Some recent PostSecrets

04/05/2009

05/31/2009

06/07/2009

06/14/2009

06/21/2009

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Par for the course for a second movie of a trilogy, Transformers 2 is not as good as 1.

But I didn't hate it. (High praise, huh?)

What I did really, really hate was the scene where Sam's brain is probed. It was awful and had a totally different tone than the whole rest of the movie. I felt like they had taken a scene from a horror movie and dropped it into this sci-fi, adventure movie.

I also really did not like Michael Bay's overuse of the spinning, circular camera shot. Give it a rest, dude! Is that all you've got?

The Sam/Mikaela relationship was cute and Sam's parents were a hoot.

All in all, I enjoyed it. Just go to the bathroom during the torture scene . . .

What?

I saw a sticker today that said, "DEMOCRACY DON'T FALL FOR IT"

What does that mean?

Fifteen Books

The meme is to choose fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. This can be a quick one. Don't take too long to think about it. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. Tag 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose . . .

1. D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths by Ingri & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
4. Our Bodies, Ourselves by The Boston Women's Health Book Collective
5. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
6. 1000 White Women by Jim Fergus
7. Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund
8. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
9. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
10. A Story that Stands Like a Dam by Russell Martin
11. Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner
12. Native Son by Richard Wright
13. The Color Complex by Midge Wilson, Kathy Russell and Ronald Hall
14. Sally Hemings by Barbara Chase Riboud
15. Divided Sisters by Midge Wilson and Kathy Russell

In no particular order! I'm sure I've left more momentous books out which I will think of as soon as I post this. Many of the books, especially the older ones, I've included because of the lasting impact they had on me, either by virtue of the book itself or because of where I was in my life when I read it.

The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike

Since I really enjoyed the movie version of Witches of Eastwick, I decided to read Widows of Eastwick. But I couldn't read Widows of Eastwick without having read Witches of Eastwick first.

The book and movie are vastly dissimilar. That I found this surprising is surprising. I mean, I've read enough books after seeing the movie adaptations to be well acquainted with the fact that the book and the movie are often vastly dissimilar. But I was surprised.

What I also found surprising is how intriguing I found Updike's prose. I read novels for plot. I skim the extraneous details, the superfluous descriptions. If it doesn't move the plot forward, it doesn't hold my attention.

And yet, Updike's prose grabbed me in spite of myself. Yes, even the ridiculously lengthy recitation of Jane's middle of the night cello concert kept me, if not engrossed, at least paying attention.

I enjoyed the story told by the movie better, especially the end but on a more superficial level. I found the book's story deeper, more conflicted, more unapologetic about its main characters' amorality.

Now, on to the Widows . . .

Ok, so it wasn't THAT bad

The Pepsi Center holds 20,100 for a concert with a center stage.

A conservative guess is 5 teenage girls for every parent. That puts it at about 16000+ teen and pre-teen girls. 16000+ girls, all of whom would erupt in screams for no apparent reason. I'm talking pre-concert, nothing going on except young girls screaming.

We had awesome, unbelievably excellent seats. 2nd row, right in front of the stage entrance and exit. By the time the Jonas Brothers came on, everyone had figured out where they would be entering from so the powers that be brought them in in an equipment box. But we did get to watch Honor Society and Jordin Sparks enter and exit and the security production when the Jonas Brothers exited was quite impressive.

The show was very energetic and had some cool effects, including a water feature that rained shapes including hearts. In a nod to the parents, they performed Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline.

The girls were on such a high from the concert that they didn't even complain when we walked all the way back to the hotel.

You really should envy me

Why?

'Cause I'm going to see the Jonas Brothers tonight.

In Denver. (Hey, it's only a four hour drive.)

With a 17 year old, a 16 year old and a 12 year old.

We might even get to meet them.

Aren't you jealous?

The Proposal

Recently I've been disappointed by romantic comedies. So disappointed that I found it hard to believe that I was actually watching an enjoyable romantic comedy.

