violetismycolor

Santa Crush

 
Last night, we were celebrating the homecoming of Adam AND Bonnie from their far-away abodes...which of course meant having dinner at our favorite sushi restaurant in the Pearl, Sinju.  We got there early enough (and promised we wouldn't linger), so they gave us a tatami room.  These little rooms have windows out onto the street where the light rail trains go by, giving a glimpse into the Portland night.  It's like having a television in the background, which you only occasionally glance at. 

I had my back to the window but Bonnie and Adam were directly facing it and noticed that there were many of our cityfolk dressed as Santas, either walking in groups up the street or on the MAX (always heading north).  Bonnie found it very strange but I found it enchanting. 

It reminded me of a movie riff... I could imagine a story where people like us would don Santa hats and follow the (certainly) partygo-ers to their holiday bash and find a fun new crowd to hang with....with hilarity to ensue.  What a delightful reminder of the Season. 

We then went to see the new George Clooney movie, Up In The Air, which was WONDERFUL.  Adam and Bonnie ranked George SMUG on the question of 'smug' or 'charming'.  True, but the movie was excellent...funny but a sad reminder of the tough times we are suffering in this recession.  The acting was wonderful, especially that of Anna Kendrick, who played Natalie, George's young protege.  She was wonderful and I can't wait to see where she goes from here.

movie review: Gran Torino...

John and I saw Gran Torino, the latest from Clint Eastwood.

First of all, if he glared at me like that and said, 'Get off my lawn.', I think I would pee my pants.  He is one scary-looking dude.

That said...

I loved how Clint's character, Walt Kowalski, developed over the course of the story.  I would not like his in-your-face racist talk. 

There is a scene where he takes this young man, of Hmong-American nationality, to his barbershop to 'man him up', to teach him how to relate well with other men...they sling racial epithets at each other, in what is meant to be well-meaning banter.  Apparently, this is not the American culture I learned, nor one that I would want my sons to emulate.  But it is supposed to work in the Blue Collar Midwest of Clint Eastwood.  I came out asking, "Really?  Is that what men are supposed to be like?"  Not any man that I would have dated...

This just-recently-a-widower begins adrift from the world...no religious affiliation (he only went to church to appease his now-dead wife), no real connection with his sons, living in a neighborhood that has emptied of the white guys like him, and is filled with what he terms 'gooks'...and in the end, has SO connected with his neighbors and the Hmong community that they know him better than his own family.  And he is willing to risk his life for them... Unthinkable to him at the start of the story since he killed 'slant-eyes' in the Korean War and got a medal for it.  He never saw these enemies as people, that would have made it too unbearable.

Finely acted.  Incredible portraits of diverse human beings.  Powerful. 

Go see it.

Oh, yes...and we had sushi before the movie at one of my fave cheap-but-delicious sushi joints...Sushi Hanna in Tigard.  I love how the sushi goes around and around on a little track, tempting me with its deliciousness.

movie nights...

In the past few weeks, I have seen 4 very different movies...all of which I have enjoyed.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. 

First of all, it was too long!  Three hours was just too much.  It dragged in places.  It needed better editing. 

And then there was the high level of suspension of disbelief that was necessary, since there were so many things that just couldn't ever make sense.  Like:  how was it that Benjamin, as he grew younger, had his body (skeleton, skin, organs) shrink into the size of a 2 year-old.  When he was born, he was baby-size but had physical attributes of an old man. That was fine.  Reasonable.  At the other end of his life, the physical part made no sense at all. 

But, I liked this movie in general.  It asked interesting questions.  It made me think.  It was beautifully filmed. The acting was very good.

The next film was Doubt, with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep. 

You can't really find finer actors than these. 

Growing up as a Catholic, this movie felt very real to me.  Meryl Streep reminded me of all the mean nuns that I had ever known.  Interestingly, she played the principal in a Catholic school and she was like every (and I mean every) Catholic school principal that I encountered growing up. Critical, suspicious, caring more about quiet and discipline in their students than actually caring about the student. 

The story was about the suspicions of this school principal about possible sexual impropriety between a priest and a student.  The question of what has actually happened is never answered and the viewer is asked to decide for themselves. 

Truly, a fascinating movie.

Next up was Slumdog Millionaire. 

This was the best of the movies, by far.  This was one of the most powerful movies of the year.

It is the story of a young man, born in the slums of Mumbai, with his life going downhill from there.  Death, kidnapping, thievery, loss of friends, etc. And then he goes on a gameshow, the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and wins.  The story is told in the present, with flashbacks.

