Movie-Smile

Smile (2005) very much had the pacing and acting of a Lifetime or Hallmark movie. That is not to say it was terrible or anything, it just was not that great. But I did love the point it was trying to make, and I'll get to that in just a bit.

Smile is about a Malibu teenager who is going through all the problems that spoiled girls her age go through. She is a pretty good kid though, with parents that are a wee bit too permissive and too cool. But Katie also has a teacher that is encouraging kids to get involved in a program to help other kids around the world with disfiguring birth defects...cleft palates, hare lips...things like that, and Katie (finally) does get involved.

This takes her to China as a volunteer, and takes her out of her own issues as she meets a girl who was born the same day she was and needs an operation to fix her face.

Yeah...a lot of over-drawn drama to get to the point of it all, but like I said, I liked the point. Look, I am not against cosmetic surgery. But we have all seen these people who spend tens of thousands of dollars in this quest to look perfect!

I will by-pass the whole concept of perfection for the moment, and whether that is even something worth seeking, but the money these people have spent, still does not make them feel better about themselves...they keep going back for more...it is never good enough. Perhaps, if they used those resources that they have, and helped these disfigured children, maybe their egos would have some fulfillment after all...maybe they need to see what a surgery, not for perfection, but for normalcy, can do for someone, how it can change their life.

Smile is not much of a movie, but it makes that point very well.

Movie- My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs

There have been times in my life when people who have met me have thought I am gay...I'll admit it. They come up with various reasons..."You're in touch with your feminine side." "You get along with women so well." But I think the real reason is that I like Broadway musicals! Yes, its true!...I go along singing songs from Phantom. I play the soundtrack to Fiddler on the Roof in my car. I knew what stanza Susan Boyle missed in her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miz on Britain's Got Talent.

So, I have this CD and wanted to see the broadcast of it.

OK...technically not a movie, My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs is a concert on DVD. And while I bypassed many of the songs, some of the performances were incredible. But the highlight was Julie Andrews. Now this is just a guess, but I think it was her first singing after a botched throat surgery that left her ablility to ever sing again in doubt. Because the audience reaction is just wonderful...you can feel the air being sucked out of the room as she beautifully sings a few lins from My Fair Lady...and they are on their feet with joy that this legend has returned to song.

So...I will go on loving this music. It is music I have always loved, and probably always will. And the DVD was enjoyable to watch. So sue me!

Movie-Sahara

OK, this is just a decent action/adventure movie. Not the best ever made, but certainly not the worst, Sahara (2005) has a likeable cast in Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz (both easy on the eyes) and Steve Zahn as McCon's sidekick.

Like many movies in this category, it defies logic many times, and the bad guys with automatic weapons are terrible aims, while the good guys with one bullet in an ancient pistol are really good.

Sahara is a fun diversion, good popcorn munching, mindless fun, type of movie.

Movie-49 Up

The latest in the superlative documentary series, 49 Up (2005) sees the kids, now in middle age, many of them grand-parents. And this year, this multiplyer of 7, seems to be good for most, if not all the group.

Tony, whose marriage was almost undone by his affairs, is still happily married, it seems more happily than before, a doting grandfather, he reflects strongly the child he was at 7. He loves strongly, and wears his heart on his sleeve. In fact, I was caught by how much, at 49, he looks like that 7-year-old. In fact, many of them look more like their 7-year-old selves than they have since that age.

The director Michael Apted has stuck with this remarkable project for 42 years, re-visiting these people every 7 years of their lives, catching up with who they are, and reminding us of the things they had hoped for, cared about, and dreamed of when they were younger.

We have been witness to Neil, happy 7 year old, troubled 21 year old and almost mad 35 year old, now, at 49, stable and mostly content, seemingly banishing the mental illness that plagued him earlier in life.

All these people seem more content with life, less driven to be something and succeed, and more driven to be happy, and love.

An extra on this DVD is Apted's interview with Roger Ebert, and he is planning to do 56 Up, and if possible, to keep going after that. It has been a captivating journey, and I can only applaud Apted and all the participants. It has not always been easy for them to participate in this. John asks in this film if this project has some intrinsic worth. John, only as much as life has an intrinsic worth. For this project reflects all our lives, the drama, the love, the heartbreak and the triumphs, even if they be fleeting. To all of them, thank you.

Movie- Star Trek

Now, let me say that I have always enjoyed Star Trek, from as far back as the original series. Yes, I have seen all the series and all the movies and even have some Star Trek novels.

On the other hand, remember when William Shatner made that appearance on SNL and told those Trekkies "Get a life! Move out of your mother's basement and get a apartment!" http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x930vt_william-shatner-snl-skit-get-a-life_fun?from=rss

I thought that was funnier than hell, because some of these people take it WAY TOO seriously. I could never dream of dressing up like a character and trying to live that life based on trivia from the show.

So I was really interested in this new take on Star Trek from JJ Abrams, a really talented director. And I have to tell you, I liked it. It was fun, brash, exciting and fast moving. What a lot of fans of the old Star Trek won't like is that it is not in "continuity" with the Star Trek universe...to which I say...so what? It's a movie dammit! Based on a 60's TV show. They can break whatever rules of continuity they want, as long as it is a good product, and this is.

The actors portraying the original crew, Kirk, Spock, McCoy etc, did not try to mimic the first group, they simply tried to be true to the essence of the character, and then add what they could. And really, they were all excellent. Zachary Quinto, as Spock, looks eerily like a young Leonard Nimoy. Nimoy puts in a role here as the only member of the original cast, and it it nicely done, though the sci-fi jargon gets a bit heavy at that point.

There were great action scenes, a hallmark of Abrams. I had to laugh though, because I used to watch Alias, and it seems like he just took that red matter ball, right from that set unto this one! Way to reuse things JJ!

Sharlynn has never been a big Star Trek person, she tolerates it, barely, because of me. But even she enjoyed this movie, which is what movies are for, to enjoy. So whether they follow a continuity that Kirk did not do that in episode 12 of the first series, it shouldn't and doesn't matter. Its entertainment people---get a life!

Movie-W.

Oliver Stone raised up conservative ire everywhere when he said he would make a biopic pick about George W. Bush's life. They denounced him immediately, and the whole project.

But Stone has a way of confounding people, and I think he does it here also in W
(2008). And this time Stone confounds both liberals who wanted a terrible portrait painted of W and conservatives, who were afraid of a movie that showed this Bush to be dumb, idiotic and criminally insane.

Stone does not do either. With Josh Brolin playing W. very well, with his speech pattern and body language down pat, this portrayal of Bush is a psychological profile of a man who always has to compete---for fatherly approval and for wider recognition of his own accomplishments. He is almost tortured be feelings of inadequacy, but must drive to do better...be a faster jogger than Clinton, to be a better decider than his father, even to be a better Christian than his reverend.

The whole cast, from Richard Dreyfuss as Cheney to James Cromwell as the senior George Bush, really gets what Stone is doing here, and all work together seamlessly for this one purpose---to show what drove this man to make the decisions he did...not the intelligence reports or outside circumstances, but what in the inner man made him have the NEED to go after Saddaam Hussein and invade Iraq. What made him make a dozen other ill-fated decisions?

This was a really good film, and there will be people on both sides of the aisle who decry it. But truly it does not portray W is the worst light, nor in the best. But it does show him as a man somewhat deeply conflicted, but without the insight to realize it.

Book-The Confusion

The Confusion is the second part of the Baroque trilogy, Neal Stephenson's over 2600 page journey through the the 17 and 18th centuries as the world transformed its scientific, financial, religious, artistic and philosophical viewpoints and institutions.

The first book was really dragged down by so much explanation and detail that it just was a toil to get through. This second book is less so. I also had become used to Stephenson's sometimes unwieldy style, so was able to make better headway through this book, and felt less bogged down most of the time.

The main characters are all still there. Jack Shaftoe, who gains and loses fortunes right and left in this volume. Eliza, whose political and financial machinations keep her in constant peril, and Daniel Waterhouse, of the Royal Society of Philosophers, who seems to be the key to holding all factions of the scientific and philosophic community together.

I do like that Stephenson shows how much the world changed during this time period, and how vast the changes were in so many aspects. But his style still can be grating, and he still can go into so much extraneous detail that reading becomes a chore.

This is a big trilogy, and I have one more left, at almost 900 pages. But I think a bit of a break from Stephenson is needed, so I will read a couple of smaller books before I go back and finish the Baroque Trilogy.

TV Finale-Reaper

Reaper is over, for the season and being not renewed, forever.

It lasted two seasons, and never quite lived up to its potential. At times really good, it always seemed to step back from being better than that. It had a great premise, sad sack loser finds out his soul belongs to Satan, because his parents sold it before he was born. Now he has to catch souls that have escaped from hell for Satan, who appears as a dashing and somewhat charming older man....just because he is the prince of darkness...In the meantime Sam tries to find a way out of his deal, lead a normal life surrounded by some looney friends, and a hot girlfriend.

The last episode was not satisfying to me though. They knew the show was not coming back, and personally, I would have been Ok with a more final conclusion. Sam beating the devil at his own game, as he ALMOST did, would have been better than the ending they came up with, at least for this viewer.