Rachel and I looked at each other early on and said, "This is funny!" But I couldn't resist adding, "So far."

Well, it maintained throughout the duration.

I read that it exceeded all box office expectations in its first weekend and I can see why.

Betty White was a character, rolling her eyes and making gentle sarcastic remarks. Mary Steenburgen was genteel in her puzzlement. Sandra Bullock really does excel at the romantic comedy genre. Ryan Reynolds was a treat as a cute lovable leading man, able to pull off the put upon assistant but also able to transition to the strong masculine Alaskan.

The Year of the Meatball

Food & Wine was excellent as always but there was a slightly toned down vibe. Not to say there wasn't excess. It is Aspen, after all.

But the event which usually sells out in March still had tickets available at kick off and was selling day passes for the first time since in more than 10 years. The PR people were spinning like crazy, calling it a "soft" sell out. The schedule was pared back, with at least one, if not two, fewer seminars. And the Grand Tasting pavilions weren't quite as crowded, either with vendors or with patrons. The food during the Grand Tastings wasn't as over the top either, although it's amazing how high end a good chef can make mac 'n cheese taste. No caviar this year but still, tenderloin, scallops, shrimp, tuna, lamb, ribs, Korean bibimbap, pot stickers, paella, prosciutto, Thai food, shrimp po' boys, and meatballs. Lots of exquisitely seasoned, tender meatballs of all persuasions.

And the wines. Yum! I, who doesn't like chardonnay, fell in love with a $150 a bottle chardonnay from Evening Land Vineyards, their Oregon Seven Springs Chardonnay. And of course, I found the Destination Riesling tables (yes, plural) and sampled all 15 or so rieslings. Selbach-Oster!

The Seyval Blanc that Brian Duncan served on Sunday morning is my best new find. Always nice to have a tasty alternative when I can't find a Riesling on the menu.

I managed to pace myself quite well during all the Grand Tastings until Sunday when I quite lost control. Steve had to come get me (or I wouldn't have been able to find my house) and I had to go home and pass out at, like, 1 in the afternoon.

A Prairie Home Companion

I know that I'm not a fan of the radio show.

I guess maybe I'm not a Robert Altman fan, either.

I am, however, a Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, Tommy Lee Jones fan.

Which is why I thought I might enjoy the movie.

Wrong!

Steve, Rachel and I watched it together and all three of us had the same reaction. The movie was just weird. As Steve said, it took all of the least funny parts of the radio show and made a movie out of them with some additional weirdness mixed in.

Pretty much a waste of time. At least, we got it out of the library for free . . .

The Hangover

I don't like these kinds of movies.

Frat boy humor. Yuck.

And yet . . .

While it was a victim of its hype in that I didn't like it as much as I was led to believe I might, I liked it better than its genre would suggest.

It was pretty out there and yet it always managed to pull back just before it fell irretrievably over the edge.

Instead of just being a gross frat boy over the top extravaganza, it resolutely held fast with an underlying sweetness and I laughed in spite of myself.

The photos during the end credits are as funny as the whole rest of the movie.

The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Brooks uses the true story of an ancient Jewish book saved by a Muslim museum curator during the Bosnian war as a jumping off point to take the reader on a sweeping, if fitful, journey through the centuries.

In the spirit of novels which imagine the realities behind works of art such as Tracy Chevalier's Girl with the Pearl Earring, Brooks uses clues found in the binding of the ancient work to fashion a creation story, one that unblinkingly exposes the reader to the separate and intertwined struggles of Jews and Muslims, especially as they attempted to navigate a harsh Christian world.

A bit choppy as it jumps back and forth between present day and days past, the novel also has a disingenuous foray into romance which hits a false note.

But, when it's focused on its primary mission, that of detailing the past, the book finds its groove.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Other than a nice opportunity to drool over the eye candy that is called Hugh Jackman, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is just ok.

I'm an X-Men fan. I have been for about 20 years. I've enjoyed the other X-Men movies.

