Weblog 341
August 26, 2012~ 12:00 am
This has been a weird week. One day at work, then two off, then two more at work. A chain of 'mini-weeks'. Wayne and I had a MOVIEFEST however, and I LOVED IT! It was just like a little movie theater for the two of us.....
and we chose 3 more BLOCKBUSTER films we've been wanting to see. (Two of them, I'd given up hope of watching together, but both 'The Social Network' and 'Money Ball' are Aaron Sorkin films and that alone is what allowed them to make the cut.) LOL!
We sat down in mid-week to watch 'The Social Network' on Wednesday afternoon, my second day off.
If you've read this blog at all, you already know I DESPISE Facebook and refuse to join it, convinced it represents the worst of the 'borg mentality' of today's social media and not just its 'like think', but that cliques and exclusionary behaviors are not only encouraged, they're accentuated by Facebook, so you'd think I'd HATE a movie based upon it --but you'd be wrong.
'The Social Network' is not so much ABOUT Facebook as it's about the psychology of its nerd creator, and Jesse Eisenberg took that ball and ran it for a touchdown. He's ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS!
In life, he's a social outcast trying to dance with two left feet... but give him a string of code, and with his magic algorhythm.....
he becomes king of the universe with the ability to buy and sell whomever had caused him anguish before his success. He's practically emotionless. And the movie's irony for me is that he ends up creating a mass drug in which EVERYONE gushes and shares..... every...... frickin'.... thought... in real time... no matter.... how......mundane. Eisenberg gives a performance no one can touch. He's part robot, part kid in the candy store, who's become cool at last, and swimming with sharks. The pace of the film is excellent, and all performances top notch.
Second up, last evening we watched the story of NBC's 1950's hero, Edward R. Murrow, in
in the story of how a courageous reporter brought down the evil of Senator McCarthy's communist witchhunt by calling him out on his TV program, 'See It Now'. Like Eisenberg's performance, the thrilling depiction of Murrow by actor David Strathairn is dizzyingly remarkable. He's mesmerizing in the role, and the black and white starkness of the film is perfect.
(Believe it or not, I DO REMEMBER those McCarthy hearings on television, and I remember the slicked back hair style and the constant plume of smoke from Murrow's ever-present cigarette.) I was only three years old, but those hearings monopolized television in what was our 'new house' at the time- with hardwood floors everywhere, the Silvertone 'halo' television in the corner of our living room, and my dad's grumbling, 'Are those damn HEARINGS ON again???' -I have a superb long-term memory. I remember the hearings, and I remember the bullying McCarthy who suddenly found himself acting as a modern Torquemada
(though in reality, the man was a sweating, insecure drunk, who finally folded after Murrow took him on.) And that was such a BRAVE THING to do at the time! Blacklists in Hollywood.... people 'informing on one another' to save their own skins.... and for Murrow to challenge the mass-hysterical entrenchment of McCarthy's growing power cannot be overstated in terms of fearlessness. He was a hero through and through. I also recall watching Murrow's 'Person To Person' show, and the fidelity to the 'look and the feel' of that era allows me to give 5 stars to 'Good Night And Good Luck' -which was his signature sign-off. The 50's paranoia of all things 'Red' is caught in heartbreaking fidelity, and the only thing I'm seeing comparable to that is the ugly political climate now, with angry hysteria gaining ground once again. (Save us from zealots.... now and forever, Amen.)
Our third choice, watched Saturday evening, was
- a fascinating look at Billy Beane, Manager of the Oakland 'A's, and the way he completely reinvented the way a winning baseball club is built, based on mathmatical calculations of overlooked players' strengths and realizing it's a game of 'whichever team gets on base most often will most likely win the game'. This is a theory that sets other age-old methods such as throwing megabucks at players and signing 'superstars' right on its ear. It's teamwork through and through without the 'grandstanding'... and it works.