Movie-Australia

Wow! We were both looking forward to this movie. I like epics, and she likes Hugh Jackman. A big budget blockbuster with two great leads about the land down under...how could it miss? But Australia (2008) missed so badly it made me say...wow!

It was hokey, first of all. I think it was trying to be Gone With the Wind. But if you made GWTW now, it could not be the same movie. It was of that time. And you can't re-create that artificially. But they tried with Australia. The story was hokey, and they had a beautiful country to work with and then gave us hokey animated backgrounds and sets, that were just bad special effects. So bad I wondered, "Are they doing this on purpose to try to give it an old-time feel?"

Hugh Jackman tries vainly to save the movie, using all his considerable charm and sex appeal to reel in female viewers. And, I am not afraid to say, he looks good. But that can only take you so far, because he cannot be in every single scene washing down his naked torso. It really might have been a better movie if they had tried that though.

Nicole Kidman wavered between almost stupidly comedic and just stupid for most of the movie. And there was little palpable romantic tension between her and Jackman.

It all seemed just make believe. The situations they were in, the way they related to one another, the sets and special effects...and I won't even get into the portrayal of the Aborigine people, which I was offended by. Ohhhhhh, they can do magic we civilized people don't understand....they can sing to animals and make them do what they want...Ohhhh. What rubbish. How about portraying them as a people that has a rich culture that we do not understand and respect THAT. No need to make them magic, almost fairy like.

Australia was a mess, and an almost 3 hour mess at that. If you get it and want to watch Jackman, just go to those scenes where he is washing himself in water, that should do it for ya. Replay it a few times. It'll be better than watching the whole thing. And then rent The Thornbirds for a better vision of Australia.

Restaurant-Adams Avenue Grill

Though it has been around for awhile, we have never eaten at the Adams Avenue Grill (http://www.adamsavenuegrill.com/) not far from Adams and Park. So, wanting to try a new place, we contacted Bill and Yvette, set a date, and ventured out.

It isn't a big place, a nice homey feel to it, not pretentious. We ordered some Bruschetta Pomodoro for an appetizer to share, and this took a long time to come, the only off note of the whole evening. But when it came it was excellent. The grilled bread was just right, and you could put on the tomato, basil, onion topping yourself, along with some peels of Parmesan. Really nice flavors all the way through.
Along with that Yvette had some corn chowder that she seemed to like.

The main courses came soon after that, and they all were nicely presented and full plates. Both Yvette and Sharlynn went with the Snake River Flat Iron-- "A juicy Flat Iron steak is grilled then topped with a garlic and herb butter and covered with onion rings. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli." Really nice portions of meat here, prepared wonderfully. The broccoli was still crispy, steamed just right. And the potatoes were excellent. Both of them really enjoyed the meal a lot.

Bill went with poultry and had the Tuscany’s Stuffed Chicken Breast--- "Oven-roasted chicken breast is stuffed with grilled red pepper, spinach, smoked bacon,
mushrooms, and feta cheese coated in a Chardonnay-garlic sauce, and sauteed
vegetables and rosemary potatoes" He said his was really delicious and he ate every bite. Again, nice generous portions, really good veggies and the rosemary potatoes were excellent.

Me? I had to try the Fresh Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf--- "Ground turkey is seasoned with oregano, thyme, basil, and roasted garlic, assembled with a middle
layer of fresh mozzarella slabs and fresh spinach leaves, and topped with a hearty red tomato sauce, served with mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables." Wow, two big slices of the meatloaf with the melted mozzarella! So good! The veggies were French green beans with a tomato/corn relish on them that enhanced and did not overpower. It was so much and so good.

Each couple also split dessert---both picking the same one, a berry/peach tart. It was an excellent way to finish the meal off.

Now it is not an inexpensive place. Each couple laid down $75 that included tip at the end, but considering the size of the meal, appetizer, 1 soup, 1 wine, ice tea, and 2 desserts, and that we were ALL so satisfied with our dinners and felt so happy to be eating such nicely prepared food, it was well worth the cost. I would certainly go back and eat there again without hesitation. There are many other things on the menu that look tempting and that I would like to try.

I would very much recommend Adams Avenue Grill.

Movie-42 Up

I know I have run out of superlatives for this film series...none of them high enough probably. In 42 Up, we have now followed these people for 35 years. And it reminds me that life is amazing.

We think of our lives as pretty static much of the time...pretty much everything the same...we are much the same. But we don't take this detailed record every 7 years as these people have done since they were 7 years old. And it really shows how our lives change so much, for these people are much like us.

Jackie for instance. At 28 she was married and did not want kids at all. Now, at 42 she has 3 boys, from 2 different men, neither of whom was her first husband. And she loves being a mother. She does not currently have a man in her life, so she is having a tough time, and has just been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. What other drama is needed? What fictional drama could be more compelling?

And what about dear Bruce. At 7 he wanted to be a missionary to go help people. At 35he was still unmarried, but thoughtful and sweet and caring about the world and people. Now he has found love, and at 42, as in a romance, his new bride says he is the best person she has ever known.

And troubled Neil. He turned up in London and looked up Bruce, who took him in. And Neil is now is on a town council, re-elected and representing the liberal democrats and thinking of running for higher office. His troubles seem far away from him, and he admits the friendship of Bruce has helped tremendously. He was even at Bruce's wedding and gave a reading.

All our lives are the stuff of movies and books. We are too close to them to see the drama and romance and adventure, and OK, maybe it is a LITTLE too subtle for a Die Hard movie (though I have a few friends who it might not be---Alex!), but it is, we are, full of the drama, romance, comedy and adventure that inspires fiction.

The Up Series is a tremendous work of art and love. The subjects now address the director directly...answering him by name, a change that really shows the bond between them all. There is a bond they share, as Jackie mentions, from being together all these years. Well the viewers share it too, and we treasure it.

Movie- Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

In my review of Elegy I said it was a very adult film. The opposite can be said of Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)---it is very simplistic, with a childish plot, and lots of fight scenes.

The plot is straight forward...an artifact is stolen from a Thai village, the Ong-Bak, and the village suffers bad fortune because their god is gone. Young village good guy and Muay Thai martial artist vows to return the god to the village and goes off to Bangkok to get it back. There, though he does not want to fight, he is thrust into situations where he just has to, so he can get the Ong-Bak back to the village.

And boy, does Tony Jaa fight well. His martial artistry from Thailand is a different style than is normally seen, and his stunts are amazing. The car chase was unique too, utilizing dozens of the 3-wheeled taxis of Bangkok speeding (well, as fast as those can go) down the thoroughfares and bridges of the city, ending in mangled heaps (they are so fragile looking you wonder how they don't all end up mangled).

Jaa is good. And while the movie may not be among the best of its genre, it is fun and entertaining, particularly Jaa. I do not think every movie needs to be serious and adult to be good, and Ong-Bak proves that movies can just be fun.

TV Upfront Week

With a very busy week of work, I was not able to enjoy the networks upfronts as much as I usually do. The upfronts are the week the networks announce their schedules for the next season, preview new shows, let us know which shows are cancelled, and try like hell to attract advertising dollars.

Some things I did notice that I will mention quickly as far as new shows. ABC looks to have some good sitcoms coming out. We lack laughs big time in TV land right now, and I could use more of those and less reality myself. And Community on NBC looks like it could be really funny.

Some cancellations that surprised...Without A Trace. Medium on NBC, which IMMEDIATELY got picked up on CBS. My Name is Earl, which is still being shopped around to Fox and ABC.

Some surprise survivors...Dollhouse...I thought for sure was gone, and I probably won't watch it. Scrubs will be back. Without Zach Braff. Without Sarah Chalk. Without janitor. Yeah...without me too. Sorry, that isn't Scrubs.

I am glad Chuck came through!

Overall looks like several new shows to try, but many old shows lost. ABC may have the most to sample, mostly comedies, but those can fall very lfat very fast.

TV Finale-Without A Trace

Without A Trace ended its several year run this past week on CBS. One of the early procedurals that have become SO routine on the eye network, it always kept a great balance between the cases and the private lives of the investigators---never too much of the private stuff, but always enough to give it some interest.

The show still got very good ratings, but from what I read, it had become very expensive to produce, so CBS axed it, hoping to get similar rating from a less expensive show. It'll probably work too. But Without A Trace had a great actor in its lead role, Anthony LaPaglia, as Jack Malone, head of this FBI task force looking for missing persons. He played Malone as world weary, and tired of always playing by the rules. So, he broke them once in awhile to get a person back safely, especially if it was a kid. Good supporting cast with the gorgeous Poppy Montgomery and others.

I will miss Without A Trace.

Movie-Elegy

Elegy (2007) is an adult movie, with adult situation, adult themes and adult thoughts. It is not childish in any way. But while that makes it sometimes slow and thoughtful, with no whiz-bang situations, no special effects, car chases, explosions or fights, it also makes it deep and emotion-laden, layered and textured.

Two wonderful performances anchor this film. Ben Kingsley, as a professor, author and cultural commentator, David Kapesh, continues to amaze me with his roles, and how much he plumbs into the raw terror that it to be human, and to have emotions. As much seems to have it all together, he is terrified of love and of losing control. But that's just what happens.

