A vacation to Spain interrupted my movie watching, so there are only 9 movies on this month's list. They are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 being the top rating. Those movies I had not seen previously are marked with an asterisk. Numbering picks up from previous months.
109. All of Me (1984) – Steve Martin shows off his physical comedy prowess in this fantasy about an uptight lawyer/musician whose body becomes inhabited by an eccentric woman after a plan designed to help the dying millionaire (Lily Tomlin) switch bodies with a vibrant young woman (Victoria Tennant) goes awry. Martin and Tomlin battle it out over body territory as they each control half, which makes shaving and relieving himself nearly impossible. The story is a trifle, but the performances are so much fun to watch. Martin has had two memorable dances in his career, one amazing stint on the dance floor with Gilda Radner on an episode of “Saturday Night Live” to the tune of “Dancing In the Dark,” and the closing dance sequence here, set to the title tune. Martin is truly a gift from heaven. 3½ cans.
110. Queen of Katwe* (2016) – Ten-year old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) and her mother (the graceful and fierce Lupita Nyongo) live with her brothers and sisters in Katwe, a village in Uganda, barely subsisting on the sale of vegetables. The children don’t go to school, don’t know how to read and can only look forward to a lifetime of hardships. But then Phiona meets Coach Katende (David Oyelowo), who teaches the local children to play chess. Phiona is a prodigy, growing so skilled that she beats the teacher and is accused by one of her opponents of “reading my mind.” But considering her background, can she possibly become a chess master and use her status to improve her living conditions? This movie is based on a true story, and it is delivered with intensity and warmth. Who is braver? The teenaged chess champion facing off against more educated and experienced players? Or the mother, dealing with weather disasters without a roof over the head of her family? This is a Disney movie, and you know they don’t dwell on defeat, so you can figure out where this is headed. But the ride is a good one. 3½ chess pieces.
111. The Four Seasons (1981) – Any movie that starts with soaring music from Vivaldi is bound to get your attention, and this examination of three close-knit couples delivers. Alan Alda wrote this comedy/drama about six people who vacation together, get on each other’s nerves, care for each other, laugh together and, every now and then, let loose with a judgmental evisceration of each other. Yet, for the most part, it is entertaining. Alda has always tended to be preachy in my view, and this movie is no exception. The highly-likeable cast (couples Alda and Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno and Jack Weston and Len Cariou with first wife Sandy Dennis and second wife the considerably younger Bess Armstrong) has plenty of chemistry. I recall liking this one better at first view, but it was an interesting study of the dynamics between couples and friends. 3 cans.
112. The Girl on the Train* (2016) – Here’s my summary: Girl gets on a train, girl gets off a train, girl drinks too much on the train and we know it’s not water in that bottle. Rachel (Emily Blunt) is a hot mess. Fired from her job because of her drinking, she boards the Metro North line every day so her roommate (Laura Prepon of OITNB fame) won’t know she’s unemployed. Despite her alcoholic haze, she is able to see clearly into the homes and lives of the people whose houses she passes. She yearns to be living in her former home with now-ex Tom (Justin Theroux) and fantasizes about the lives of the attractive young couple Megan and Scott (Haley Bennett and Luke Evans), who hang out on the deck of their house down the street from Tom entirely too much. Tom has remarried and has a young daughter with wife Anna (Rebecca Ferguson), but that doesn’t keep Rachel from calling him, stalking Anna and recalling past incidents that make her feel responsible for the demise of her marriage. When Megan goes missing, Rachel thinks she has information that could help solve the case. She also thinks she might have had something to do with harming Megan, since she can’t recall why she herself came home bloody and bruised the night Megan disappeared. This is a whodunit about a bunch of people with lots of problems. Because it jumps back and forth in time and because two of the three women look very much alike, it can be confusing. It definitely helped that I read the book first. It was not quite as twisty as “Gone Girl” and not quite as suspenseful as “Fatal Attraction,” movies of the same genre, but it held my attention. Emily Blunt has the right amount of desperation and smeared make-up, the men are all creepy, and Allison Janney reminds us (in a small part as the detective) of her dramatic chops. By the end of the movie, I wished Rachel had just driven instead of taking the train. Still, 3½ train cars.