The acting is superb.  The story is intriguing and sometimes endearing.  The ending is happy.  The look into the problems of this important country is fascinating and ferocious. 

If you don't see any other movie, see this one.

 

Last night, we went to see the movie, Milk.  Sad.  Uplifting.  Powerful.

Harvey Milk begins the movie by being quoted as saying he was 40 years old and had done nothing worth remembering.  By the age of 48, he had made such a huge impact on his community and on the gay rights movement, and that continues today. 

Again, great acting.  The shaky, blurry camera work was a little disorienting for me.  The PDA made us a little uncomfortable.  The way the movie showed how one had to work their way through the political system was realistic and insightful.  The quiet but strong personality of Harvey Milk was well-portrayed. 

It made one wonder where his successor was in this last round of anti-gay legislation in California. We need a leader on this issue again. 

This movie is inspirational.

Still on my list of movies to see are Frost/Nixon, I've Loved You For So Long, The Tale of Dersperaux, and Defiance.

Mr. Darcy...

According to the BBC, this watercolor miniature is of the man purported to be Mr. Darcy.  Yes, THAT Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.  It is expected to fetch 50,000 pounds.

I'm not all that thrilled with the white hair that was so fashionable then, so I photoshopped in some brown hair.  Ah, MUCH better.  He actually looks like a young man, here.

Could this guy have actually been as dreamy as the Mr. Darcy of THE BOOK? 

According to the BBC:  Austen wrote of her sadness, saying: "At length the day is come on which I am to flirt my last with Tom Lefroy... my tears flow as I write at the melancholy idea."

 

real girls...

We saw a very funny and touching movie last night, called Lars and the Real Girl. This is now out on DVD, which is how we saw it, and it is definitely worth seeing.

We had gone out to dinner with dear friends, both of whose daughters work in the entertainment business in L.A. After a lovely dinner in Sellwood (capped with absolutely heavenly bread pudding), we wandered around Willamette Park, then called their daughters looking for recommended DVD rentals. John and I see quite a few movies, so it took a while to get past ones we had seen (Charlie Wilson's War, Atonement, etc).

We settled around the big screen TV and were delighted with this film. The acting is wonderful, with a cast led by Ryan Gosling, who was excellent as the emotionally-numb young man who is unable to connect in his relationships till he buys a lifesize doll (Bianca) and the whole town works with him to get him through his delusion. Sounds really odd but it was delightful.

movie delight...

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, the delightful new film that just came out this weekend, was enchanting...much the way Amy Adams last movie (Enchanted) was. The characters are fun to watch, extremely well-played by the wonderful cast, and a visual delight. Oh, yes...and we get to hear Amy Adams sing again.

I am a huge fan of Frances McDormand, who plays the title character, Guinivere Pettigrew. She does a fabulous English accent, too. She goes from frumpy Cinder-woman to sophisticated Fairy Godmother to her charge, Delysia LaFosse (Adams). She first won my heart as the sheriff in Fargo.

Ciaran Hinds plays the man that sees her for who she truly is, and likes that about her. He's been a favorite since he played Captain Frederick Wentworth in Persuasion.

And then, there's Lee Pace. I just love him in the TV series, Pushing Daisies, and he is just as charming here as the poor piano player who loves the girl who is trying to sleep her way to the top.

After seeing films like In Bruges (horribly violent and NOT funny, though that was the way it was advertised) and There Will Be Blood in recent weeks, this film was a breath of fresh air...a springlike breeze after a harsh winter...well, you get my meaning...

Go see it!

mythology...

Juno was the wife of Zeus, and is the name of the title character of the movie we saw tonight.  Juno.  The critics have been raving about this film and so, we went to see it.  The theatre was packed and the audience loved this comic romp about a pregnant 16 year-old.  It might not sound like a funny premise to you parents out there, but the subject was handled with such wit and grace that I think this is a must-see film.

Feast of Love...

John and I went out to the movies last night, which we do ALOT...most Saturday nights, in fact.  We saw the film, Feast of Love, which stars Doug Kinnear, Morgan Freeman, Jane Alexander, and the City of Portland.  It made Portland look REALLY good. 

The funny thing was that they filmed at Reed College but called it Portland State.  They photoshopped in a football stadium behind one of the main Reed buildings.  They filmed Mt. Tabor as being in the N. Mississippi neighborhood.  It was all very weird.

John remarked that it could be funny if someone saw "Portland State" and might be really upset to find out that PSU looks nothing like what it did in the movie.

The movie was supposed to be about love and so I was ready for all the romance/broken love affairs but not for some of the other sadness, having to do with death.  I did enjoy the movie, though, and think it is well worth seeing.

