A friend of mine is a friend of the main character, Homer, so I wanted to see the film again. I saw it in the theatre when it was released, and many of my comments are the same.
Chris Cooper is a fantastic character actor. If I remember correctly, this was the film that made me take serious notice.
Regretably, there are some poor editorial choices, and I'm not sure if that was a result of directorial/coverage choices or editing room choices, but there are at least two cuts that left me so jarred that is my primary technical comment about the film.
Mark Isham did a fantastic job on the score. It is more orchestral than is typical for him.
Lastly, the message is such an important one, I highly recommend this film to anyone looking for inspiration and a tale about what pursuing your dreams can amount to. Remember, this is a TRUE STORY, and I recommend it for anyone, but especially for teens. It takes a village to raise a child, for sure, and this story reminds us that it also takes a village to pursue a dream.
Rating:
4 stars for theme, content, and family-friendliness
Recommend:
Absolutely. And you don't have to be a rocket scientist to enjoy it.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
It started with a desk...
... and has progressed into consuming the whole house.
I finally submitted to the need for a storage unit, and was fortunate to find a 5x10, climate controlled, for $40! As a result, I've been making storage runs on my lunch hour, just to get the "I'm not sure" boxes, the memorabilia boxes, and the "I don't know where this is going yet" boxes to a separate location. As such, the rest of the house has come into better focus.
The dining room "before" pic:
I had started to rearrange it when I realized I wanted a current pic for the transformation. The books you see on the left side, imagine the same packed inches on the right. Also, that empty spot on the right top shelf used to house my Kitchen Aid. She will have a new home. The couple of boxes on the floor to the left are indicative of about 8 boxes that used to be there. They are now in storage. =:]
The "before" pic of the living room:
I know this isn't the best pic, but the point of it is to show the shelves along the window.
It is tempting to tell you the plans I have, but like a good screenwriter, I'm not going to tell you. I'm going to show you!!
Until next time...
M.
P.S. Thanks for the nudge re: including pics, Nat!! You're right. They do make a big difference.
I finally submitted to the need for a storage unit, and was fortunate to find a 5x10, climate controlled, for $40! As a result, I've been making storage runs on my lunch hour, just to get the "I'm not sure" boxes, the memorabilia boxes, and the "I don't know where this is going yet" boxes to a separate location. As such, the rest of the house has come into better focus.
The dining room "before" pic:
I had started to rearrange it when I realized I wanted a current pic for the transformation. The books you see on the left side, imagine the same packed inches on the right. Also, that empty spot on the right top shelf used to house my Kitchen Aid. She will have a new home. The couple of boxes on the floor to the left are indicative of about 8 boxes that used to be there. They are now in storage. =:]
The "before" pic of the living room:
I know this isn't the best pic, but the point of it is to show the shelves along the window.
It is tempting to tell you the plans I have, but like a good screenwriter, I'm not going to tell you. I'm going to show you!!
Until next time...
M.
P.S. Thanks for the nudge re: including pics, Nat!! You're right. They do make a big difference.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
New Desk!! The forward motion continues...
I have struggled with my desk situation for as long as I can remember. And I mean that literally. I remember being 10 and having a great desk, but it wasn't right. I didn't sit at a desk through high school and college, and in these many years since, I've gone between the couch, the bed, the dining room table, my work desk, a library table, Starbucks' tables and cozy chairs, and, of course, my "office" at Moe's. But, the Spirit moved in my heart these past few weeks and brought me a solution.
It started with seeing how to better arrange my bedroom and continued with my resigning myself to getting a storage space. My friend & high school mentoree Bailey came over last Sunday and helped me with the furniture moving, and even in those couple of moments, things were better. It already feels better. Then, when I took her home that night, I told her dad about our afternoon adventures, and the next thing I knew I was the new owner of a desk. I had just been thinking of jerry-rigging a 4ft folding table with some mesh crates I have, and suddenly I was being gifted a piece of actual furniture.
Since then, I've "moved in", and it's GREAT!! I printed out a bunch of stuff & even in that half hour, I felt better than I have in a long time. So, between my wonderful chair and this right-sized desk, I'm ready to tear it up!!
Next... internet access in my house.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
General Comments for Today
Sorry I'm hitting you with so many entries at once, but January proved to be as busy as a Christmas elf on 6 cups of espresso. I'm still piece-mealing my internet access, so it is hard to be consistent with my updates. The good news is I'm working on this. Good things are in the works.
Last week, I turned the big FOUR-OH, and I'm so glad it's behind me. Not because I'm ashamed of it, or that I am glad it's over, but because I'm so excited about what is ahead. The days (and months) leading into this birthday were intense, but they have proven to be invaluable because they lead me to today. And today is GREAT!!