113. Notting Hill (1999) – She is a movie star with a megawatt smile. He is an unassuming owner of a travel book bookstore. One day she walks into his store and changes his life. Julia Robert is the American star and Hugh Grant is the English bookstore proprietor in this utterly charming story about two people from different worlds exploring their possibilities. He is surrounded by good friends while she is swallowed up by fame, chased by photographers and hounded by the press. She can break his heart, but will she? Will he let her? Could he recover? Watch this movie for the answers to these burning questions. There is a great scene between them towards the end that is worth the price of admission. Good cast, good story, good movie. 4 cans.
114. Still Mine* (2013) – Craig (James Cromwell) is a stubborn guy. Although he is in his 80s (and Cromwell is clearly younger), he is convinced he can construct a new house for his ailing and failing wife, Irene (an unrecognizable Genevieve Bujold), on a piece of property he owns. The man knows his lumber, and his construction skills are stellar, but that’s not enough to satisfy the local town authorities and their building codes. As he defiantly continues building, he also cares for his increasingly frail wife, who is given to severe lapses in memory and who can wander off and fall. Theirs is a solid relationship – as solid as the perfectly plumb and square house, a one-story structure where Craig and Irene can live instead of in their old place, where Irene can’t climb the stairs so the bathroom is outside. Cromwell is magnificent in the part of the husband, father and master builder. But Irene is getting worse, requiring more care, and she may never get a chance to live in their new home. This is a tender love story about a 61-year relationship, about love and trust AND carpentry. 3½ cans.
115. Money Monster* (2016) – George Clooney and Julia Roberts team up in this suspense movie about one of those TV financial gurus who dispense glib advice and seldom think of the consequences. But a young man who has lost a considerable sum (for him, but peanuts to Clooney’s character) invades the TV station while the “Money Monster” show is live and threatens to kill Clooney if he cannot explain the huge drop in the stock price of one of his picks and everyone jumps to track down the shady character who runs the company. Clooney has sympathy for the guy, while Roberts, the director, just wants to get everyone out alive. This is exactly why I don’t watch and cannot stand these kinds of programs, where the so-called experts espouse their theories with sound effects and razzle-dazzle as if they know everything. Clooney and Roberts always make a good team. 3½ cans.
115. The Meddler* (2015) -- Some might call it meddling. Some might call it mothering. I call it annoying when Susan Sarandon, a lonely widow with a lovely, grown daughter (Rose Byrne), shows up unannounced and proceeds to intervene in the young woman’s life, assuming relationships to her friends and generally meaning well but pestering the daughter no end. Until she meets a completely different sort of guy (J. K. Simmons) and realizes she might be able to have a life of her own. This movie is very similar to the road trip one with Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen – two well-meaning mothers and the children they drive crazy. No, thanks. 2½ cans.
116. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2* (2015) – We know the characters, the Windex jokes, the smothering family (see above) – so nothing is new in this sequel to the delightful Nia Vardalos original, so I didn’t have high hopes after reading tepid reviews. But I found myself laughing out loud more than once at the antics of the Greek family, admiring their closeness and even appreciating a plot that stretched things out more than necessary. Nia wrote and stars as daughter Toula, but it is Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan as her parents and Andrea Martin as her aunt who get off the best lines. John Corbett as Toula’s non-Greek husband comes across as the blandest, but, after all, he is not Greek. 3½ cans.
117. Dirty Dancing (1987) – Since I am going to see a stage version of this memorable movie in a few days, I thought it would be a good time to view the original in all its glory. Patrick Swayze’s duck-tailed dancing dervish, Johnny Castle, is the bad boy of Kellerman’s Catskills Resort, spending his summers cha-chaing with the guests, until he and Baby Hausman (Jennifer Grey) and her family come along. Johnny teaches Baby more than how to dance. Swayze, whose character dons a shirt only occasionally, is all sinewy muscles and grinding hips as he and his fellow dirty dancers tear up the staff cabins and the dance floor. Is there anyone who hasn’t see this movie? Great music, great dancing and an excellent cast. Corny, yes, but I could watch it again and again. I hope the stage show is even half as good. I had the time of my life. 4 cans.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Random Thoughts for Fall 2016
Every time I even think about leaving the house with the washing machine going, it nosily reminds me not to abandon my post by making one of those sounds like a jet is landing in the laundry room.
