No general topic this month, just a bunch of completely random things that have crossed my mind.
Is there anything more annoying than that gummy adhesive stuff used to attach coupons you get in the mail on the flyers from department stores? I want to recycle the flyers but worry that the adhesive will gum up the works. I worry too much.
One of my many pet peeves is when I pull into a gas station and the attendant shows up by my window, takes my credit card, fills my tank, hands me back the card and receipt and never says a word. How about a thank you? If NJ made us pump our own gas, you wouldn't have a job, pal, so express some degree of gratitude, OK?
Is it just me or does everyone have trouble opening those thin plastic bags in the produce aisle? I always want to wet my fingers before I try, but I wouldn't like someone else doing that and then touching the produce.
I will continue to ignore those annoying warnings from my printer that I need to change my cartridge because I only have 90 pages left to print. Printing 90 pages could take me months!
I feel terrible: I just cheated on my car dealer and had the oil changed on my convertible at Quick (or is it “Kwik”?) Lube. But in my defense, these folks are completely as advertised – QUICK! I was in and out of there before I could finish reading the sports section in the Star-Ledger, and I didn’t have to impose on anyone for a drop-off or a pick-up. Not sure how I’ll handle this the next time I go to the dealer for maintenance. I guess I’ll start by peeling off that new sticker they slapped on the windshield. Hmmm.
If you live in Hillsborough, you have to drive with your eyes constantly scanning the road for deer. I know the reflection of a deer's eye versus any mailbox on my route. You have to around here, or you'll wind up hitting one. Yet they stand there and stare at you as you drive by, almost daring you to hit them, as if they had a lawyer waiting in the woods ready to sue you for deer abuse if you do. Now, wild turkeys can be added to my personal wild kingdom. I saw one trotting down Willow Road the other day.
It took me 61 years to eat my first clementine, and I wish I had started sooner. They are a great snack size, easier to peel than oranges, rarely have seeds and are delicious. Why did I wait so long?
I notice lately at the meetings I attend that there are more healthy choices available. Instead of bowls of M&Ms and pretzels, there are raw carrots and trail mix. I guess my being on Weight Watchers is having a good effect on the people with whom I meet. Sure do miss those M&Ms, but it is much easier not having them on the table, tempting me.
For those of you losing or trying to lose weight, don’t you wish you weighed now what you weighed when you first realized you needed to lose weight? We’d all be so much closer to where we want to be.
Do you ever notice that when you drive on a familiar route, you get to your destination without recalling how you got there? I might not remember making the required turns, but I end up where I am supposed to be. I'll just assume the car knows the way.
Speaking of which, often when I check the speedometer, it will be at exactly the speed limit without my having realized it. Again, the car is so familiar with the route that it not only knows the way, but it knows exactly how fast to go. Or it is possessed?
Another pet peeve: Why is the lighting on TV shows so dim? Who works in an office in real life that isn’t flooded with florescent light? Yet when we see characters on TV, you can barely make them out because the lighting is so dark.
Chills and fever = The meanest, most demonic couple since Boris and Natasha. No joke. The combination is more than a pain.
Flu = no appetite = weight loss. This practice is not recommended or endorsed by Weight Watchers, but hey, there has to be some silver lining to this cloud.
So Snooki (from "Jersey Shore," for those of you not in the know) is with child. I can think of no better endorsement for birth control.
A side effect of Tamiflu, the medication I am taking for my bout of flu, may be memory loss. Now, what was I saying? And will I remember to take it?
Imagine that the generation of kids growing up now will never have licked a stamp. They have probably only seen the “forever” variety. And they certainly won’t see any with 6¢ on them.
There are a few things I hate doing in life -- peeling an orange and shaving my legs come to mind -- but I have to confess I don't mind in the least doing my laundry. You throw it in the washer, pop it in the dryer, and, when you are done, you have fresh smelling, clean stuff to put away. Ironing, well that's another matter, but laundry is OK by me. It feels so good when you are done.
Pet Peeve -- I can't stand it when people say, "I think the point I was trying to make was..." You think the point was whatever? Shouldn't you know your own point?
Am I the only person who is bothered by the incorrect use of single quotes? I see them used in headlines and ads all of the time when conventional double quotation marks should be used. This misuse drives me crazy but also reminds me of what wonderful English teachers I had in grade school and high school. They taught me everything I know about grammar and punctuation.