David, and his friend, played by Dennis Hopper, go around bedding women like they are adolescent college students. And into David's classroom walks Consuela, a beautiful young woman, played by Penelope Cruz. First David just wants to bed her, but then falls deeply for her. But his insecurities, his fear of loving someone, or they loving him, hinder their relationship.

Cruz plays Consuela wonderfully. Not as a young woman who is a victim of an older man, but as a woman who knows herself, better than he does actually, for all his urbane charm and worldliness, and lives for who she is. Cruz is really good here. I have said I don't think the Oscar should have gone to her this year for Vicki Christina Barcelona, but maybe the academy was trying to make up for not nominating her for this role. Because it was Oscar caliber.

Elegy has some turns that you do not quite see, but they are the turns that life can give. And the two leads handle the drama together as if they are doing a dance, moving in sychronization with each other. It is a movie well worth seeing for their performances alone, but the plot and story make it even better.

TV- Two and a Half Men Finale

I can't help it. This show makes me laugh. Juvenile? Yes. Raunchy? You betcha! Funny? As hell!

And Charlie is now confronted with a huge dilemma, his current hot fiance, and his former hot fiance gunning for him again.

The actors this show are excellent, with a great supporting cast...everyone hits their lines just right. Seems like they are all born comedians.

Two and Half Men is back next season and already renewed a season (or two) more. It is the highest rated comedy on TV.

Movie- 35 Up

This amazing documentary series continues, as the children we first met at 7 years of age are in 35 Up (1991) 35 years old.

They are not bright-eyed any more, having started to see some of lifes' disillusionments and difficulties. Some have divorced, many have recently seen the death of parents or have had other troubles. They are in the midst of life with all its harshness, and its sweetness too.

John, one who did not participate in the last film is back. Upper crust to the core, and disliking the lime light that the series throws upon him, and looking bad in it, he is back to highlight a charity he oversees. And he at least seems to have matured a bit.

Tony, the rogue who so wanted to be a jockey at 7, and briefly became one, seemed so happy at 28, but now had marital problems. I have to wonder will he still be married at 42, next time we visit him.

But I have to be happy for Paul. In a boy's home at 7, moved to Australia soon after that, as a young man he still seemed so alone. But he found love, and after being married for 13 years in this film, the relationship still seems solid and happy. His wife says something interesting, about the films helping the marriage, because you can look back and see how happy you were at the beginning, and get that feeling back, it helps her through tougher times.

Simon is absent, but we see Nick, whose wife did not like how she came across and so does not participate, still doing well in America. Jackie, Lynn and Sue have all gone though some trying times, but come out remarkably well. Suzy, who at 21 seemed adrift in the world, seems so content, level-headed and happy. And Bruce...who at age 7 wanted to go to other countries to help people, he thought as a minister, now has done it as a teacher in Sri Lanka.

But most powerful is Neil. Contrasting him with his image at 7, a happy, bright-eyed boy, now a terribly lonely man. Settled a bit on the Shetland Isles, he still has no roots, and still seems very lost. With no job, he is searching for his place, his role, his calling. Afflicted with a bit of a mental disorder, he does not have much hope for himself. At 35 I wonder even more will he live to be in the next film.

This series is quite simply fantastic. That Michael Apted has stuck with it every 7 years...that these subjects have let themselves be scrutinized in this way every 7 years, is a testament to all of them. That the films come off so well, and that it is not reality TV, but realistic portraits of real people, with real problems, loves, lives, that we have been able to follow so for for almost 30 years, is almost beyond belief.

42 Up is next. Will all our friends be there? Will they be settled again, or will their lives be in turmoil, the ebb and flow of all our lives reflected in these few?

TV-Thursday Night Comedies-4 Finales

All 4 NBC Thursday night comedies had their finales. My Name is Earl went first, and it was OK, with a To Be Continued episode. It is not a sure thing for next season on NBC, but another network may pick it up if NBC passes on it. The show still amuses, but if it comes back, should make it its final season. Let the show runners do season to wrap up the lives of the Earl Hickey, his family and friends.

Next, Parks and Recreation. The show has grown on me, but still could go very bad. Gets me to laugh, but I am not convinced of its long term premise. Nice finale...not too much, but enough to keep you coming back next year.

The Office. The last scene with Jim and Pam almost made up for the super un-funny Michael and Holly company picnic skit. Sometimes the show just misses so badly I could just skip it altogether.

And 30 Rock. My favorite of the 4. Ah Liz Lemon, the relationship advise queen! Alan Alda's guest appearance has been great, and the "We Are the World" like fund raiser for his kidney was brilliant. Sheryl Crow, Cyndy Lauper, so many more guest appearances by musical stars had me amazed and laughing. The whole cast of this show is so good, led by Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin.

The last three shows have already been picked up for next season.

TV-Fringe Finale

The Fringe finale was the second best finale of the season so far, right after Chuck. A lot of things were revealed in this last episode, while laying the groundwork for many more things to be revealed later on.

The secret of Peter and the whole alternate reality scenarios. The reveal of Dr. William Bell, and the pan out of the alternate New York City, with the Twin Towers still standing! It was a little freaky still, even though you know it is a show...

Fringe has been renewed for next season. It underwent a little mid-season slump, but came on really strong the last third of the season and finished really high.

I look forward to seeing it again next season.

The Andrew Awards-Best Supporting Actress and Best Director

Two more awards to hand out, so lets get right to it:

Best Supporting Actress nominees:
Taraji P. Henson-Benjamin Button
Penelope Cruz-Vicki Christina Barcelona
Viola Davis-Doubt
Marisa Tomei-The Wrestler
Amy Adams-Doubt

The Oscar went to Penelope Cruz

OK, right off the bat, take out the Benjamin Button nominee. Not that Henson wasn't fine, but the movie was not good. Also Amy Adams in Doubt was good, but not great. Now Penelope Cruz was really good in her role in Vicki Christina Barcelona, but she just did not come close to the last two nominees, Viola Davis and Marisa Tomei. Davis was A-Mazing in Doubt. Powerful and poignant. But it was a very small role. So, the winner is Marisa Tomei. She personified an aging stripper. She walked the walk and talked the talk. She has it down pat, and I have known some of these people personally. There was a pure authenticity in her role that transcended just acting, it was living a role, being that person. Viola Davis would have been my next choice, for it was a pure and powerful role, but too short for to take this award home against Tomei's performance.

Best Director Nominees

David Fincher-Benjamin Button
Ron Howard-Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant-Milk
Stephen Daldry-The Reader
Danny Boyle-Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle won the Oscar

How I think about the director award is what choices they made in telling the story. And this is the reason I would am not giving the award to Danny Boyle. It was too amazing that the questions that came up in the quiz show were chronologically corresponding to the life of the contestant. It would have been a much more intellectually challenging film if we had to put together his life in non-chronological order...maybe not as easy, but more real. My award goes to Stephen Daldry for The Reader. He took characters that would be easy to hate, that would be easy to pigeon-hole, and made them real, three-dimensional and sympathetic to a certain degree. Do we love them? No! But do we want to see them meet this terrible fate. certainly not. He did this so well with the choices he made in filming this movie, that he received the Andrew Award for Best Director!

The Andrew Awards-Best Picture and Best Actor

Now the Benjamin Button has been seen, I can close out a few categories of the Andrew Awards, my own version of the Oscars, pointing out what the Academy voters got wrong.

First up---Best Picture. The nominees are---

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

The Oscar went to Slumdog Millionaire.

Here is my take. First, Benjamin Button...Yeah, right! Should not even have been nominated. Someone on this film must have had some incriminating evidence on someone on the nominating committee. Frost/Nixon took a pretty boring subject (c'mon Dick Nixon talking) and made it very good entertainment, but it did not compete. And now, I may be committing blasphemy here, but was Slumdog really that good a movie? Granted, it was a happy movie during a time this nation sorely needed that, but I don't think it was a better movie than either The Reader or Milk, it just was the underdog.

The Reader and Milk both take on difficult characters, but ultimately, I think the best picture has to go to Milk. The movie is about basic human rights, American rights, about discrimination against people for no other reason than their sexual orientation. And about a man who rocked a nation by becoming an openly gay elected official. The Reader too was an amazing movie, but Milk touched a chord of greater values, of something beyond just what is popular, but what is right. It was skillfully and beautifully done. It did not win the Oscar, but has won the Andrew Award!

Now, Best Actor nominees:

Brad Pitt-Benjamin Button
Frank Langella-Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn-Milk
Mickey Rourke-The Wrestler
Richard Jenkins- The Visitor

The Oscar went to Sean Penn

Brad Pitt, NO WAY! Terrible. Langella was good, but it was not so compelling to be best actor. That leaves Penn, Rourke and Jenkins. And this was a REALLY hard decision. Rourke was so good, and in a couple of scenes was heartbreaking. Penn was his usual amazing self in Milk. he may play for the other team after this role, that is how good he was. But for sheer subtly of performance, for inhabiting the role, Richard Jenkins wins the Andrew Award for Best Actor. He was sublime. He was perfect! Perfect. And not in a showy way. In a quiet professional, absolutely no special effects, this is an actor way. Richard Jenkins. Congratulations!