Brad Pitt is great in this biographical role of a true visionary, whose grace under pressure and drive is a wonder to behold on the screen. (Wayne noted that if Robert Redford were younger, he would have landed the role of Beane. Indeed, Pitt seems most times to be doing a perfect impersonation of Redford in the role, down to the haircut.)
Of course the real brains BEHIND the method comes in the person of Jonah Hill....
always competent, always charming in every film he appears, but he's perfect in his role of a 'Yale economics graduate' who first pitches his theory to Pitt. Hill's absolute belief in his numbers and calculations, and his THOROUGHLY UN-athletic persona is a funny and compelling thing to watch. (If ever an actor should get a lifetime achievement award for 'earnestness'... it should be Hill. Time and again I've seen him on-screen, thrown into unorthodox situations that he's totally unprepared for, but he soldiers on. And he's TERRIFIC at it. LOL!!) I love him.
That's about it thus far. This has been a week of 'movie escapes', and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Usually it's about 2 films a MONTH, but we GORGED ourselves with three very good choices. I realize none of these are brand new releases, but if you haven't had the opportunity to watch them as yet, add them to your list. You won't be disappointed.... I promise.
(Ah! The one notable thing I did that was different this week is buy DRIED KIWI. LOL!!! I bought it for how strange it looked. Ate some too, while watching 'Money Ball'. Pretty chewy and tasty, I must say. Something different from popcorn and Hostess Suzy-Q's, but really, you know........ I bought them to say I bought them. Couldn't resist. :)
August 29, 2012~ 4:30 pm
Busy, BUSY week thus far at work. No matter how fast I type, the pile grows like something out of a fairytale. (I wish elves would come and help out at night while I'm sleeping.) Those 2 days off last week really made an impact at the end of the month in terms of SURPLUS PILES of stuff to do! Yesterday I came home from visiting mum and went straight up to bed. Yah... the work was still there, and augmented today, but at least I was rested.
Monday afternoon when I was checking my mailbox, I noticed something black at the end of Lou's driveway next door. I walked down through the front yard, and there was a crow--- dead as a doornail. I see dead birds now and again, but I've never seen a crow, and completely intact, in full rigor. So I went online and in doing a search, I found that crows are the first to succumb to the West Nile virus, and found a link to our local Health site asking that we report dead crows if found, so I did. Here's what I got back:
(LOL!!! I can just see poor Lou getting cited for having standing water somewhere.)
Makes me sad though, that crow. I have a special attachment to them... they're like a totem animal to me, in fact, I've written many poems about my 'imaginary friend and protector, Black Mack'- a crow with a sense of humor and OODLES of wisdom.
I found this image in the net on a 'free wallpaper site', and fell in love with it. (It's also a kind of homage to my dead friend, who, if mechanical, would last forever.)
Steampunk Crow
Not being able to do anything for my departed buddy outside, I did what I always do when emotions bubble up.... I wrote a poem. (Here, buddy.... this one's for you.)
There Is Only One
A shadow
fell
and lay
there
dead as coal. I saw
the shine
of the
wing, the solitary fly
who
lit
there,
waiting
to feast. I approached
in absolute
sadness
toward my friend
the crow, who
dove down dreams of mine
and may have been Black Mack,
who knows me best. If this is eternal
rest, O Lord, no
drop
of blood, no
missing limb, his head bent low
as if
in sleep, who
will keep
my secrets
now? And who am I to go to
when I'm tired of this, this constant
life, this path worn smooth with steps
without
end - this walking forward
toward
a horizon
even you found so bereft
you left
the sky, lay down
and stiffened
in late
summer sorrow? Where
is my
shadow
now, my Mack, my laughing crow? He lies
in Lou's driveway
- hard
as stone.
As deaf
as death.