A big shout out to the folks, Dad and Annie, for my Kindle. I'm loving having it, and I've only begun to use it. My dad put it best when he described it as the iPod for books. Yep. He ain't kidding.
Other highlights for the week were the big snow storm that came, then left, with its sister trudging up behind it. We actually had to close the office for a few hours for 3 of the 5 days this week, and that messed with my mental schedule. But, the snow was beautiful, and no ice settled on the power lines & trees so I didn't experience a power-outage. God is good without a doubt.
As you can see from my many posts, I'm still watching films like a fiend. And, it makes me so happy. The good news is I'm also writing, and I'm pleased to say that in addition to my journaling, I'm 32 pages into a feature-length script. The most incredible realization for me with this process is the fact that it is a process and it is just like training for a marathon. If you don't put in the hours, if you don't do your training and eat right and sleep well, you can't go the distance. So, I plan to knock out as many pages as I can and have it done as soon as I can. The original plan had been to have it done by my birthday, but I had some unexpected setbacks. But, even they were necessary. Sometimes you need the setbacks so you can sling-shot yourself forward.
Lastly, tomorrow commemorates 6 years of being in North Carolina. It seems so much longer, but that is no doubt a result of how much has happened. I've been without, then with. I've loved and lived, gained friends and lost friends, ate better than ever, and learned more than I could've ever hoped for. I'm tempted to name names and give specific shout-outs, but I think I'll leave those details in my heart. Just know, that I'm more blessed now than I ever was before.
Until next time ....
Last week, I turned the big FOUR-OH, and I'm so glad it's behind me. Not because I'm ashamed of it, or that I am glad it's over, but because I'm so excited about what is ahead. The days (and months) leading into this birthday were intense, but they have proven to be invaluable because they lead me to today. And today is GREAT!!
A big shout out to the folks, Dad and Annie, for my Kindle. I'm loving having it, and I've only begun to use it. My dad put it best when he described it as the iPod for books. Yep. He ain't kidding.
Other highlights for the week were the big snow storm that came, then left, with its sister trudging up behind it. We actually had to close the office for a few hours for 3 of the 5 days this week, and that messed with my mental schedule. But, the snow was beautiful, and no ice settled on the power lines & trees so I didn't experience a power-outage. God is good without a doubt.
As you can see from my many posts, I'm still watching films like a fiend. And, it makes me so happy. The good news is I'm also writing, and I'm pleased to say that in addition to my journaling, I'm 32 pages into a feature-length script. The most incredible realization for me with this process is the fact that it is a process and it is just like training for a marathon. If you don't put in the hours, if you don't do your training and eat right and sleep well, you can't go the distance. So, I plan to knock out as many pages as I can and have it done as soon as I can. The original plan had been to have it done by my birthday, but I had some unexpected setbacks. But, even they were necessary. Sometimes you need the setbacks so you can sling-shot yourself forward.
Lastly, tomorrow commemorates 6 years of being in North Carolina. It seems so much longer, but that is no doubt a result of how much has happened. I've been without, then with. I've loved and lived, gained friends and lost friends, ate better than ever, and learned more than I could've ever hoped for. I'm tempted to name names and give specific shout-outs, but I think I'll leave those details in my heart. Just know, that I'm more blessed now than I ever was before.
Until next time ....
Eddie Izzard - Dress to Kill
It must be noted that I love Eddie Izzard. I love him and have for years. He is an outrageously intelligent comedian, and if he hadn't made a comment used in the trailer for his documentary, I wouldn't have realized he's a stand-up comedian. His style and his jokes far exceed any stand-up act I've seen, well, except for maybe Steve Martin. Yes, I would equate Steve Martin and Eddie Izzard in that they both demand more from their audiences than many stand-up acts, and, sometimes they tell jokes that are "icebox jokes" - ones that you don't get when they tell it, but hit you as you open the icebox. (That's a reference Martin's play Picasso at the Lapin Agile for those unfamiliar with it.)
Dress to Kill is phenomenal, and is the strongest of his shows that I've seen. However, at this point, I've only seen two, so I suppose that's not saying as much as it should. Regardless, it did win him some awards, so if you want the best taste of his style, I recommend this one. Please note: his routine is for adult and mature teenage audiences. Not for inappropriateness as much as you need to have learned a lot of American and European History to get the jokes. His humor is based on experiences, including transvestites. FYI - he is a transvestite, which he brilliantly describes. If you don't want to have that talk with your kids, this is probably one for your eyes only.
Stars:
4 of 5 - I love this guy.
Recommend:
Absolutely. Did I mention I love this guy? =:]
Dress to Kill is phenomenal, and is the strongest of his shows that I've seen. However, at this point, I've only seen two, so I suppose that's not saying as much as it should. Regardless, it did win him some awards, so if you want the best taste of his style, I recommend this one. Please note: his routine is for adult and mature teenage audiences. Not for inappropriateness as much as you need to have learned a lot of American and European History to get the jokes. His humor is based on experiences, including transvestites. FYI - he is a transvestite, which he brilliantly describes. If you don't want to have that talk with your kids, this is probably one for your eyes only.