Rainy day, perfect for reading a book, watching a movie or taking a nap? Why does that so rarely happen? We are all too damn busy!
It’s tough enough to walk by the Entemann’s display at ShopRite but when the sign reads “Half Off?” Keep walking, girl.
Since we live in a society dominated by electronic communications, why is it that I still have to contend with so many pieces of paper?
As if this world weren’t scary enough already, now we have the threat of creepy clowns terrorizing towns and schools. What is going on?
And speaking of creepy, while I loved listening to Casey Kasem and American Top 40 back in the day, I find it a little creepy when the Oldies station replays his AT40 broadcasts from the 1970s, as if he were still behind the microphone – like Cousin Brucie. Casey’s been gone long enough now, and it is jarring to hear him sound very much alive.
I find it odd that people who swear often say, “Pardon my French.” What makes them think that the swear word they just said was French? I took four years of French in high school and, trust me, we never got around to swear words.
It’s not hard coming up with stuff to include in this blog every month (until now…), but it IS hard to remember it. If I don’t write it down as soon as it pops into my mind, the cleverest thing can easily be lost. You know what I mean. I have actually called myself to leave a voice mail message when I get a sudden inspiration in the car and cannot stop to write it down immediately. Then I come home and see the message light blinking and I wonder, “Who called?” Duh.
You know that there is a “weather event” when I have the Weather Channel on my TV. I think if I saw Jim Cantore on the street, I’d instantly evacuate. I just don’t get how these people can broadcast through power outages (their own generators, I assume), through blinding snow, furious winds and tidal waves. And why would they want to? Some of the information they provide is so detailed and scientific that I don’t know what they are talking about. But I loved it when they switched to a reporter who simply said, “It’s bad.” That I understand!
I bought a big digital clock and put it right by the garage door so I could see exactly how late I am when I leave the house. Like now, when I am writing about my big digital clock instead of leaving on time…
The woman sitting next to me in the nail salon today might just as well have been in a welding shop, judging by the amount of power tools used on her hands. In the event of a power outage, she would have been left with claws.
Is there anything more BORING than sitting in the nail salon, waiting for your nails to dry? You can’t pick up a magazine, scratch your nose (well, carefully, I guess) or use your phone – unless you can do that with your chin. I wish I had more patience. And while my gel manicure will last several weeks, sitting in the salon soaking my hands in nail polish remover will eventually take so much time that I could write a book. I can’t do that with my hands in the foul-smelling chemical bath, either.
I passed a sign that read “Kickboxing Class,” and it occurred to me that if the middle letters were missing, that sign would read “Kick Ass.” OK, so I amuse myself.
The other day I heard the word CONFLATE used twice, by two different people, both done correctly. I can’t express how thrilled I was!
Somehow I seem to have built up a new tolerance for Neil Diamond. Where I couldn’t change the station fast enough when any of his songs came on the radio (except “Sweet Caroline,” which everyone loves), now I am much slower to flip to a new station. Maybe I haven’t built up a tolerance after all. Maybe my reaction time is just slowing down? And what’s next? More tolerance of Lionel Ritchie songs? Help me!
I recently uploaded a bunch of photos from my phone to Shutterfly, which I have to say was much easier to do than it had been previously. However, while it is handy that the file information goes with the photo – so I can readily see when and where the picture was taken – I couldn’t help but think this information would be great for forensic investigators trying to confirm a location and date when looking into a crime. Not that I have committed any. I guess I just watch too many of those mysteries on the Investigative Discovery Channel.
I would like to offer my congratulations to the clever blue sock who engineered the great escape from today’s laundry. He leaves behind a jealous and grieving twin and a perplexed owner, who is not yet ready to toss his twin away.