Don’t you hate it when you are watching some TV program and you fall asleep just at the end? Did they win the big case? Who was the murderer? Who’s going home this week on "Biggest Loser?" That’s why I record so much on the DVR. I am constantly replaying the recording to find the answers to these burning questions.
Every time we change the clocks – in spring or fall – my sister and I have a conversation about what time we it is when we wake up the next day. “Is that new time or old time?” is the inevitable question. I love that extra hour in the fall – especially when I was working and totally sleep deprived. When we used to change the clocks at the end of October, I considered it my own personal birthday present since my birthday is October 28.
I watch a lot of ESPN SportsCenter, and for a while all I heard was Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow. Then we went to Linsanity, which, sadly lasted too short a time. And now it is Peyton Manning time. If Peyton signs with Denver, what’s Tim Tebow to do?
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Tina's February 2012 Movies
February, 2012
14. Namath* (2012) – This HBO documentary takes a frank look at Joe Namath, former quarterback for the New York Jets. From a star athlete at Beaver Falls, PA, High School through his career at Alabama, to his emergence as Broadway Joe, Namath became a legend. His then-whopping contract with the Jets contributed to the credibility of the American Football League, and his “guarantee” that the Jets would beat the Colts in the Super Bowl in 1967 helped popularize the sport to the fanatical level it enjoys today. His charisma made him one of the first true star pitchmen, memorably shaving with Noxema and wearing pantyhose in TV commercials. But all of that fame and notoriety didn’t make him immune to devastating injuries and his habit of suppressing the pain with alcohol. Still stoop-shouldered and now with a craggy face, Namath recalls his good times and bad with candor and a smile. He is the stuff of legends. 4 cans.
15. My Week With Marilyn* (2012) – I couldn’t imagine the waif-like Michelle Williams as the voluptuous Marylyn Monroe, but she pulls it off neatly in this look at the vulnerable and insecure actress. Just married to author Arthur Miller, Marilyn goes in England to star with Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branaugh) in a trifle of a movie later named “The Prince and the Showgirl.” She totes along her acting coach and production guy, who attempt to give her confidence, encouragement and drugs to get her through the task at hand. But it is Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) a lowly “third” – a third assistant director who is nothing more than a gofer with a penchant for the movies – who becomes her ally and friend. You know she will break his heart as he comforts and supports her through her near-breakdown. Colin is a cute young innocent himself, albeit the scion of a wealthy and connected family, and he enjoys this very special time with Marilyn. You can feel the fallibility of the shooting star that was Marilyn, a character of sorts that she herself felt she had to play. 4 cans.
16. Catfish* (2011) – Professional photographer Nev Schulman is flattered when a young girl sends him a painting she created from one of his photographs in this documentary. He strikes up an on-line relationship with young Abby, her mother, Angela, and her older sister, Megan. But as this cautionary tale shows, your Facebook friends may not turn out to be friends – or actual people – at all. When Nev and Megan get serious on-line, his filmmaker partners (brother Rel and friend Henry) decide to record the first meeting between them. Nev is left to figure out exactly what happened to a once-promising relationship and why. So do we, and that’s what makes this movie worth watching. 3½ cans.
17. The Descendents (2011) – Since I saw this movie last year, I won’t review it again except to say that I enjoyed it more the second time around. George Clooney was nominated for an Oscar in a role that I personally think falls short of providing the challenges worthy of such an accolade, but he delivers a solid performance. This isn’t a great movie even though we might want it to be, but it is worth seeing for Clooney and the young actresses who play his daughters, both of whom are outstanding.
18. The Best of Everything (1959) – A girl needs a good, trashy B-movie once in a while, and this melodrama fits the bill. Watching it is like seeing the prequel to “Mad Men,” with its coterie of women slaving away as unappreciated office workers while the men in the adjacent offices attempt to prey on them. The office bitch is played by Joan Crawford, who, in a “Devil Wears Prada” moment, instructs her new assistant, a hopeful Hope Lange, to simultaneously review scripts for the publishing company, straighten out the files and get her coffee. Does Lange’s character, armed with a degree from Radcliffe, aspire to the lonely heights of Crawford’s position, or does she really want to settle down with her boyfriend? Meanwhile, Suzy Parker’s character wants to be an actress and is willing to do anything for a part; Diane Baker falls for the wrong guy (played by Robert Evans, before he became a mega-producer and studio mogul); and Stephen Boyd’s executive drinks too much and chases Hope Lange. Juicy stuff, in a relatively tame 1959 way. 3½ cans.
