righteous Kill (2008)

Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Hey, what could go wrong? Mostly the movie. It seemed like an excuse for two great actors to have a buddy film together.

Taken (2008/I)

Liam Neeson in one of the best suspense, action, thriller movies I've seen in long time. I'm really glad they kept it PG-13 which means there's no stupid love scenes to mess up a good car chase scene. Just the action. That's all a grown man needs.

Happy Birthday to Annie yesterday which is when I started writing this. Next up, Alex. Thanks, FaceBook.  Or whatever it's called.