My life is so boring that I actually got excited today when I saw that paper bags WITH HANDLES! are available now in my ShopRite. All the better for recycling. Oh, and if that isn’t evidence enough of my boring life, I sorted out my sock drawer. Just the drawer with the white, athletic socks. There are separate drawers for the blue, black and other color socks. I threw away the mismatched socks and the ones about to have holes in the toes. And you’re reading this, so what does that say about how interesting YOUR life is?
Why do bras and socks come on those little hangers? I can understand displaying them in the store that way (kind of), but I have no intention of hanging up either item once I get home. I would need a separate closet just for socks if they all had to be stored on hangers. See above for more on my socks…
One last note on socks: There are at least 3 separate areas in my ShopRite where socks are sold, and that doesn't count the section where kids' socks are on sale. Maybe I'm not the only one with a sock obsession?
One last note on socks: There are at least 3 separate areas in my ShopRite where socks are sold, and that doesn't count the section where kids' socks are on sale. Maybe I'm not the only one with a sock obsession?
I’ve lived in this house for a year now and I still turn the wrong way to hit the light switches. Or did I already tell you that?
The local car wash charges $7 for a hand wash but only $6 for seniors. I don’t know whether I should just feel happy that I saved a dollar or if I should also feel offended that they never ask for ID when I say I am a senior. They are probably trained not to ask, right?
This year’s Yom Kippur fast was a tough challenge for me. I stayed out of the kitchen for fear that I would absent-mindedly pick up a banana and inadvertently break my fast. Or that I would just decide to eat before sundown. I am happy to report that I made it through. And since my Weight Watchers weigh-in in took place the next day, I’m glad I did.
I only hope I stick around long enough to outlive the date on the tuna fish in my pantry. Or my Arborio rice, which doesn’t expire until 2019. That’s motivation!
A few movie theaters I frequent have replaced their old seats with brand new recliner type seats, making it even more difficult for me to stay awake in the movies. With the new seats, I don’t even have someone next to me vying for the armrest to keep me awake.
I recently had a reunion of sorts with some former J&J PR colleagues, not all from Corporate. We really had a great time catching up and talking about the “old days.” Many of them are still consulting or teaching, and they sure have great lessons to impart. I am so fortunate to be associated with organizations like the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College, the Community Visiting Nurse Association and with Johnson & Johnson, where intelligent, caring people abound and the standards are so high. Not everyone has these kinds of experiences. I’m the lucky one.
And finally, I attended yet another funeral this morning, this time for the mother of a friend. Each of these experiences reminds me how fragile and fleeting life is, and how we should be grateful to spend it with people we love. So look around, be thankful for friends and family, and let them know that you love them before it is too late.
Random Thoughts for Fall 2016
Every time I even think about leaving the house with the washing machine going, it nosily reminds me not to abandon my post by making one of those sounds like a jet is landing in the laundry room.
Rainy day, perfect for reading a book, watching a movie or taking a nap? Why does that so rarely happen? We are all too damn busy!
It’s tough enough to walk by the Entemann’s display at ShopRite but when the sign reads “Half Off?” Keep walking, girl.
Since we live in a society dominated by electronic communications, why is it that I still have to contend with so many pieces of paper?
As if this world weren’t scary enough already, now we have the threat of creepy clowns terrorizing towns and schools. What is going on?
And speaking of creepy, while I loved listening to Casey Kasem and American Top 40 back in the day, I find it a little creepy when the Oldies station replays his AT40 broadcasts from the 1970s, as if he were still behind the microphone – like Cousin Brucie. Casey’s been gone long enough now, and it is jarring to hear him sound very much alive.
I find it odd that people who swear often say, “Pardon my French.” What makes them think that the swear word they just said was French? I took four years of French in high school and, trust me, we never got around to swear words.
It’s not hard coming up with stuff to include in this blog every month (until now…), but it IS hard to remember it. If I don’t write it down as soon as it pops into my mind, the cleverest thing can easily be lost. You know what I mean. I have actually called myself to leave a voice mail message when I get a sudden inspiration in the car and cannot stop to write it down immediately. Then I come home and see the message light blinking and I wonder, “Who called?” Duh.