Movie- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Benjamin Button was nominated for several major Oscars, including Best Picture, Brad Pitt as Best Actor, Taraji Henson as Best Supporting Actress and David Fincher as Best Director. It won none of these awards.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) was curiously without any kind of charm, and had a curious lack of emotion-evoking drama to it. All in all, it was so curiously bland to be, dare I say it, dull, and long on top of it. In fact, the only curiosity I had about the film was how it garnered so many Oscar nods.

Brad Pitt's portrayal of a man who was born old and aged backwards was so stoic, that I really thought the movie was trying to be tepid. His first love leaves, facial expression stays the same. His best friends dies...same expression. He finds out who his real father is...exact same look, and then that father dies 10 minutes later...you guessed it...no change. He was consistent, I'll say that.

The only slight bit of light in this film was Cate Blanchett, and she was so caked over with make up or special effects, it was hard for her to put any emotion into anything. And compared to that absolute dullness in which the film lived, any actor would have to be a super nova to emit any kind of emotional light.

This film got so much hype, I just do not get it. It seemed like there was no message, or such a minor one that it did merit this production. The story was weak, and the whole production lacked any kind of passion, at least that you could visibly see or feel.

What a bomb.

Movie-28 Up

This remarkable documentary movie series continues with 28 Up. We now meet these people who we first met at 7 years of age, and re-met every 7 years at 28 years old. They are in the midst of life...career (or job at least) marriage, kids.

Suzy, Who was so pampered in youth, and yet so emotionally damaged at 21 when we last met her is now happy! Something you would not really have imagined for her. Tony is remarkably the same at 28 as he was 7, exuberant, knowing who he is and what makes him happy. And Neil...at 7 so bright eyed. At 14, already looking like life was starting to worry him, at 21, dropped out of college, a day laborer and depressed, and at 28, homeless, a wanderer, eking out a living as he can, still with an optimism that hearkens to his 7 year old self, though he admits to times of mental illness.

The Jesuit saying, give me the boy at 7 and I will show you the man, is the guiding force of the series, and Michael Apted once again delivers us into the lives of these people, now 12 people as 2 declined to be a part of this film. This is a sociological treasure trove...not only talking about these people's lives, but the world around them. The classes in England slowly blurring, the technology of the modern era emerging. So many things to watch for in these films.

Roger Ebert lists this series as one of the ten best films of all time, and one of the noblest uses of the film medium ever used. I cannot say I disagree with either assertion.

35 Up is next. They will be of an age to start feeling the effects of cynicism perhaps, of disillusionment. Of the idea that not everything turns out right or according to plan. How will they react. I will see soon.

Bev Mo- New Treats

Went to one of my favorite places this past weekend, to restock my pantry of happiness, Bev Mo.

While there, I always look to see what is new, and found two interesting new bottles that I had to take home with me. First, being health conscious (I am conscious that I do a lot of unhealthy things) I spied VeeV Acai Elixir. Now, I don't know if you have seen ads for the acai berry. It is supposed to be such a great fruit, with the most anti-oxidants, helping from everything from migraines to cancer. So, I had to try it right? I mean, if I can help cure my liver at the same time, its all good huh? Anyway, it is good, but I don't know if it is something I would buy again. I will have to try it more than over ice.

However...I did find something I like VERY much! Oh yeah baby! Firefy Sweet Tea Infused Vodka(http://fireflyvodka.com/sweet_home.html). So yummy. I had it just over ice, and it tasted like iced tea. But the site has some very intriguing recipes that I will have to try, and I will want to get some other types like the Peach Tea Vodka and maybe the Muscadine Wine Vodka. This is a really nice summer beverage. I really recommend it!

Bev Mo, I love you! Pantry of happiness, you are my friend!

Graphic Novel-Watchmen

In a previous blog, long ago, I admitted that one of my few regrets in life was that I sold my comic book collection in 1992. I had collected these from the 70's until 1986, and I didn't mind so much that I stopped collecting, but I never should have gotten rid of them.

Well, slowly I am buying back old issues and putting the collection back together, but I am now buying some current comics again too. Yes yes yes...NERD!

But I am also buying some of the "event" graphic novels that came out in between, one of the most acclaimed being Watchmen.

Now really, despite protests from some, graphic novels are big comic books. Let's be quite honest. They do allow for larger themes, and subtleties, but they are comic books. "A rose by any other name..."

And Watchmen really was an outstanding book. It dealt with superheroes, but in a very different way. It also dealt with much larger political and human themes, and offered a multi-layered approach to telling the story, relying on multiple narratives and overlapping thematic story lines. Seriously. Remember, I was an English major and quite an interesting thesis could (and probably has) been done on this book.

But I must admit, reading it now, as opposed to when it first came out in the 80's, has made it seem a bit dated. It had story lines that fit the era of the cold war, that don't really resonate now, the era of the terrorist and religious war. And while some of the large themes are still valid, the way they are told, the narratives, are just a bit passe...like going to a disco, or wearing plaid.

It still is an incredibly textured read, and well worth it. I don't think anything like this had been done before. And it stands as a fitting touchstone for all who try to make the graphic novel better than the run-of-the-mill comic book, who try to make it into something with literary value. Watchmen did do that. Not bad for a comic book huh?

TV- Season Finale, Dollhouse

Well Dollhouse is over, for the season, and from what I read, probably forever, though there is a slight chance it may make it back on the fall schedule.

Not a great finale, though it tried like hell. The surprises weren't really all that surprising, or game changing. And as much as I liked the show at times, I don't see it sustaining itself very well.

One thing it did do was propel Eliza Dushku back into the limelight, and I hope she gets more roles. I think she has a great appeal to her, she is a pretty good actress and is really easy on the eyes. She is in my top 5 now for sure.

Dollhouse was a great concept, and may have been better as a mini-series, a television event, rather than a continuing series. I think it may have worked better with a already thought out beginning, middle and end game.

I may continue to watch if it comes back, just 'cause I like Dushku. But it could lose me very easily and quickly...and that "if" in the if it comes back is a big if.

TV on Netflix-Weeds, Season 3

Well, Nancy's life just does not get any easier. And life in Agrestic does not get any less suburban. The community is taken over by a larger planned community, Majestic, a god-fearing Christian planned community.

In Weeds, Season 3 (2007) Nancy must deal with her son's pot-toking Jesus-loving new girlfriend, played scarily well by Mary-Kate Olsen, as well as other's trying to muscle in on her operation, U-Turn, and Guillermo, both gangsters. She also must continue to fend off local law enforcement and DEA, never mind her "friends" Celia, Heliya and Andy, all of whom continue to put her livelihood in jeopardy.

The third season continues to be subversive, undermining "traditional" values, which is why I enjoy the show so much. But by the end of it, Agrestic is burning down, a confluence of a rivals growing field being torched and Santa Ana winds. Everything is gone, and Nancy, the boys, and Andy are bugging out. Where are they going, and what will they do? Nancy's only real job skill in pot dealer...not something you put on every resume.

Fourth season is not out on DVD yet, but when it is, it will go to the top of my queue!

TV- Scrubs Finale

Scrubs came to an end Wednesday night. the season and most likely the series is gone.

It was a fitting ending to a show that at times was wildly inventive and laugh out loud funny, but also amazingly touching.

Some say the show might return without creator Bill Laurence, star Zach Braff and a few other series stars. Even if it does, I won't be watching it. Because it has always been about J.D., and Braff's portrayal of the silly man-child, who is also a very caring doctor, who cares a little too much about his patients (and about his best friend Turk, but that's another story).

The finale hit on almost every point, missing just a few times, like the stupid Jordan/Ted exchange. Especially good was J.D. finally tricking Dr. Cox into revealing how he really feels about him...no surprise that the grumpy chief of staff really does care about JD, but just does NOO-OOOT like to show it.

The movie that JD sees about his possible future at the end was very nicely done, the film reflecting on his face and he opens up to possibilities and successes, love and friendship. Friends don't have to be next to you every day to still be your best friends.

While I really enjoyed Scrubs, it was time for it to go. It was a funny show, that really paved the way for The Office and 30 Rock. It was, at its best, some of the best TV could offer. That ain't a bad legacy. And in my own imagination I hope J.D. and Turk, Carla and Eliot, and even Dr. Cox all find happiness and continued friendship.

And Carla and Eliot can continue to mimick JD and Turk's hugs...that was kinda a hot moment there! LOL

Movie-21 Up

The second in the Up series of films, 21 Up (1977) contains the third in the series of films (the first film had the first two segments).

And it is a amazing series. The 7-year-olds that we initially met in the first film are now 21, and on the cusp of adulthood. Some newly married, some just about to finish college and pursue careers, all just getting a glimpse of what life holds for them. And we are just getting a clear view regarding whether the 7 year old was a clear predictor as to how they would turn out as adults. Are they pretty much who they will be by the time they are 7?

"Give me the boy at 7 and I will show you the man." It is a saying from the Jesuits, I have learned. This film series does not always bear that out. And more interestingly, does this vary by class? So much going on in this film, as director Michael Apted once again does interviews with these people.

We have seen them at 7...at 14 and now at 21. Next is 28 Up, where they will be fully adults, immersed in life. It will continue to be fascinating to see who they are, and how they compared to their earlier selves.