I don't know if it's because I saw it shortly after seeing Star Trek and it suffered in comparison but this movie was so-so.

There was a rote feel to the movie, that of just going through the motions.

But, put Hugh Jackman in another X-Men movie and I'll see it too . . .

The Girl with No Shadow by Joanne Harris

A pleasant enough read.

While I have read another Joanne Harris novel, it was not Chocolat. That one I saw as a movie. I mean who can pass up a movie adaptation with Johnny Depp? Usually, if I hadn't already read the book, I would read it as a follow up to the movie but with this one did not do so.

So, while I picked up this book because of my familiarity with its characters, I'm unsure as to whether the book version and the movie version of the characters are all that similar, although it does occur to me that since Harris wrote this sequel after the movie, she could very well have smoothed out any discrepancies.

I was never enthralled but the book kept my interest well enough. Because Harris makes no bones about Zozie's amorality, a sense of impending doom hangs over the entire novel which frustrated me but also kept me invested enough to see how it all played out.

The novel is rife with identity issues and morals about the perils of not being true to one's self.

Star Trek

I would not call myself a Trekkie.

I occasionally watched the original series. I've never watched an episode of any of spin-offs. I didn't like the movies (with one exception below).

But, did I enjoy this movie! Exhilarating fun. Adventure. Heroes. And so many great nods to Star Trek lore.

I will admit that I also really enjoyed Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home when it came out in 1986. It had a sense of humor and I'm a sucker for time travel. According to Leonard Nimoy, IV was the most successful of the Star Trek movies.

This movie too reaches me as a non Trekkie. By tapping the humor element and including a healthy dose of time travel, the movie successfully capitalizes on previous popular elements.

While I'm aware that many "true" fans don't agree, I felt the alternate reality gambit was a clever way to deal with the difficulties of developing a prequel. It also provides much flexibility for any future projects.

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Let me just start by saying that I highly recommend this book.

Just as I was beginning it, a friend forwarded me a rather snarky analysis of Kearns Goodwin's thesis or, I should say, thesis as he imagined it. I'm still not clear on whether he actually read the book or was just reacting to the press about it but, thankfully, I stopped reading about two lines in when his condescension became clear. Suffice it say that he believes that there was nothing remarkable about Lincoln's cabinet since all presidents up to that time culled their governments from their rivals.

Thankfully, Kearns Goodwin analysis of Lincoln is far more nuanced. While she clearly has a love affair going on with our 16th president, she persuasively shares Lincoln's qualities with her readers. As painted by Kearns Goodwin, Lincoln was a remarkable, ambitious but not egotistical, pragmatist. His ability to look past his rivals' personal slights and to see the strengths that they could bring to bear coupled with his innate diplomacy allowed him to cobble together a government during this country's most trying times.

Would that Lincoln's abilities had been equally as successful in his choices of generals. The most frustrating part of reading this book was the repetitiousness of the struggles Lincoln experienced with his parade of incompetent generals. More than once I found myself exclaiming out loud in frustration as Kearns Goodwin related yet another ridiculous episode with this general or that one.

Kearns Goodwin is obviously enamored of her subject and successfully persuades the reader that this admiration is well placed.

Up

Pixar scores again.

So many resonating images. Days later, we're still referencing the dogs' collars in routine conversation.

The creative minds at Pixar have such a knack for creating these fantastical movies which sample our everyday lives.

Add to that the visual experience that is Pixar and Up is too fun.

In the spirit of PostSecret

Today, I was scanning some Facebook alumni groups for my high school and elementary school and was surprised to find myself looking for friends and classmates who have passed away.

Liz Peterson, Paula Kendall, Kerri Gagnier

I had to remind myself that, even though it feels like I've just lost touch with them, that's not the reality . . .

This week's PostSecret favorite

I showed this to Rachel, hoping that she'd take note.

"Whatever, Mom," was the response I received.

My Life in Ruins

The first half was pretty bad. Bad enough that Rachel and I turned and said to each other virtually simultaneously, "This is really bad." We were the only ones in the movie theater.