You know that there is a “weather event” when I have the Weather Channel on my TV. I think if I saw Jim Cantore on the street, I’d instantly evacuate. I just don’t get how these people can broadcast through power outages (their own generators, I assume), through blinding snow, furious winds and tidal waves. And why would they want to? Some of the information they provide is so detailed and scientific that I don’t know what they are talking about. But I loved it when they switched to a reporter who simply said, “It’s bad.” That I understand!
I bought a big digital clock and put it right by the garage door so I could see exactly how late I am when I leave the house. Like now, when I am writing about my big digital clock instead of leaving on time…
The woman sitting next to me in the nail salon today might just as well have been in a welding shop judging by the amount of power tools used on her hands. In the event of a power outage, she would have been left with claws.
Is there anything more BORING than sitting in the nail salon, waiting for your nails to dry? You can’t pick up a magazine, scratch your nose (well, carefully, I guess) or use your phone – unless you can do that with your chin. I wish I had more patience. And while my gel manicure will last several weeks, sitting in the salon soaking my hands in nail polish remover will eventually take so much time that I could write a book. I can’t do that with my hands in the foul-smelling chemical bath, either.
I passed a sign that read “Kickboxing Class,” and it occurred to me that if the middle letters were missing, that sign would read “Kick Ass.” OK, so I amuse myself.
The other day I heard the word CONFLATE used twice, by two different people, both done correctly. I can’t express how thrilled I was!
Somehow I seem to have built up a new tolerance for Neil Diamond. Where I couldn’t change the station fast enough when any of his songs came on the radio (except “Sweet Caroline,” which everyone loves), now I am much slower to flip to a new station. Maybe I haven’t built up a tolerance after all. Maybe my reaction time is just slowing down? And what’s next? More tolerance of Lionel Ritchie songs? Help me!
I recently uploaded a bunch of photos from my phone to Shutterfly, which I have to say was much easier to do than it had been previously. However, while it is handy that the file information goes with the photo – so I can readily see when and where the picture was taken – I couldn’t help but think this information would be great for forensic investigators trying to confirm a location and date when looking into a crime. Not that I have committed any. I guess I just watch too many of those mysteries on the Investigative Discovery Channel.
I would like to offer my congratulations to the clever blue sock who engineered the great escape from today’s laundry. He leaves behind a jealous and grieving twin and a perplexed owner, who is not yet ready to toss his twin away.
My life is so boring that I actually got excited today when I saw that paper bags WITH HANDLES! are available now in my ShopRite. All the better for recycling. Oh, and if that isn’t evidence enough of my boring life, I sorted out my sock drawer. Just the drawer with the white, athletic socks. There are separate drawers for the blue, black and other color socks. I threw away the mismatched socks and the ones about to have holes in the toes. And you’re reading this, so what does that say about how interesting YOUR life is?
Why do bras and socks come on those little hangers? I can understand displaying them in the store that way (kind of), but I have no intention of hanging up either item once I get home. I would need a separate closet just for socks if they all had to be stored on hangers. See above for more on my socks…
One last note on socks: There are at least 3 separate areas in my ShopRite where socks are sold, and that doesn't count the section where kids' socks are on sale. Maybe I'm not the only one with a sock obsession?
One last note on socks: There are at least 3 separate areas in my ShopRite where socks are sold, and that doesn't count the section where kids' socks are on sale. Maybe I'm not the only one with a sock obsession?
I’ve lived in this house for a year now and I still turn the wrong way to hit the light switches. Or did I already tell you that?
The local car wash charges $7 for a hand wash but only $6 for seniors. I don’t know whether I should just feel happy that I saved a dollar or if I should also feel offended that they never ask for ID when I say I am a senior. They are probably trained not to ask, right?