***
(Return To Weekly Archives)
This has been a weird week. One day at work, then two off, then two more at work. A chain of 'mini-weeks'. Wayne and I had a MOVIEFEST however, and I LOVED IT! It was just like a little movie theater for the two of us.....
and we chose 3 more BLOCKBUSTER films we've been wanting to see. (Two of them, I'd given up hope of watching together, but both 'The Social Network' and 'Money Ball' are Aaron Sorkin films and that alone is what allowed them to make the cut.) LOL!
We sat down in mid-week to watch 'The Social Network' on Wednesday afternoon, my second day off.
If you've read this blog at all, you already know I DESPISE Facebook and refuse to join it, convinced it represents the worst of the 'borg mentality' of today's social media and not just its 'like think', but that cliques and exclusionary behaviors are not only encouraged, they're accentuated by Facebook, so you'd think I'd HATE a movie based upon it --but you'd be wrong.
'The Social Network' is not so much ABOUT Facebook as it's about the psychology of its nerd creator, and Jesse Eisenberg took that ball and ran it for a touchdown. He's ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS!
In life, he's a social outcast trying to dance with two left feet... but give him a string of code, and with his magic algorhythm.....
he becomes king of the universe with the ability to buy and sell whomever had caused him anguish before his success. He's practically emotionless. And the movie's irony for me is that he ends up creating a mass drug in which EVERYONE gushes and shares..... every...... frickin'.... thought... in real time... no matter.... how......mundane. Eisenberg gives a performance no one can touch. He's part robot, part kid in the candy store, who's become cool at last, and swimming with sharks. The pace of the film is excellent, and all performances top notch.
Second up, last evening we watched the story of NBC's 1950's hero, Edward R. Murrow, in
in the story of how a courageous reporter brought down the evil of Senator McCarthy's communist witchhunt by calling him out on his TV program, 'See It Now'. Like Eisenberg's performance, the thrilling depiction of Murrow by actor David Strathairn is dizzyingly remarkable. He's mesmerizing in the role, and the black and white starkness of the film is perfect.
(Believe it or not, I DO REMEMBER those McCarthy hearings on television, and I remember the slicked back hair style and the constant plume of smoke from Murrow's ever-present cigarette.) I was only three years old, but those hearings monopolized television in what was our 'new house' at the time- with hardwood floors everywhere, the Silvertone 'halo' television in the corner of our living room, and my dad's grumbling, 'Are those damn HEARINGS ON again???' -I have a superb long-term memory. I remember the hearings, and I remember the bullying McCarthy who suddenly found himself acting as a modern Torquemada
(though in reality, the man was a sweating, insecure drunk, who finally folded after Murrow took him on.) And that was such a BRAVE THING to do at the time! Blacklists in Hollywood.... people 'informing on one another' to save their own skins.... and for Murrow to challenge the mass-hysterical entrenchment of McCarthy's growing power cannot be overstated in terms of fearlessness. He was a hero through and through. I also recall watching Murrow's 'Person To Person' show, and the fidelity to the 'look and the feel' of that era allows me to give 5 stars to 'Good Night And Good Luck' -which was his signature sign-off. The 50's paranoia of all things 'Red' is caught in heartbreaking fidelity, and the only thing I'm seeing comparable to that is the ugly political climate now, with angry hysteria gaining ground once again. (Save us from zealots.... now and forever, Amen.)
Our third choice, watched Saturday evening, was
- a fascinating look at Billy Beane, Manager of the Oakland 'A's, and the way he completely reinvented the way a winning baseball club is built, based on mathmatical calculations of overlooked players' strengths and realizing it's a game of 'whichever team gets on base most often will most likely win the game'. This is a theory that sets other age-old methods such as throwing megabucks at players and signing 'superstars' right on its ear. It's teamwork through and through without the 'grandstanding'... and it works.
Brad Pitt is great in this biographical role of a true visionary, whose grace under pressure and drive is a wonder to behold on the screen. (Wayne noted that if Robert Redford were younger, he would have landed the role of Beane. Indeed, Pitt seems most times to be doing a perfect impersonation of Redford in the role, down to the haircut.)