It helped me get my mind off the embarrassing 40-14 loss of my dear OSU Beavs in the game against UCLA.  I mean, when we left for the movie, they were in the 4th quarter and just barely hanging on to their 14-12 lead.  With only 9 minutes remaining, how could they have so totally melted down?

movies galore...

Amazingly, the last four movies I have been to have been wonderful. 

First was the German film, The Lives of Others.  It is a powerful story about East Germany's Secret Police before the wall fell.  Scary, but so well done.

Next came The Namesake.  This film is about an Indian family and their lives in the U.S.  It is a powerful film about family and how immigrants mesh their old and new cultures. 

Last week, we saw The Black Book (Dutch-directed by Paul Verhoven).  It is set in WW2 Holland, and is about the Resistance and the Occupation of Holland.  My mom was a teenager in Holland at this time and the movie was very true to everything she has told me about what life was like then.  It's a must-see.

Last night, we saw the French film, Avenue Montaigne.  It is about the intersection of the lives of 4 very different people...a waitress, a tv-soap star, a concert pianist, a dying man who is selling off the art that he collected over a lifetime.  Fabulous.

I DO note that three of these four films are not American.  Hmmm...

movie review...

I enjoyed the movie (The Good Shepherd) last night, though Angelina Jolie did nothing for me.  She isn't that great an actress and in a 'normal' role (not as a sexy Lara Croft-type), she is unappealing.  Matt Damon was good, but his character was a total ass.  Total Ivy League-Frat Boy-knows better than the rest of us-type. 

I was engrossed by the story, but I didn't really like most of the characters, so that was less than satisfying.

Tonight, we're off to see the new James Bond...yay...

films to see...

Ross is going back to OSU on Sunday.  Adam leaves Tuesday.  There are so many movies that we want to see yet.  But John is sick...horrible cold...and we have been waiting to try to see things together. But now we are going off to see a movie without John, as time is running short.  We are seeing the Angelina Jolie/Matt Damon film, The Good Shepherd.  It is supposed to be really long, but really good.  Will report tomorrow.

academy awards...

One name...George Clooney...

He was awesome tonight.  And he had to compete with the ever-awesome Jon Stewart.  But George Clooney showed himself to be funny, smart, a great actor,a comedian, and a brilliant director.  I have more respect for him now than I ever did.  So, he's not just a pretty face.

My favorite moments:

On the red carpet, talking to some reporter, he deadpanned, "I don't like anyone else here.  Not at all.  You know that Ang Lee guy?  I don't like him.  I think he's a Communist!"  The reporter sort of did a double-take and then finally realized that he was kidding. 

I loved the skit at the beginning of the Oscars where Jon Stewart wakes up with (first) Halle Barry there and realizes he's just dreaming. Then, wakes up again and sees George Clooney.  When he asks Clooney if he is dreaming and Clooney says no, Jon Stewart does a little victory dance.  It was funny to see the sex symbol make a little fun of himself. 

And then when Jon Stewart says, "Good Night and Good Luck is not only the name of a movie.  It's what George Clooney says at the end of every date."  Clooney looks abashed.  He's a great straight man.

I did think it very bizarre that a rap song called "It's Hard for a Pimp" could win an Academy Award.  Of course, I hate rap and I don't really think that most movie audiences are big fans either.  And I thought it was totally disincongruous that the movie that won for Best Director also didn't win Best Picture.  Yes, I was disappointed that Crash won the Best Picture.  I didn't really like Crash.  I thought that the picture had an important theme, racial prejudice.  But I found the movie irritating because everyone in the movie was so horrible to everyone else, even those who were supposed to love each other...like husbands and wives.  There was no character at all that was a shining light in the movie...they were all terribly tarnished.  I thought it was sad and depressing and didn't reflect the world as I see it. 

All in all, I was entertained by the AA but not satisfied with many of the outcomes.  I was really pleased to see Reese Witherspoon win for Best Actress, though.  She was great in Walk the Line and I just really like her in general. 

How did you see it?

really good movie...

John and I went to see Mrs. Henderson Presents last night.  Judi Dench is up for the Academy Award for Best Actress for this film.  She was, as always, fabulous.  The film only got  a "C" when reviewed in our local paper, but we thought it was definitely an "A".  It was funny (but could, at times, bring on the tears), well-written, well-acted, interesting, and fun. 

This is 'based on a true story'...a widow buys a theatre and, when she starts to lose money, she decides to put nude girls in the show.  She attempts to convince old friend, Teddy, the minister in charge of approving all theatre content, to let her do this.  Her argument is that beautiful women's bodies are like works of art and should be seen as such.  Well, he takes her at her word and approves the nudity as long as the women don't move, at all.  Like works of art.