19. The Wedding Date (2005) – If your sister were getting married and your ex was the best man, wouldn’t you want to show up and dazzle him to make him regret dumping you? Debra Messing’s Kat Ellis hires male escort Nick (Dermot Mulrooney) to play her new boyfriend, and the handsome and buff hooker with a heart lives up to the role. The plot is so obvious you can see it coming through a blizzard, but this is still a pleasant comedy with good turns by Messing, Mulrooney and Amy Adams as the sister. Another chick flick, yes, but with more laughs than “The Best of Everything.” 3½ cans.
20. Hugo* (2012) – This is a pretty good season for young, waif-like characters who spend a lot of time on their own searching for keys and clues (see “Extremely Close and Incredibly Loud”). Director Martin Scorsese’s title character is an orphan living in the Paris train station, keeping the clocks running and trying to avoid the mean man who runs the toy counter (Ben Kingsley) and the local police officer (Sacha Baron Cohen, complete with a Snively Whiplash mustache). The plot ambles along so slowly that I dozed during the first half of the movie. The story only began to catch my interest and keep me awake when it turned out to be related to making movies. As much as Scorsese would like this to be his “Cinema Paradiso,” it doesn’t compare to that beautiful paean to movies. The boy is trying to put things together (an automaton, primarily) and understand some old drawings and images. He partners with the nasty old man’s god-daughter on his adventure, but the plot is difficult to follow and in no way entertaining for kids. Maybe if I had seen this movie in 3D I would have enjoyed it more. Or maybe if I could ever enjoy fantasy, I could have gotten more out of it. But I will give it high praise for the incredible camera work and special effects, and some of the visual imagery is stunning. But overall, I just couldn’t connect with the boy and his strange 1930s world. For that matter, if the story took place in Paris, why did everyone sound English? 3½ cans, all for the brilliant visual work.
21. Same Time, Next Year (1978) – I could watch this movie same time, any year. Even though I know it is about infidelity, the relationship between George (Alan Alda) and Doris (Ellen Burstyn) is just so warm and genuine. They meet at a seaside resort, where George is staying on business and Doris stops on her way to a religious retreat. They instantly bond, despite having spouses they love, and pledge to meet each year for more trysts. Their separate lives intersect through stories about their families and events they could not have anticipated. I find this movie moving, funny and heart-warming. 4 cans.
14. Namath* (2012) – This HBO documentary takes a frank look at Joe Namath, former quarterback for the New York Jets. From a star athlete at Beaver Falls, PA, High School through his career at Alabama, to his emergence as Broadway Joe, Namath became a legend. His then-whopping contract with the Jets contributed to the credibility of the American Football League, and his “guarantee” that the Jets would beat the Colts in the Super Bowl in 1967 helped popularize the sport to the fanatical level it enjoys today. His charisma made him one of the first true star pitchmen, memorably shaving with Noxema and wearing pantyhose in TV commercials. But all of that fame and notoriety didn’t make him immune to devastating injuries and his habit of suppressing the pain with alcohol. Still stoop-shouldered and now with a craggy face, Namath recalls his good times and bad with candor and a smile. He is the stuff of legends. 4 cans.
15. My Week With Marilyn* (2012) – I couldn’t imagine the waif-like Michelle Williams as the voluptuous Marylyn Monroe, but she pulls it off neatly in this look at the vulnerable and insecure actress. Just married to author Arthur Miller, Marilyn goes in England to star with Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branaugh) in a trifle of a movie later named “The Prince and the Showgirl.” She totes along her acting coach and production guy, who attempt to give her confidence, encouragement and drugs to get her through the task at hand. But it is Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) a lowly “third” – a third assistant director who is nothing more than a gofer with a penchant for the movies – who becomes her ally and friend. You know she will break his heart as he comforts and supports her through her near-breakdown. Colin is a cute young innocent himself, albeit the scion of a wealthy and connected family, and he enjoys this very special time with Marilyn. You can feel the fallibility of the shooting star that was Marilyn, a character of sorts that she herself felt she had to play. 4 cans.