2 Magazines

May National Geographic had an incredible cover story about the nearly intact baby mammoth mummy found in Siberia. Wow, this was an amazing find, and the things scientists are learning from this body is equally amazing. Looking at the mammoth baby is an eerie experience. It looks like it just died, yet it is from ages past, at the early dawn of mankind. The other story that I loved was about leatherback sea turtles. These creatures, a species that was around in prehistoric times, are huge tanks of animals, that traverse a much larger area of the ocean than previously thought, gobbling up huge amounts of jelly fish in the cold Atlantic.

It reminds me of one vacation in Puerto Vallarta, and the hotel we stayed at participated in helping sea turtles, and we got to help in a release of hatchlings. It was a wonderful feeling, holding a little hatchling it the palm of your hand....its strong little flippers and stronger instincts already trying to propel it into the waves. I hope the leatherbacks which have survived so much can survive the age of reckless mankind too, because it seems that we may put them at the most risk.

Playboy in May had a great interview with author Chuck Palahniuk. He has written Fight Club and many other novels. Now i don't like his work myself, but his interview was fascinating, and while it may not be my cup of tea, the violence and gore, I understand why he does it, and where his writing comes from. Lisa Rinna, at 45, looks GOOD! She paid an ode to Mrs. Robinson of The Graduate in her pictorial. The 20 Questions section was with Zachery Quinto of Heroes and Star Trek (the new version), and he came off pretty arrogant and kinda a jerk. And some interesting commentaries in the Forum about sperm donors, and how they are losing their rights to be anonymous, even if that was the agreement when they donated. A bit scary. Good issue overall.

Movie-Frost/Nixon

Frost/Nixon was an Oscar nominated film, being nominated for Best Picture, Frank Langella nominated for Best Actor and Ron Howard nominated for Best Director. It won in none of these categories.

Who would have thought a compelling movie could have been made about setting up a political interview with Richard Nixon? But that is what Ron Howard did create in Frost/Nixon (2008), as he weaves the story of the interviews themselves, with the behind-the-scenes story of how the interviews came about and how they almost destroyed David Frost.

Richard Nixon continues to be a fascinating political figure. You look at many of his policies in the light of today's politics, and he is almost liberal, starting the EPA and the Endangered Species Act. But Nixon suffered from an acute paranoia. Even when he had a huge lead in 1972 over McGovern, he still had the burglars go into Watergate. Why? A crippling paranoia. And there is one pivotal scene in this movie, a telephone conversation between British entertainer David Frost, and the ex-president, that shows this all too well. And it is Nixon's undoing in the interviews, as it was for his political career.

Frank Langella does not imitate Nixon per se...he does not really look like him or sound like him. But after 10 minutes you really start believing in him as Nixon. He walks that line of Nixon's confidence and paranoia so well.

The movie is also about public relations...controlling the interview, hitting your copy points, answering the question you want to answer, not the one asked. Nixon could do that very well, until he became unravelled.

Ron Howard takes a topic that could be dry and boring and makes it political and social theater, and entertaining theater at that.

Movie-Traitor

Don Cheadle continues to take on roles that challenge viewers expectations. He does it again in Traitor (2008). It sounds like a fairly typical CIA thriller, but it turns out to be more than that, part thriller, part religious examination and part moral fable.

Cheadle plays a man born in the Sudan, a devout Muslim living in Chicago, who apparently has become an arms dealer selling to terrorists, per the FBI. What the FBI doesn't know, is Samir Horn (Cheadle) is working for a CIA handler to get closer to the leader of this terrorist cell than anyone ever has. But the CIA handler is killed about 2/3 of the way into the movie, and he is the only one that know Horn is not a terrorist.

Horn is working right next to killers, he must make bombs and have them be successful, but tries to limit the deaths the bombs bring. But each innocent that dies weighs on his soul, even though he saves many more lives in the process.

This is a very good movie, but just a small step away from being excellent. Like all thrillers, it sometimes relies just a tad too much on being in the right place at the right time. And it all wraps up a litel too neatly. But the movie itself does not denigrate from Cheadle's performance, which is great.

Movie- 7 Up/ 7 Plus 7

7 Up (1964) was initially a documentary for the BBC. It began with the premise, show me the child at 7 and I will show you the man. Basically saying that we are already formed by the time we are 7 years old, into who we will be. The question is, is it nature or nurture. So they took 14 7 year olds, from all sorts of backgrounds and classes, and asked them about their lives, feelings, viewpoints etc. The concept is that it would show how these kids would be as adults in the year 2000, and show England in a microcosm at the turn of the century.

Now this would be interesting but not anything that worthwhile except for one thing... One of the researchers for the first show kept going. Director Michael Apted revisited the kids 7 years later, when they were 14. And compared them to when they were 7. That is also in this first film 7 Plus 7. It gets really interesting here as the children have started to develop the social filters, and ambitions, and their won opinions.

But Apted did not stop. he continued to make films in this documentary series. He made 21 Up, and 28 Up, and 35 Up. And kept going to 42 Up, and in 2005 he made 49 Up. So we get to see these people every 7 years, and find out how they compare to their original 7 year old selves.

First of all I am amazed that this guy has such a passion for the project. He is a major Hollywood director. Done some huge films. He is doing the next Narnia film. And in that city where everything seems to be disposable, he has stuck with this project for 42 years so far. Every 7 years he follows these people he met when they were 7, and finds out how their dreams in life are coming, and how they compare with what they thought when they were 7 years old. And it looks at the social class they were born into, and how that plays into their dreams and ambitions. It is really fascinating.

TV Finales-Chuck

Chuck better damn well get a third season! I think I could honestly say goodbye to any other show easier than Chuck. It is funny, laugh out loud funny many time. It is sweet and sentimental at least once an episode. It had great action. It is a fantastic show, my favorite on TV right now.

And the finale left you wnating more...boy oh boy did it! Chuck re-Intersects himself, but this new Intersect in his head, it not only gives his brain info, it gives his body info too. "Uh, guys? I can do kung fu!" What a great last line! LOL!

The cast in this show is great too. Not only Zachery Levi, but all the cast. Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah, Chuck's CIA handler and true love, kick's ass and looks great. Adam Baldwin is perfect as NSA agent John Casey. And the rest of the cast his sister, and brother-in-law "Awesome", and friends...all of them are great.

This show is so entertaining, I look forward to it every single week. At its worst it is very good. At its best it is terrific. And it is usually at its best.

I will repeat...Chuck better damn well get a third season.

TV Finales-Heroes

OK...Heroes had started to build some momentum and a good story line again in the second half of the season, but this season finale was tired and the "twist" was inane. Making Sylar into Nathan using Parkman's power was so ill conceived that you would think that Suresh would have come up with it. And the moment was not even dramatic.

Now, what a surprise that next season Sylar may start slipping into himself again. Really? That is what is going to happen? No shit! Could see that coming from outer space!

I will start Heroes next season, but I may drop it mid-season unless they come up with something better than that.

Pretty lame finale.

Vacation-The End

One more vacation post. We took another day trip to the east side of the island to find quiet beaches, and boy, did we find beautiful quiet ones.

Packing o-bento lunches again, we got a little lost along the way, but found white sand beaches, with aqua-marine transluscent water. the water, as it got deeper would change colors three or four times, and was clear as a bell. Easing into the sand, we felt warm tropical beaches, local families were on this beach, and maybe a couple of touorists.

The water was perfect...you could walk right in, but it still refreshed. Palm tress all along the beach, and you could look down the sand until it curvered around the contours of the island and see the same scene...the white sand and perfect water.

This was so relaxing.

What a great vacation. Oahu does have something for everyone. You want busy, Waikiki is for you. You want to get away, North Shore and east side is far emptier.

So now I am back to work, and as I sit in meetings, I let my mind think back, to the warm sand and the waves lapping on the shores, the sight of that chrystal blue water, the sun on me..."Huh, what? No, no...nothing to add. Everything is going along fine!" Let me get back to my daydreaming...

Book-Quicksilver

Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson is a large book in many ways. Not only large in the physical sense, at over 900 pages of fine print in a large format paperback, but large in ideas and storylines.

It takes place in the late 1600's (mostly), at a time when Europe was awash with new thinking. Issac Newton and many other scientists were trying to learn how everything worked. The Catholic church had been fractured by the Reformation, and people were trying to figure out how god worked. So all these ideas and thoughts floating around: scientific, mathematical, philosophical, religious, economic and meta-physical.

Into this world comes Daniel Waterhouse, friend to a young Isaac Newton and companion to many in England's Royal Society, a group of scientists that is determined to learn everything there is to know (that Newton eventually becomes a part of). Daniel, raised a Puritan, embodies most of these categories of ideas in one person, and while master of none, seems to have a hand in all the movements going on in this time period, be they political or economic...he is somehow involved.

Two other characters play a large role in the book. Jack Shaftoe, or half-cocked Jack...because half his penis was burned off trying to do away with the French pox that is driving him mad. He is a Vagabond, a roving ne'er-do-well, that comes into the periphery of these great doings.

And Eliza, rescued by Jack from a Turkish harem, and becomes deeply embedded in the spy network of the Sun King of France, but is actually working against him. Her character is an economic whiz, and really shows the changing face of economies in this era also.