Of course the real brains BEHIND the method comes in the person of Jonah Hill....
always competent, always charming in every film he appears, but he's perfect in his role of a 'Yale economics graduate' who first pitches his theory to Pitt. Hill's absolute belief in his numbers and calculations, and his THOROUGHLY UN-athletic persona is a funny and compelling thing to watch. (If ever an actor should get a lifetime achievement award for 'earnestness'... it should be Hill. Time and again I've seen him on-screen, thrown into unorthodox situations that he's totally unprepared for, but he soldiers on. And he's TERRIFIC at it. LOL!!) I love him.
That's about it thus far. This has been a week of 'movie escapes', and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Usually it's about 2 films a MONTH, but we GORGED ourselves with three very good choices. I realize none of these are brand new releases, but if you haven't had the opportunity to watch them as yet, add them to your list. You won't be disappointed.... I promise.
(Ah! The one notable thing I did that was different this week is buy DRIED KIWI. LOL!!! I bought it for how strange it looked. Ate some too, while watching 'Money Ball'. Pretty chewy and tasty, I must say. Something different from popcorn and Hostess Suzy-Q's, but really, you know........ I bought them to say I bought them. Couldn't resist. :)
August 29, 2012~ 4:30 pm
Busy, BUSY week thus far at work. No matter how fast I type, the pile grows like something out of a fairytale. (I wish elves would come and help out at night while I'm sleeping.) Those 2 days off last week really made an impact at the end of the month in terms of SURPLUS PILES of stuff to do! Yesterday I came home from visiting mum and went straight up to bed. Yah... the work was still there, and augmented today, but at least I was rested.
Monday afternoon when I was checking my mailbox, I noticed something black at the end of Lou's driveway next door. I walked down through the front yard, and there was a crow--- dead as a doornail. I see dead birds now and again, but I've never seen a crow, and completely intact, in full rigor. So I went online and in doing a search, I found that crows are the first to succumb to the West Nile virus, and found a link to our local Health site asking that we report dead crows if found, so I did. Here's what I got back:
"Dear Karen, birds die for many reasons, most commonly from ingesting pesticides that people use on lawn & turf. With the long, hot summer, West Nile virus is also having a major impact. The virus is present in nearly every mosquito collection we make. Crows are very susceptible to that. We no longer need the bird information. I suggest you bury the bird on site. Make sure that all doors & windows on your home are screened. If you locate a property in the neighborhood with stagnant, mosquito breeding water, you can report it directly to us. We will send them a code violation notice."
(LOL!!! I can just see poor Lou getting cited for having standing water somewhere.)
Makes me sad though, that crow. I have a special attachment to them... they're like a totem animal to me, in fact, I've written many poems about my 'imaginary friend and protector, Black Mack'- a crow with a sense of humor and OODLES of wisdom.
I found this image in the net on a 'free wallpaper site', and fell in love with it. (It's also a kind of homage to my dead friend, who, if mechanical, would last forever.)
Not being able to do anything for my departed buddy outside, I did what I always do when emotions bubble up.... I wrote a poem. (Here, buddy.... this one's for you.)
There Is Only One
A shadow
fell
and lay
there
dead as coal. I saw
the shine
of the
wing, the solitary fly
who
lit
there,
waiting
to feast. I approached
in absolute
sadness
toward my friend
the crow, who
dove down dreams of mine
and may have been Black Mack,
who knows me best. If this is eternal
rest, O Lord, no
drop
of blood, no
missing limb, his head bent low
as if
in sleep, who
will keep
my secrets
now? And who am I to go to
when I'm tired of this, this constant
life, this path worn smooth with steps
without
end - this walking forward
toward
a horizon
even you found so bereft
you left
the sky, lay down
and stiffened
in late
summer sorrow? Where
is my
shadow
now, my Mack, my laughing crow? He lies
in Lou's driveway
- hard
as stone.
As deaf
as death.
(Return To Weekly Archives)
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