This year’s Yom Kippur fast was a tough challenge for me. I stayed out of the kitchen for fear that I would absent-mindedly pick up a banana and inadvertently break my fast. Or that I would just decide to eat before sundown. I am happy to report that I made it through. And since my Weight Watchers weigh-in in took place the next day, I’m glad I did.
I only hope I stick around long enough to outlive the date on the tuna fish in my pantry. Or my Arborio rice, which doesn’t expire until 2019. That’s motivation!
A few movie theaters I frequent have replaced their old seats with brand new recliner type seats, making it even more difficult for me to stay awake in the movies. With the new seats, I don’t even have someone next to me vying for the armrest to keep me awake.
I recently had a reunion of sorts with some former J&J PR colleagues, not all from Corporate. We really had a great time catching up and talking about the “old days.” Many of them are still consulting or teaching, and they sure have great lessons to impart. I am so fortunate to be associated with organizations like the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College, the Community Visiting Nurse Association and with Johnson & Johnson, where intelligent, caring people abound and the standards are so high. Not everyone has these kinds of experiences. I’m the lucky one.
And finally, I attended yet another funeral this morning, this time for the mother of a friend. Each of these experiences reminds me how fragile and fleeting life is, and how we should be grateful to spend it with people we love. So look around, be thankful for friends and family, and let them know that you love them before it is too late.
Random Thoughts for Fall 2016
Every time I even think about leaving the house with the washing machine going, it nosily reminds me not to abandon my post by making one of those sounds like a jet is landing in the laundry room.
Rainy day, perfect for reading a book, watching a movie or taking a nap? Why does that so rarely happen? We are all too damn busy!
It’s tough enough to walk by the Entemann’s display at ShopRite but when the sign reads “Half Off?” Keep walking, girl.
Since we live in a society dominated by electronic communications, why is it that I still have to contend with so many pieces of paper?
As if this world weren’t scary enough already, now we have the threat of creepy clowns terrorizing towns and schools. What is going on?
And speaking of creepy, while I loved listening to Casey Kasem and American Top 40 back in the day, I find it a little creepy when the Oldies station replays his AT40 broadcasts from the 1970s, as if he were still behind the microphone – like Cousin Brucie. Casey’s been gone long enough now, and it is jarring to hear him sound very much alive.
I find it odd that people who swear often say, “Pardon my French.” What makes them think that the swear word they just said was French? I took four years of French in high school and, trust me, we never got around to swear words.
It’s not hard coming up with stuff to include in this blog every month (until now…), but it IS hard to remember it. If I don’t write it down as soon as it pops into my mind, the cleverest thing can easily be lost. You know what I mean. I have actually called myself to leave a voice mail message when I get a sudden inspiration in the car and cannot stop to write it down immediately. Then I come home and see the message light blinking and I wonder, “Who called?” Duh.
You know that there is a “weather event” when I have the Weather Channel on my TV. I think if I saw Jim Cantore on the street, I’d instantly evacuate. I just don’t get how these people can broadcast through power outages (their own generators, I assume), through blinding snow, furious winds and tidal waves. And why would they want to? Some of the information they provide is so detailed and scientific that I don’t know what they are talking about. But I loved it when they switched to a reporter who simply said, “It’s bad.” That I understand!
I bought a big digital clock and put it right by the garage door so I could see exactly how late I am when I leave the house. Like now, when I am writing about my big digital clock instead of leaving on time…
The woman sitting next to me in the nail salon today might just as well have been in a welding shop judging by the amount of power tools used on her hands. In the event of a power outage, she would have been left with claws.
Is there anything more BORING than sitting in the nail salon, waiting for your nails to dry? You can’t pick up a magazine, scratch your nose (well, carefully, I guess) or use your phone – unless you can do that with your chin. I wish I had more patience. And while my gel manicure will last several weeks, sitting in the salon soaking my hands in nail polish remover will eventually take so much time that I could write a book. I can’t do that with my hands in the foul-smelling chemical bath, either.
I passed a sign that read “Kickboxing Class,” and it occurred to me that if the middle letters were missing, that sign would read “Kick Ass.” OK, so I amuse myself.