As I mentioned, the book is big. And is only the first of a trilogy that has all three books about the same size. It really took me about 150 pages before I could even decide if I was liking this book. Stephenson adds WAY too much info for his readers to process. I like detail, but there are times when you can go overboard, and Stephenson does. The number of characters and philisophies being talked about would be tough enough without huge digressions being taken to explain minute details that don't really seem to matter.

I also can't really get a handle on where the story is going. Two kings of England have already gone by the wayside. But I don't know what progress has been made in 900pages. It doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere in particular.

I hope there is a payoff in the second two books. The good thing is, that I have started the second book, The Confusion, and it is much easier to get into, knowing the characters and the style of writing, so it is actually less confusion for me, despite the title.

Vacation 6-Pearl Harbor

What a sobering experience visiting the memorial to the Arizona in Pearl Harbor. The Arizona was one of the many battleships of the U.S. fleet sunk in the surprise attack on Dec. 7, 1941, that day which still does live in infamy, by the Japanese.

The memorial, a white building seemingly floating atop the waters of the harbor is actually above the still sunk battleship. The battleship that contains the bodies of hundreds of the men that died in the attack...the attack from a nation we were not at war with.

You can see the sheen of oil on the water, as it still seeps from the hull of the ship. The gun turrets barely rise above the water, and you can see shadows of the shape of the great pride of the fleet. More men died on this ship than any other in this attack on a quiet Sunday morning.

I had read many accounts of this attack before. I had read the whys and the hows and the blames and the speculations. But nothing can show more the callousness of war, the sheer stupidity of it, than something like this. We had seen in a trip to Japan, Ground Zero at Hiroshima. So this bookended WWII for us. The last truly justifiable war, and still the death makes so little sense. Young men die so old men can fulfill ambition? People suffer so rich can get richer, and powerful gain more power? So one priest can prove to one iman that his god is better? That one sliver of land can be gained for a flag? And for this men are entombed in a hulk of metal under the tropical waters of an island paradise. For this, an island nations saw thousands die with flesh falling off their bones as atomic energy was unleashed.

Pearl Harbor was not exactly the "happy" Hawaii part of our visit, but I am so glad we went. It has stayed with me, as it should everyone.

Movie-The Wrestler

The Wrestler was nominated for a couple of major Oscars with Mickey Rourke nominated for best actor and Marisa Tomei nominated for best supporting actress.

Wow. I had heard really good things about this movie. But I'll admit, part of the reason I wanted to see it was to see Marisa Tomei as a stripper all in the buff. I'll admit it already. (She is on my top 5 BTW).

But wow. The Wrestler (2008) was an movie that surpassed my expectations. Melancholy, and sometimes heart stoppingly sad, this emotions are juxtaposed against the backdrop of the violence of pro wrestling. Rourke play Randy, the Ram, Robinson, who despite being older than most, still plies his trade in the pro wrestling circuit. But, after a brutal match, he is hit by a heart attack. That may have something to do with all the stimulants and steroids he pumps into himself, but hey, I'm not a medical doctor.

As he recovers, and tries to lead a different kind of life, he sees if he can build a relationship with Cassidy (Tomei) an aging stripper, who may be nearing the end of her entertainment career also. He also tries to reconnect with his adult daughter, played very well by Evan Rachel Wood. Some of Rourkes scenes with Wood are among the most heartbreaking and touching scenes I have seen.

Tomei is magnificent. She plays the somewhat cynical, calculating Cassidy pitch perfect. I will tell you, I have known some strippers as casual friends, and some more as entertainment providers, and she captures the vibe as well...no...better than anyone I have seen before. She is a nice person, but her profession has made her wary, and life has made her even more cautious.

The Wrestler is a movie to see. It could easily have been a nominee for best picture, it is that good.

And I am not just saying that because Marisa Tomei knows how to give a lap dance.

Vacation 5- Waikiki-Get Me Out of Here

OK, one evening, I thought, "Let's go to the heart of Waikiki. Hang out at one of the bars, people watch, grab a bite." So we took a cab and headed in, looking forward to some fun times.

The cab let us out at the International market, really close to one hotel we almost stayed at. We got out of the cab and stepped into a sea of people. Think the Vegas Strip on a Friday night...but worse. And there were not lots of bars. There were a few that were over-crowded with tourists and looking not so much fun as silly.

"This can't be all, I thought." So we walked around some more, with the ocean of crowds all around us. OK...I will admit defeat. This was not much fun, I was craving a cool drink, and this was hot, humid and with way too much shopping and way too little fun. So, a cab was quickly hailed. Where to go.

Remember the shopping mall right by the hotel? The outdoor mai tai, tiki bar? Pssion fruit mojitos and live music? That's right! Place was packed...about 85% local...mellow and fun vibe...beautiful women, which meant Sharlynn fit right in. Sat and drank, ate a bit, talked with some locals, listened to some music.

I am so glad we stayed at a hotel out of Waikiki proper...way too crowded and way to touristy. This place we hung out at was way better than any of the bars that I saw.

That was a fun evening.

The Andrew Awards-Best Actress

With The Reader, I have viewed all the nominees the the Academy choose for best actress. They were: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married; Angelina Jolie, Changeling; Melissa Leo, Frozen River; Kate Winslet, The Reader and Meryl Streep, Doubt.

Now I will take out Jolie right away. Though I thought she was fine in Changeling, I could see many other actresses doing as good, if not a better job in that role. In fact, as I said in my initial review, I thought the scenes without her were the strongest scenes in the movie. Also, while Hathaway had a breakout role in Rachel Getting Married, it was in a movie that was not rich enough, did not have depth enough, to really give breadth and depth to a character. She did a great/fantastic job, but it was in a limited role in a limited movie. And she made the movie much better.

That leaves Streep, Leo and Winslet. Streep was great, but it was not as complex a role as the other two. She is fantastic actress, a chameleon, but this was not the role for best actress. And that leaves two, that I am having a difficult time judging. But I will have to go with the Academy's choice. Kate Winslet, the winner of the Andrew Award for Best Actress. And Melissa Leo was just a hair's breath behind.

Winslet and Leo both dealt with very complex and sometimes contradictory characters. But Winslet had a couple of things that added to her performance. A VERY strong supporting cast, that made her performance even better. And so many complexities, the surprises of Hanna Schmitz, that I had to give it to her. I hope to see more of Melissa Leo in films. She is a real talent.

Movie-The Reader

The Reader was nominated for three major Oscars; Best Picture, Kate Winslet as Best Actress, and Stephen Daldrey for Best Director. Kate Winslet won for best actress.

The film is told in a series of flashbacks, with the Ralph Fiennes as Michael Berg remembering his past life, as a teenager in Berlin. He is now a somewhat wealthy lawyer, but obviously has trouble emotionally connecting with women, as we see in the opening scene.

As a teenage he has an encounter with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz (Winslet), before he comes down with scarlet fever. She aids him as he is becoming ill, and when he recovers, months later, he comes to find her and thank her. And this sets off a love affair between the two of them that lasts a summer, but will have long time repercussions on Berg's life in several ways.

First, as a teenager, he honestly loves this woman, who has taken his virginity and taught him how to make love. And she leaves him, just leaves one day without an explanation. This accounts for much of his inability to open up to any women. But as a college student, he has another encounter with Schmitz that even makes more a mark. You see, she is brought to trial in Germany for war crimes during WWII where she was a prison guard at a concentration camp. I won't give away all the plot points involving this trial, but there are terribly disturbing scenes in the courtroom. And both Berg and Schmitz have much to be guilty about as their lives go on.

Berg and Schmitz meet yet again later in life. And the scenes are awkward and real. Both actors here really flesh out the contradictions of their characters. Neither is one dimensional at all, neither is either good or bad, but very complex, as are their feeling for one another.

The Reader (2008) is an excellent film. At first I did not think it was addressing the harm that Hanna was doing to Michael, but that did emerge later, very clearly. The character of Hanna Schmitz herself is very complex and tough to handle, and Kate Winslet took the role on with deftness. Many other actresses may not have been able to handle the multiple ambiguities of this character. But she is a character to remember, and Winslet bears much of the responsibility for that. Also a special mention of the actor who plays Berg as a young man, David Kross. He did an fantastic job.

I really recommend this movie. Not exactly light-hearted fair, but it is really intriguing, and it stays with you for a long time.

Vacation 4- Oahu-North Shore

We drove up to the North Shore area one day. On the way stopped at a town know for its artist community and peered into shops and galleries. then on to the North Shore, known for its beautiful beaches.

And yes it had beautiful beaches, so along the way we stopped and took pictures, and and tried to figure out where to stop and get some sun for awhile. We had heard there were fresh shrimp farms out here, that had some good stand where they would cook it up for you, so we decided to head there, and get a bite before decided on which beach to hit.

Of several similar stands, we stopped at one, and ordered upvery fresh and messy (peel and eat) shrimp. I got the classic butter and garlic, and Sharlynn got (well, they messed up her order) a spicy ginger shrimp. Both were really good, and came with rice.

We cleaned up and headed back down the road a little to find the beach we wanted.