Kelly Reilly, last seen as Mr. Bingley's stuck-up sister on Pride and Prejudice, plays the lead (nude) girl.  She certainly had that stuck-up sneer-thing going on P&P, but she is obviously capable of much more, if this film is any indication.  She was very good in it.  Interestingly, Judi Dench also played the stuck-up Lady Catherine de Burgh in that same movie, so they were reunited in this film. 

Recommendation:  Go see it...

the good, the bad, and the ugly...

Wow.

This weekend was a high-to-low rollercoaster.  Dotted with meals involving turkey:  turkey sandwiches, turkey pot pie, turkey and mashed potatoes.

On Saturday morning, John and I went to a memorial service/brunch for our across-the-street neighbor of about 18 years.  He had been suffering from Alzheimer's for the past couple of years, living in an Alzheimer's Care Community.  It was truly a celebration of his life, and so was an uplifting experience for the most part. 

His daughter, Kitty, had recently recovered from a fight with Pancreatic Cancer (probably the deadliest cancer out there).  She was celebrating the fact that she had gone from a 5% chance of surviving for 5 years to an 85% chance of surviving 5 years.  She's a miracle!   We were happy to see all of the family, who live out of state.

NEXT...reading the newspaper, we read about a one-year-old boy who had drowned on Wednesday.  We immediately realized that it was the grandson of friends of ours.  How horrible!  Next Sunday is their annual Christmas Carol Party and we were planning on going.  Now, we're not sure that they will even have one.  The baby's funeral is on Saturday. 

Saturday night, we went out for Indian food (delicious!) and to see the movie, RENT.  Okay, so why was this movie a hit on Broadway for years and years?  It is about a bunch of friends that either:  have AIDS, are heroin addicts, refuse to get real jobs, totally diss anyone who actually is responsible and has a job, hate their parents (for no apparent reason) and on and on.  How do I identify with any of them? 

Sunday was somewhat better.  The kids were doing well when we made our Sunday morning phone calls.  My Mother-in-Law was in good spirits and was able to have good movement of her knee, when we went to visit her.   I finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha and restarted reading the newest Harry Potter.  John and Ross got the Christmas lights up and the house looks cheery and nice.

And now, I am headed into the kitchen to finish up the turkey soup...

weekend update...

We went out and saw The Corpse Bride last night...it was wonderful and weird and imaginative...so very Tim Burton.  If you like Tim Burton, you'll love this movie.

My lovely niece, Maranatha, and her husband just had their baby on Friday.  They named her Emma Johanna (Johanna is my mom's name) and they already sent me pictures.  She is gorgeous with lots of dark hair.  They look so happy with her. It reminded me of how much I loved snuggling with my babies when they were so small and smelled so good. 

Desperate Housewives has started again and it is just as good as last year. The ladies are just as outrageous and just as funny. Even my MIL and Adam are addicted. I am watching it right now as I type this. I am wondering just what twist will be revealed about the new neighbor who has someone locked up in her basement. I am also wondering just how long they can keep thinking of ways to keep Susan away from her hunky plumber.  And how cute was that little white top with the pearls sewn on that Gabrielle was wearing?  I want one!

This past week, my allergies went into overdrive.  What the heck is out there anyway?  It seems to be worse than past years.  My sinuses get all tickly and I sneeze and that whole runny nose thing starts happening.  Yuck.  Tell me it will all be over soon...

penguins...

We went to see The March of the Penguins tonight.  As everyone said, it is really a great movie.  The photography, the narration of Morgan Freeman, and the story of the penguins themselves were all wonderful.  Of course, when it was over, I said, 'Glad I'm a human.'  The walking, the freezing wind and temperatures, the regurgitation...let's just say, the penguins have a less-than-perfect life. 

Best advice, though...go see it!

Dogs and Gods...

Today was the 'Blessing of the Animals' service at our church.  Last year, we took Barley but now he's gone and that was very sad.  But there were tons of dogs there...probably 30 or more of them...as well as at least one cat, ferret, fish, bunny.  It was awesome.  All the animals were so well-behaved.  They sat there calmly and didn't fuss.  Everyone was out meeting and greeting in the courtyard after the service and that was fun, too.  People came from all around, too, not just the neighborhood. 

We saw The Brothers Grimm last night.  Very odd movie.  Very violent...don't take young kids.  We had a family with young kids sitting beside us who left about 20 minutes into the film.  Those kids will probably suffer with nightmares for weeks!  The movie left me  hot and cold.  Some of it I really liked but it was oddly disjointed and the acting was weak.  Save it for video, folks.