Stars:
4 of 5 - I love this guy.
Recommend:
Absolutely. Did I mention I love this guy? =:]
Ocean's Eleven (1960)
Here's that fourth film I referred to in an earlier post. Did you know this one existed? You probably did because the hype around the first one made sure to give references to this film. But, did you know this was originally based on a novel? I didn't until I watched the film with commentary last night. Seems I'm in a film-adaptation phase right now, huh!
This film was also a fun romp. It takes a little while to get to the action, unless of course, you consider the stars as the action. There are wonderful performances from the whole cast, and the script is clever, witty, and tight. The dialogue between Frank Sinatra and Angie Dickenson was undoubtedly the inspiration for the dinner table scene between Clooney and Roberts in the Soderbergh film. It is powerful, and Dickenson's character, Beatrice, is much stronger and sassier than I would've expected for this kind of film. She's quite self-actualized, and that was a refreshing change opposite Sinatra's typical charmer role. But, the real surprise for me was Dean Martin. He had me laughing many times over, my favorite sequence being his playing against Peter Lohman at the piano. That alone is worth seeing the film for. I've never been a Martin fan, but I realize after this film, he was a wonderful comedian in his own right, not just a straight-man in a comedic duo.
Stars:
3 of 5 - historical value, classic peformances, to see where the Ocean's franchise began
Recommend?
Definitely. It's a good classic film, and in my opinion, one that is appropriate for ages 8 and up. Remember, it was made in 1960.
This film was also a fun romp. It takes a little while to get to the action, unless of course, you consider the stars as the action. There are wonderful performances from the whole cast, and the script is clever, witty, and tight. The dialogue between Frank Sinatra and Angie Dickenson was undoubtedly the inspiration for the dinner table scene between Clooney and Roberts in the Soderbergh film. It is powerful, and Dickenson's character, Beatrice, is much stronger and sassier than I would've expected for this kind of film. She's quite self-actualized, and that was a refreshing change opposite Sinatra's typical charmer role. But, the real surprise for me was Dean Martin. He had me laughing many times over, my favorite sequence being his playing against Peter Lohman at the piano. That alone is worth seeing the film for. I've never been a Martin fan, but I realize after this film, he was a wonderful comedian in his own right, not just a straight-man in a comedic duo.
Stars:
3 of 5 - historical value, classic peformances, to see where the Ocean's franchise began
Recommend?
Definitely. It's a good classic film, and in my opinion, one that is appropriate for ages 8 and up. Remember, it was made in 1960.
Ocean's Thirteen
Like I said previously, the Ocean franchise is my current obsession. I must say, it's a lot of fun. Yes, I bought this for my collection, and while the first film is by far the superior of the 4 films (yes, I said four), this is another fun romp. It is stronger than Twelve, and helps end the current installment of this franchise on a happy note. There are some good gags, and Al Pacino opposite Elliot Gould is a delight. Pacino plays a hard-nose, but even in this film there is a hint of parody in his performance, although he never takes it that far. If he had, it would've been inappropriate, but there is something light about him even as he's Pacino playing the bad guy. Again, Pacino shows how much talent he really has.
I must give a shout out to Bernie Mac who makes me smile and mourn every time I watch any of these three films. I'm so glad he was cast in this series as his performance lights up the screen. Bernie - you are still missed.
Another shout out to Eddie Izzard. Brilliant cameo. Eddie - love you, too. More on him in another post.
Lastly, Soderbergh, et al, return us to the Vegas we all love to hate and hate to love. The good guys - if you can call them that - win. You know they will, but what is fun is taking the ride with them. It's not a matter of "will they win", but rather "how will they win". What a fun romp.
Stars:
4 out of 5 - for the ability to recover from Twelve, for Bernie Mac and Eddie Izzard, and for another fun romp
Recommend:
If you've seen Eleven and Twelve, don't miss this one.
I must give a shout out to Bernie Mac who makes me smile and mourn every time I watch any of these three films. I'm so glad he was cast in this series as his performance lights up the screen. Bernie - you are still missed.
Another shout out to Eddie Izzard. Brilliant cameo. Eddie - love you, too. More on him in another post.
Lastly, Soderbergh, et al, return us to the Vegas we all love to hate and hate to love. The good guys - if you can call them that - win. You know they will, but what is fun is taking the ride with them. It's not a matter of "will they win", but rather "how will they win". What a fun romp.
Stars:
4 out of 5 - for the ability to recover from Twelve, for Bernie Mac and Eddie Izzard, and for another fun romp
Recommend:
If you've seen Eleven and Twelve, don't miss this one.
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