Ahhhhhhh....a quickly found parking spot, and onto the warm red sand. The Hawaiian sun is pretty strong, but felt so good as the warm pacific breeze blew nicely over us. This beach was not very touristy at all, and after hitting the water several times in about an hours times, we dried and were on our way.

We drove around almost the whole island that day, missing just the very eastern side, which we planned to explore another day. As we drove north the island became more tropical and rain foresty and very beautiful. Of the three islands we have been to, Oahu was definately the most built up, but the northern part seemed the most "native" Hawaiian area.

Movie-Into the Woods

Into the Woods (1990) is a filming of the live stage production of this Tony winning Broadway play, starring Bernadette Peters.

It is a slightly twisted take on a few stick fairy tales, merging 3-4 of them into one story, Red-Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella (as well as elements of others) and adding an original storyline in too.

Wry and amusing, the musical never soars, but never flounders either. Bernadette Peters is very good, but to me, the real star is Joanna Gleason (who we know best from The West Wing) who really does outshine everyone as the smart and gutsy baker's wife.

The plays take on the Prince Charmings is really funny, and it was fun entertainment, with good music and a first rate cast.

Vacation 3-Oahu-Diamondhead

OK...they warn you ahead of time that this is a pretty good hike, up to the top of Diamondhead monument and state park. And it is, pretty much a trail that is all steep elevations, and at the end, throw in some long staircases, some tunnels dug through lava flows, and with the hot humid weather, you have yourself a pretty good little workout. In fact, we saw a couple of people who use this as a workout, one guy running and one girl walking very fast.

But we held up very well. The killer is right at the end...when you really think you are there, you come out of a tunnel and turn the corner to be faced with a VERY long staircase that looks like it goes straight up. It is a soul killer. In fact, one woman was just sitting at the lookout point right there, watching everyone expression as they turned that corner. My strategy was to take a moment at the lookout point, put my head down, put it in first and just keep moving, slow and steady. But that is a killer stairway!

The view from the top is spectacular. As we were going up, one woman coming down suggested that we should not bother and just buy a postcard, but I have to disagree. It was worth it. You can see so much of the southern coastline of Oahu from there, and it just looks beautiful. You know, as you wipe the sweat away from your eyes.

Coming back down used a different set of muscles, but was much faster than going up. We had packed a lunch, making our own cooler out of plastic ABC store bags, putting ice in one, our O-Bento (Japanese boxed lunches) on top of that, and putting another bag of ice on top of the lunches. So we had a picnic at the bottom and then bought some Hawaiian shaved ice from the truck that was in the lot there. And it tasted GOOD. So refreshing!

Vacation 2-Oahu

OK...we are zoo people...it is kinda in our blood. So we usually visit the local zoo when we go out of town, so we did make a stop at the Honolulu Zoo.

I an extra reason for wanting to visit the zoo. That was to see Violet. She is an orangutan that was formerly with our troop but went to keep Rusti company in Hawaii. And she was just hanging out with him and looking like she just loved the habitat...a fairly new one.

The zoo itself has some really nice aspects. It has some large open ares that are nice, but also makes me think, "Wow, could be used for some nice exhibit upgrades, especially for the elephants." You can tell they are working at trying to upgrade areas as funds become available.

Some of the areas are quite have been enhanced or remodeled more recently and look really good, and they have a great bird collection. I even got to see the nene, the endangered Hawaiian goose that has been a project that a colleague has worked on for a long time.

We did not spend as long as we could have here, having seen many of these species at our own facilities. And, we were also ready to tackle Diamondhead.

Movie-Marley and Me

One of the good things about the long flight to Oahu was that they played a movie that I actually wanted to see, Marley and Me (2008). The flight attendant introduced the movie as starring Owen Wilson and Courtney Cox, but of course it stars Jennifer Aniston, who occupies a perennial spot on my top 5 list.

I'll admit it, I really liked Marley and Me. Cute dog, cute wife. Insanity ensues. Family grows, Marley loves everyone despite their faults, with his whole heart.

The thing is I have gone through it once already. Having a dog, maybe not as a puppy, but as a young dog. And it grows up with you as part of your household. You bring in other pets, and they become ingrained in your heart. And they start becoming older, and they love you all the more. And they start becoming slower, but their tails never loses its wag when you come home from work at the end of the day.

And it is the hardest thing in the world, when they start suffering, because you want to be selfish. You want to keep them here with you. They have loved you for so long and so unconditionally, it is hard to let go of that.

When I think of holding Shasta in my arms as she took her last breath, tears still come to my eyes. She had her "faults" like Marley in the movie. But she loved us, and we loved her.

That is what Marley and Me is about. These little companions in our lives, that are with us for much too short a time.

Vacation 1-Oahu

Well, the flight is pretty long to Oahu, about 6.5 hours. We took Hawaiian Airlines, and it was pretty good service as airlines go these days. A totally full flight.

We arrived mid-afternoon, with the time change, and grabbed our rental car and headed to our hotel, grabbing a Subway sandwich on the way in. Somehow, the breakfast burrito on the flight just did not cut it. We stayed at the Ala Moana just outside of Waikiki, and I am so happy we stayed there, as I will explain in another post.

But we were bushed and so spent the afternoon just getting to know our immediate environment. First of all...we needed some supplies. Honolulu has some good restaurants I am sure, but it is not known as an eating mecca, like New Orleans, so we were going to cut corners, since we had a fridge, and have some food in the room.
Luckily the hotel adjoined a mall that is famous for its international food court. So we headed there, and wow, sushi, dim sum, Japanese noodle soups...pretty much anything you could want. There was also a Japanese department store, and like in Tokyo, it had a great fresh food area on its top floor, so we loaded up on stuff there too. So we stored up for a couple of lunches and breakfasts, and also stopped at an ABC store to get some wine and other alcoholic delights for in-room festivities.

Going back to the room, I knew I needed some real drinks, and again to the mall. Yes, the mall! An outdoor tiki bar, featuring live music every night, and some great drinks. A lot of locals hung out here. And I could see why. A great happy hour, not mobbed with tourists acting like jackasses, and passion fruit mojitos that are to DIE for, at $4 a pop only, thank you very much! So we chilled there, talked about how to spend our days, got a little food later in the evening, listened to some music. Warm breezes filtered through the place and we felt relaxation coming on. This was going to be a very good trip.

Movie-What Happens in Vegas

What Happens in Vegas (2008) is a movie that could have been better, and maybe should have been considering it had Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz in it, two of the beautiful people in Hollywood.

But the movie was neither fully silly party movie farce, nor romantic comedy, and did not quite hold together fully. It was a slightly amusing diversion, but nothing more.

Restaurant-O.B. Noodle House

We like Asian noodle soups and other dishes, so it was natural that we should try O.B. Noodle House (http://obnoodlehouse.com/) on Cable Street. It mostly has Vietnamese pho, but also has other Asian noodle soups.

My dining companion had a pho soup that was really good, with chicken and lots of herbs and sprouts on the side to add in to the steaming light broth. the Asian basil was an especially good addition.

I opted for another menu item, Bun Vermicelli Noodle, cold noodles with perfectly grilled pork and egg roll and Asian salad, with a nice sauce to go over everything. It was really excellent, and my companion was a little envious. I also had a decent Thai iced tea to go with my lunch.

Both our lunches were very good, and with a bill less the $20 it was a great deal. It looks like it could be a busy place for O.B.

Moive-Breakfast at Tiffany's

I have always wanted to see this classic film, without really knowing what it was about. Just the theme of Moon River, and the star, Audrey Hepburn, made me want to see it.

But Breakfast as Tiffany's (1961) held a lot of surprises for me. First of all, and most of all, it was amazingly adult. The topics and themes of the movie were so adult that I was surprised that it made it to the screen in 1961. Audrey Hepburn is a high class escort, Holly Golightly. And she befriends a male escort...actually gigolo...who moves into her same building. He is an aspiring writer, played by an amazingly handsome George Peppard, who is payed for sex by his interior decorator, Patricia Neal.

Holly got married to get out of an abusive home, where it is hinted there was sexual abuse, at 14 years old. She left her husband and came to New York and became an escort. She hangs out with wealthy men, and throws amazing, and orgiastic parties in her small apartment. She is always hoping that one of them will fall for her and marry her. Such is Breakfast at Tiffany's.

The second surprise is the cast. Look, I know Audrey Hepburn from more innocent roles. She is not the innocent here. And beyond her, George Peppard is excellent, Patricia Neal also, and Buddy Ebsen and Martin Balsam both in great roles. The only bad thing about his movie is Mickey Rooney, who plays a Japanese man in the worst type of stereotypical and racist casting. But, I think in 1961 it probably was not considered so, despite the buck teeth and glasses.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a classic for a good reason. It is not a movie goes quietly, nor is set in a certain time. It is timeless in many ways. Hepburn shines as Holly and all around her reflect that light. I am so glad I added this to my queue.

And Moon River is a great song!! I'm just saying...

Back to the Blog-Back from Oahu, Hawaii

We are back from a very nice vacation in Oahu Hawaii, and I will be back to blogging in earnest very soon here...about the trip and also my usual movies, books, TV restaurants etc.