The other day I heard the word CONFLATE used twice, by two different people, both done correctly. I can’t express how thrilled I was!
Somehow I seem to have built up a new tolerance for Neil Diamond. Where I couldn’t change the station fast enough when any of his songs came on the radio (except “Sweet Caroline,” which everyone loves), now I am much slower to flip to a new station. Maybe I haven’t built up a tolerance after all. Maybe my reaction time is just slowing down? And what’s next? More tolerance of Lionel Ritchie songs? Help me!
I recently uploaded a bunch of photos from my phone to Shutterfly, which I have to say was much easier to do than it had been previously. However, while it is handy that the file information goes with the photo – so I can readily see when and where the picture was taken – I couldn’t help but think this information would be great for forensic investigators trying to confirm a location and ate when looking into a crime. Not that I have committed any. I guess I just watch too many of those mysteries on the Investigative Discovery Channel.
I would like to offer my congratulations to the clever blue sock who engineered the great escape from today’s laundry. He leaves behind a jealous and grieving twin and a perplexed owner, who is not yet ready to toss his twin away.
My life is so boring that I actually got excited today when I saw that paper bags WITH HANDLES! are available now in my ShopRite. All the better for recycling. Oh, and if that isn’t evidence enough of my boring life, I sorted out my sock drawer. Just the drawer with the white, athletic socks. There are separate drawers for the blue, black and other color socks. I threw away the mismatched socks and the ones about to have holes in the toes. And you’re reading this, so what does that say about how interesting YOUR life is?
Why do bras and socks come on those little hangers? I can understand displaying them in the store that way (kind of), but I have no intention of hanging up either item once I get home. I would need a separate closet just for socks if they all had to be stored on hangers. See above for more on my socks…
I’ve lived in this house for a year now and I still turn the wrong way to hit the light switches. Or did I already tell you that?
The local car wash charges $7 for a hand wash but only $6 for seniors. I don’t know whether I should just feel happy that I saved a dollar or if I should also feel offended that they never ask for ID when I say I am a senior. They are probably trained not to ask, right?
This year’s Yom Kippur fast was a tough challenge for me. I stayed out of the kitchen for fear that I would absent-mindedly pick up a banana and inadvertently break my fast. Or that I would just decide to eat before sundown. I am happy to report that I made it through. And since my Weight Watchers weigh-in in took place the next day, I’m glad I did.
I only hope I stick around long enough to outlive the date on the tuna fish in my pantry. Or my Arborio rice, which doesn’t expire until 2019. That’s motivation!
A few movie theaters I frequent have replaced their old seats with brand new recliner type seats, making it even more difficult for me to stay awake in the movies. With the new seats, I don’t even have someone next to me vying for the armrest to keep me awake.
I recently had a reunion of sorts with some former J&J PR colleagues, not all from Corporate. We really had a great time catching up and talking about the “old days.” Many of them are still consulting or teaching, and they sure have great lessons to impart. I am so fortunate to be associated with organizations like the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College, the Community Visiting Nurse Association and with Johnson & Johnson, where intelligent, caring people abound and the standards are so high. Not everyone has these kinds of experiences. I’m the lucky one.
And finally, I attended yet another funeral this morning, this time for the mother of a friend. Each of these experiences reminds me how fragile and fleeting life is, and how we should be grateful to spend it with people we love. So look around, be thankful for friends and family, and let them know that you love them before it is too late.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Tina's September 2016 Movies
It was a slow movie month for me with only 10 films making the cut, but there were a few with good scores. All movies are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, 5 being the top rating. New movies are marked with an asterisk, and numbering picks up from previous months.
99. The Light Between Oceans* (2016) – This movie is drawn from the book, which I thought was way too long. There is certainly a slow pace here, too, but given the fact that the main character is a lighthouse keeper and nothing much happens on the job, that’s understandable. A veteran of WWI, Tom is a loner, content to live on a remote island near Australia and tend to the lighthouse. Back in town, he meets a lovely young woman who is brave enough to take on living in a place where you have to be pretty self-sufficient, and they get married and plan to have a family. To tell you more would ruin the story. Suffice to say that this drama involves moral dilemmas that no one should have to face. Michael Fassbender and Alicia Verkander star as the young couple. He brings stoicism and she brings vulnerability to their roles. Slow, but worth the time. 3¾ cans – a rating I have never given out before.