Basically, the set up was painful. One episode after another, each more uncomfortable to watch.

Luckily, it did improve. The second half of the movie was palatable. Not good, but comparatively, what a relief.

I wouldn't recommend it.

Tokyo Sonata

Hmmm.

I liked it.

Or did I?

The winner of 11 awards from 8 different film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, the Chicago International Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize and two Best Director awards for Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

I suspect that there was a fair amount that just culturally doesn't translate. I spent a fair amount of time trying to decipher what was cultural dissonance and what was filmmaker's license.

The movie was methodically paced which some audience members didn't appreciate, judging by their comments as we were filing out.

No question that it's an art house film. Full of angst, symbolism, repetitive imagery . . .

Sugar

Highly acclaimed, nominated for the Grand Jury Prize of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and for the 2009 Independent Spirit Award.

Sugar is the story of Miguel "Sugar" Santos, a 20 year old pitching phenom from the Dominican Republic who arrives in the US to find that he's basically cannon fodder for the professional baseball farm team system. Baseball is merely the vehicle for exploring the culture shock experienced by a talented import and the reality of the pursuit of the American Dream through sports.

Sugar is the antithesis of the Disneyfication of the sports story. We travel with Sugar, experiencing his triumphs, his alienation and his self-respect salvaging choice.

No pat answers here, but plenty of thought provoking depth. Even Sugar is left wondering.

Parking :-(

Came home from a movie to find the parking lot full.

This bums me out. I mean, we only have one car. We're supposed to have a place to park it.

Hmph!

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

After breakfast at the b&b, we headed out to the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. As with the Grand Canyon, the North Rim is the less frequented rim and since the weather was a bit chilly and cloudy, we basically had the place to ourselves.

Just the way we like it.

The Black Canyon is a stunning place and not for those who suffer from vertigo.

We had rotating clouds, sunshine, rain, thunder and hail during our Rim Drive and forays to the various viewpoints. It made for a wildly varied sightseeing experience.

Home after a leisurely approximately 3 hour drive and now we're off to see Up.

Colorado Wine Country

Took off for a quick overnight to Paonia to visit some wineries. We went to 4, Azura, Stone Cottage, Terror Creek and Black Bridge. The last 3 are true wineries in the sense that they grow the grapes and make the wine. The first is a beautiful property with a fabulous location and views. The proprietors at all 4 were welcoming and friendly, a necessity for the business they've chosen. Small producers all, it was fun to chat with people who love what they're doing. The wines varied in quality and varietals. Though we enjoyed them all, my favorite winery was Black Bridge while Steve's was Stone Cottage.

A yummy dinner at Eleni's Uptown and now a room (#8) at The Bross, a charming historic B&B a block off Paonia's main drag.

Tomorrow, maybe the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Daily posting

I'm trying to get back in the habit of posting every day (regardless of whether I have anything to say) but I'm not motivated enough to actually get the laptop out so today's post will be this kind of lame email. I'm not sure why I want to post daily especially when I don't have much to say but there it is.

I did go to see an entertaining foreign film this evening, Moscow Belgium. Or it might have been Belgium Moscow. Either way, it was an interesting study of a 41 year old mother of three with a wandering husbnd and a boyfriend 10+ years her junior as she figures out how to put her life back together.

There. Aren't you glad I didn't skip today? Hmph.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29

Fun.

Didn't really know what to expect.

The local reviewer kinda panned it (altho I didn't get past the headline, "'Harvard Beats Yale' lacks winning formula").

We really enjoyed it.

Part of the charm actually was our unfamiliarity with the game. It's just so preposterous.

It was great also seeing the connections with Garry Trudeau, Al Gore, Meryl Streep.

It was just fun.

The Transformation

June 26, 2008

December 22, 2008

February 26, 2009

March 3, 2009

April 9, 2009

May 7, 2009

May 23, 2009

June 1, 2009

June 1, 2009

June 1, 2009