16. Catfish* (2011) – Professional photographer Nev Schulman is flattered when a young girl sends him a painting she created from one of his photographs in this documentary. He strikes up an on-line relationship with young Abby, her mother, Angela, and her older sister, Megan. But as this cautionary tale shows, your Facebook friends may not turn out to be friends – or actual people – at all. When Nev and Megan get serious on-line, his filmmaker partners (brother Rel and friend Henry) decide to record the first meeting between them. Nev is left to figure out exactly what happened to a once-promising relationship and why. So do we, and that’s what makes this movie worth watching. 3½ cans.
17. The Descendents (2011) – Since I saw this movie last year, I won’t review it again except to say that I enjoyed it more the second time around. George Clooney was nominated for an Oscar in a role that I personally think falls short of providing the challenges worthy of such an accolade, but he delivers a solid performance. This isn’t a great movie even though we might want it to be, but it is worth seeing for Clooney and the young actresses who play his daughters, both of whom are outstanding.
18. The Best of Everything (1959) – A girl needs a good, trashy B-movie once in a while, and this melodrama fits the bill. Watching it is like seeing the prequel to “Mad Men,” with its coterie of women slaving away as unappreciated office workers while the men in the adjacent offices attempt to prey on them. The office bitch is played by Joan Crawford, who, in a “Devil Wears Prada” moment, instructs her new assistant, a hopeful Hope Lange, to simultaneously review scripts for the publishing company, straighten out the files and get her coffee. Does Lange’s character, armed with a degree from Radcliffe, aspire to the lonely heights of Crawford’s position, or does she really want to settle down with her boyfriend? Meanwhile, Suzy Parker’s character wants to be an actress and is willing to do anything for a part; Diane Baker falls for the wrong guy (played by Robert Evans, before he became a mega-producer and studio mogul); and Stephen Boyd’s executive drinks too much and chases Hope Lange. Juicy stuff, in a relatively tame 1959 way. 3½ cans.
19. The Wedding Date (2005) – If your sister were getting married and your ex was the best man, wouldn’t you want to show up and dazzle him to make him regret dumping you? Debra Messing’s Kat Ellis hires male escort Nick (Dermot Mulrooney) to play her new boyfriend, and the handsome and buff hooker with a heart lives up to the role. The plot is so obvious you can see it coming through a blizzard, but this is still a pleasant comedy with good turns by Messing, Mulrooney and Amy Adams as the sister. Another chick flick, yes, but with more laughs than “The Best of Everything.” 3½ cans.
20. Hugo* (2012) – This is a pretty good season for young, waif-like characters who spend a lot of time on their own searching for keys and clues (see “Extremely Close and Incredibly Loud”). Director Martin Scorsese’s title character is an orphan living in the Paris train station, keeping the clocks running and trying to avoid the mean man who runs the toy counter (Ben Kingsley) and the local police officer (Sacha Baron Cohen, complete with a Snively Whiplash mustache). The plot ambles along so slowly that I dozed during the first half of the movie. The story only began to catch my interest and keep me awake when it turned out to be related to making movies. As much as Scorsese would like this to be his “Cinema Paradiso,” it doesn’t compare to that beautiful paean to movies. The boy is trying to put things together (an automaton, primarily) and understand some old drawings and images. He partners with the nasty old man’s god-daughter on his adventure, but the plot is difficult to follow and in no way entertaining for kids. Maybe if I had seen this movie in 3D I would have enjoyed it more. Or maybe if I could ever enjoy fantasy, I could have gotten more out of it. But I will give it high praise for the incredible camera work and special effects, and some of the visual imagery is stunning. But overall, I just couldn’t connect with the boy and his strange 1930s world. For that matter, if the story took place in Paris, why did everyone sound English? 3½ cans, all for the brilliant visual work.
21. Same Time, Next Year (1978) – I could watch this movie same time, any year. Even though I know it is about infidelity, the relationship between George (Alan Alda) and Doris (Ellen Burstyn) is just so warm and genuine. They meet at a seaside resort, where George is staying on business and Doris stops on her way to a religious retreat. They instantly bond, despite having spouses they love, and pledge to meet each year for more trysts. Their separate lives intersect through stories about their families and events they could not have anticipated. I find this movie moving, funny and heart-warming. 4 cans.
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