Oahu was great, and it was great to get away from it all. I did develop an unnatural fondness for passion fruit mojitos...I don't care if they are pink and come with a pink orchid on the side of the glass! They are perfection, thank you very much! In fact, passion fruit juice itself has become a big favorite of mine. It mixes well with many alcohols, and is pretty good on its own too.

So, many blogs will follow over the next 3-4 days, as I get my creative hat back on, and try to express myself with words other than "ahhhhhh" and "yum," and "I'm gonna put more sunscreen on now."

TV Season-Parks and Recreation

It's April and new shows are still coming out...WTF? Ah well, I guess it keeps things interesting.

Parks and Recreation, the very hyped NBC Office-esque comedy debuted Thursday, and it was OK. Look, I know they really need viewers, so they hype it to death, but there is the problem with making it out to be the best-- comedy-- EVER! And it isn't. So inevitably, many people will be really disappointed. Me? Despite the hype, or maybe because of it, I wasn't expecting it to be perfect or the best show ever made. So I was OK with the first episode.

Truly, it can go either way really fast. It could very easily become so bad so quickly...you can see that...almost feel that in the show. But, it could build on its nice elements, and it has several of them, and become moderately good. I don't predict it will ever become a great TV comedy.

So I'll keep watching. They only have made about 10 episode I think, so it will be over quickly either way, for the season.

Movie-Doubt

Doubt was nominated for several Oscars, including Meryl Streep for best actress, Philip Seymour Hoffman for best supporting actor, and both Viola Davis and Amy Adams for best supporting actress. None of those nominees won.

This was an actor's movie. It highlighted the actor and put their work in the spotlight. No wonder that the four major roles all received Oscar nods, and all the Oscar nods were for acting. This is not to say the actors ran rampant with the material...they were contained and focused, but really showed their craft.

Doubt (2008) is set in the early sixties, a working class Bronx Catholic neighborhood, in a school run by Sister Aloysius (Streep), in a parish overseen by priest Father Flynn (Seymour Hoffman). The two are very different, and she regards him with the suspicion of an old school Catholic versus one that came out of the relative openness of Vatican II. He wants to include people, she wants to dominate. He wants to be part of the community, she wants to oversee it.

But her doubt about Flynn becomes something more when young idealistic nun Sister James (Adams) thinks she may have stumbled upon a unhealthy liaison between Flynn and the only black student in the school.

All three actors are simply amazing, plumbing their characters depths, for levels of justification and self-deception. Not one comes out looking very good. And Viola Davis, perhaps the most honest of them all as the mother of the boy, gives a performance that while brief, is as intense and rending as you will see. And the honesty of it...of what it says about the compromises of life, you will remember.

Doubt is not about doubting whether Father Flynn actually molested the child, that much is fairly well established. Doubt is about what the right course of action is, and Davis' role is pivotal in this.

This movie is so well acted and the characters so well defined, as was a bit star struck. Streep in particular, amazed me, for I had seen her not long ago in Mamma Mia, where she was a fairly hot MILF, and here she was dried up so NOT nearly hot nun.

Doubt is an excellent movie with great performances.

Movie-The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian (2008) is the second of the Chronicles of Narnia, following The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. And while maybe not quite as good as the first one overall, it was better in some aspects.

First of all, Prince Caspian is not quite as much of a fairy tale as the first film. Not as many "delightful" characters, and more characters that have a bit of an edge to them. It is darker, and in that way, maybe a bit richer, than the first. It also really allows the child actors to acknowledge that they are older, and maybe more cynical, than when they first arrived in Narnia.

The special effects are great, probably better, that the first movie, but because it is the second movie, the produce less of a "Wow" effect, at least I thought so.

The story line is more complex, with good vs. evil shaded a bit more, and battle lines and bit more muddied.

Prince Caspian is totally worth seeing, but don't expect the same type of movie as the first Narnia flick, otherwise I think you will be disappointed.

Movie-My Left Foot

My Left Foot (1989) tells the true story of Christy Brown, born with cerebral palsy, thought to be an idiot as a child, only able to control one part of his body, his left foot. But he uses that part to communicate, and to show that he does possess a keen intellect.

Born into a poor family in Ireland, Christy Brown is one of more than a dozen kids, and the family did not have the means to treat him as special. So he played soccer and looked at girlie mags and participated in the neighborhood like all the other kids. But, he could not fully participate as he started becoming a man, and became more isolated.

Soon, he was able to enter a new special program for people with cerebral palsy, and this started him writing, and helped him continue with his art work. Through ups and downs, his mother stuck with him, sometimes pushing him, and always loving him.

Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar for his portrayal of Christy Brown, and deserved it. He does an amazing job, really capturing the loneliness, the joys and the frustrations of a creative man caught in a body that did not want to yield the creative impulses.

Excellent movie.

2 Magazines

I'm afraid that the stress of work lately has cut into my creative mind, so I have not been blogging much. I will try to do some catching up here, and see if I can do few posts a day.

As always, National Geographic is great, and the April issue did not disappoint. The cover story was The She-King of Egypt. This was fascinating because it really delved into WHY Hatshepsut acted like she was man when she ruled Egypt. And that they had her mummy, recently identified as her, made the article even more fascinating. The article on Australia's drought was sobering, in that this area could easily be facing similar conditions. We need to start preparing. And the article on amphibian decline was also sobering. I know a bit about this from some work I have done, and these species that have lasted so long may disappear very soon.

Playboy in April was also pretty good. A nice pictorial with international playmates lent some variety to the issue. An interview with Seth Rogan, though narcissistic, provided some humor, and the homage to Bettie Page was nice. A expose about Barry Bonds made me think about the case differently...still despise the guy, but really wonder about the government going after him, and not baseball itself. And excellent fiction by Jay McInerney. Nice issue all around.

Movie- Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire was a multiple Oscar nominee, getting two major nominations for best picture and best director, both of which it won.

The phenomena of Slumdog Millionaire (2008) was something to behold. A picture that was not Hollywood, that was feel-good, that was so out-of-the mainstream---and it took over the country! It is hard to seperate all that from the actual movie itself.

But you know what? The movie was actually really good! The Siskel to my Ebert was expecting another typical Bollywood movie and was really surprised about how good this film was. She had lower expectations about it, and so, experienced it like a lot of people who created the buzz about it.

I had heard more about the film, and still enjoyed it quite a bit. Part of the enjoyment was simply the construction of the film. Though not rocket science, director Danny Boyle choose the right framework for telling this story. Using the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" questions as the catalyst...explaining how this "slumdog" from Mumbai knew the answers to the questions of the show in flashbacks of his life...was perfectly done. The only small gripe I had was that it each question ran completely in the time line of his life...it might have added even more dramatic appeal to have his life pieced together in different stages, to create the total tapestry.

Details of the movie were just right: The host of the show trying to undermine the success of Jamal-- The image of Jamal's mother being killed in ethnic violence (an image that still lingers in my mind)--The "orphanage" where Jamal, Saleem and Latika stayed as young children. All these details and images stand out and linger, they are remembered and remain felt.

Slumdog Millionaire is an excellent movie. Even despite the hype. It is proof that a movie like this can prosper and win the "big one." I will have to wait to see ALL the movies nominated for best picture before deciding whether I agree that it should have won the Academy Award though.

Movie-Hancock

For the most part, critics were not too kind to Hancock (2008), surprising, because usually whatever Will Smith does they swoon over.

I thought it was better than most gave it credit for. Smith plays a super hero who is not very good at being a super hero. He is a lush, he gets pissed off, he is reckless and he does not know how to control his power very well causing a lot of damage to infrastructure around him.

Enter Jason Bateman, a PR guy, who wants to help Hancock overcome public antipathy towards him. Bateman as Ray Embrey is convinced he can do a makeover on Hancock's image. But with Embrey comes his wife, played by Charlize Theron, and this is the weakest part of the movie.

You see, instead of letting Hancock stay unknowing of who he is, waking up with amnesia, the writers came up with a bad back story with him and Theron once being Olympian gods, and they are the last survivors...blah blah blah.

The rest of the movie works really well, but this part, the last third of the movie, really does not. Maybe that is why critics did not like it, and I can see that. But the rest of the movie worked so well, I have trouble condemning all of it.

Movie-Ladder 49

Ladder 49 (2004) was a pretty good flick, a bit manipulative of emotions, but it did it effectively, and was a tearjerker because of it.

Starring Joaquin Phoenix as a firefighter trapped in a huge industrial building fire, it plays through a series of flashbacks showing his start as a firefighter, his friends in the force, his marriage and kids, his dedication to his profession. Interlocking these flashbacks is the present day, as his fellow firefighters are desperately trying to extricate him from the burning building, led by his friend and mentor, played to good effect by John Travolta.

The movie does get sappy at some points. It does not show the many mundane and routine calls firefighters get. Every call in the movie is fraught with danger. I'm not saying that there are not dangerous calls, but there are also many that are just fairly run of the mill also.

The surprising thing, that sets the movie a bit apart from typical fare of this kind, is that the rescue of this man fails. They do not triumphantly pull him out of the building just before it crumbles. There is no chance to save him, and the crews have to all pull out. He knows he is going to die trapped in there...and all his comrades know it too.

Like I said. The movie is pretty good. A little too emotive, too many soaring strings playing on the soundtrack. But overall, a good movie.