Bonnie is starting classes tomorrow and seems sorry that here idyllic summer has ended.  Though she is happy to see all her friends again, she is going to miss the quiet of Hamilton in the summer.  She said that she got so overwhelmed greeting everyone coming in yesterday, that she had to go and have a lie-down later.  Funny girl! 

neglectful...

I have been totally neglecting my blog...Sorry...but so many things seem to be grabbing my attention.

First off, Bonnie left to go back to school.  The days before she went were filled with taking her here and there so that she would be all packed up with goodies to take back with her.  What are parents for?

Secondly, my friend's mom died and I was doing stuff for her and then went to the funeral on Friday.

We are having a BBQ at our house for a local charity, and I spent Sunday in the garden, getting it all pretty.  Then spent all of today getting the house all pretty. 

I also have been brainstorming on a site redesign I have to do, and have not gotten far enough on that!

I did watch 2 old movies over the weekend.  Mrs. Miniver (made in 1942) and Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961).  Mrs. Miniver was a total propaganda piece for the British in WW2, but a good one...except for the American accents on all the stars (it is supposed to be Britain, after all) and the American looks of all the houses and properties.  Distracting.  Breakfast at Tiffany's has the awesome Audrey Hepburn and was a really fun romantic comedy, though Mickey Rooney as her Japanese neighbor was an insulting caricature and would never be allowed today.

Tomorrow is the BBQ and the house and yard are all ready.  I will spend the day working on the new web page and hopefully will feel a little more productive.

IF...tranquility...

Ah yes, I just love the tranquility of walking along a beach (especially a Caribbean one), picking up seashells, feeling the breeze in my hair, and putting my toes into the clear blue-green water every once in a while.  Pure bliss for me. 

My MIL used to live in Sarasota and, though I am not a big fan of Sarasota in general, the beach was divine!

Of course, Portland has a lovely harbor and yesterday the weather was absolutely perfect...about 80 degrees.  John, Ross, my MIL and I went out to dinner at the McCormick and Schmick's Harborside restaurant and had a fabulous dinner and then a walk along the Marina.  What a great way to spend the evening. 

After dropping my MIL off at home, John and I watched The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, with Cary Grant, Shirley Temple, and Myrna Loy.  I am in the mood these days to watch old movies and so have a collection that I have procured from the Library.  It is great fun.  This particular movie is Shirley Temple in her teens and she has her eye on a much-older Cary Grant (can't say as I could blame her).  Fun and funny...  Made in 1947.

summer stuff...

I took my MIL out to see Ladies in Lavendar, with Maggie Smith and Judy Dench.  It was a wonderful movie, about two sisters who find a young man, half-drowned, in the beach in front of their Cornwall home.  It was set between the two world wars.  It was charming, well-acted, and beautifully filmed.  Well worth seeing. 

We went out, afterward, to dinner at Papa Haydn.  Papa Haydn's is a fabulous restaurant on 23rd Avenue, with the most amazing desserts, ever.  Huge and delicious.  Anyway, we had a great time.  My MIL couldn't keep her eyes off this couple that was sitting behind me...the man was about 60 and the girl about 20.  I, at first, thought it was his daughter...till they started necking right there in a high-class restaurant.  Since I had my back to them, I couldn't see all the action but according to my MIL, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.  My MIL also remarked that she thought the young lady would fall out of her halter top if she leaned over too far.  When I teased her (MIL) about her interest in said couple, she said, "I don't get out much, anymore."  It was funny.

On the home front, I had a tile guy come over to inspect my shower.  A couple of years ago, I had our fiberglass shower replaced with tile.  Unfortunately, the guy I hired apparently didn't know what he was doing and the tile floor has been deteriorating ever since.  Now we have to have the floor ripped out and redone...all the way down to the shower pan.  There is no way to avoid it because there is water standing under the tile, making it a heaven for mold (to which I am horribly allergic and anyway is really bad for you).  Also, the tiles are breaking and it looks terrible.  Arghh...

Ross is learning to drive but is very nervous about it.  Every time we go out driving, he tells me how much it terrifies him.  I try to take him just a little further every day.  I try different routes and different conditions.  He is a very good natural driver, too. 

Ross also has no summer job, so now he is mine to boss around as I will.  He is going to help me clean out the garage and the basement, as well as organizing the rest of the house.  He doesn't seem to mind having to do that, though.  Hopefully, by the end of the summer, we will be living in the cleanest, best organized house in the state.