100. The Night Of* (2016) – Technically, my 100th movie of the year isn’t a movie at all. This was an HBO miniseries, but it was so rich and engrossing (and, at about 10 hours total, I didn’t want to pass up a chance to include it on my list) that I wanted to recommend it. Riz Ahmed plays Naz, a young and innocent-looking grad student of Pakistani descent who finds himself mixed up in a murder. His situation looks hopeless, but along comes broken-down lawyer John Stone (John Turturro), who sees him in the holding cell at the NYC precinct and decides to take on his seemingly hopeless case. The rest of the series focuses on the horrors of incarceration, the tedious task of solving a crime, the rippling effects of actions both big and small on families and friends, racism and cultural stereotyping and, most importantly, the old “who done it.” This series makes an excellent companion to the Netflix documentary series “The Making of a Murderer,” as each one grabs your attention and you cannot look away. It’s a long night, but a memorable one. 4½ cans.
101. Up In The Air (2009) – Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) has one of those jobs that didn’t exist even a few years ago. He flies all around the country, dispatched by his company more than 300 days a year to fire people at client companies that can’t pull the trigger on their own. Toting his trusty carry-on, a slew of airline loyalty cards and with no emotional baggage, he is the perfect, dispassionate guy for the job. Then along comes Alex (Vera Famiglia), who appears his match in mileage and lack of emotion. When young, inexperienced Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) joins the company, Ryan shows her the ropes on delivering the bad news, but she has a different approach, one that will ground Bingham and his cohorts and let the people hired to fire do it remotely, making the task even more impersonal. This movie is an indictment of corporate downsizing, and it uses people who were actually fired to react to the news. Clooney is the Cary Grant of his time, a handsome, well-dressed man traveling around with nary a wrinkle in his suit, packing, going through security and facing all of the hardships of travel with efficiency and purpose. But he lives an empty life, albeit one he doesn’t seem to mind a bit. One day, Natalie will be just like him, despite that baby-faced innocence. I kept thinking at the end she would be firing him, but that is not how the movie ends. 3½ cans.
102. Infamous* (2006) – When you think of author Truman Capote, you probably think of one of two things: Either his epic, gripping book, “In Cold Blood,” or his reputation as a bon vivant, favored member of New York society, rubbing elbows, bending elbows and swapping gossip with the rich and famous ladies who lunch. This movie gives you both versions. Toby Jones transforms into the small, petty, yet immensely talented Capote, who travels to Kansas to write an article on the brutal murder of a family and ends up writing a book instead. He ingratiates himself with the local authorities (Jeff Daniels) and winds up with unlimited access to the men eventually arrested for the crime. He develops a bond with Perry Smith (Daniel Craig) as he worms his way into the killer’s heart and soul. He is accompanied by author Harper Lee (Sandra Bullock), who is on hand to help him with the research. This movie is a fascinating account of a fascinating man and a story that is unforgettable. Jones IS Capote. 3½ cans.
103. Michael Clayton (2007) – Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is a fixer, the guy his law firm calls on to take care of its toughest issues, to “fix” things. Ironically, he can’t fix his own life, where he sees his son only on occasion, gambles too much in high stakes games and is out $80,000 in a bad bar investment deal. But one case presents a problem that may not be fixable. His firm is on the wrong side of an environmental case that has dragged on for years and needs to be settled. The boss (the late, great Sydney Pollack) needs the victory, and Arthur, one of the key people in his organization, (Tom Wilkinson) has uncovered information that will block that victory. Arthur has a meltdown, goes off his meds and out of his mind. Then the sinister forces of evil from the client side step in. This is a suspenseful drama that shifts back and forth in time, with the bad guys pursuing Clayton and the good guys pursuing the truth. Who will win in the end? 4 cans.
104. Sully* (2016) – It only took 208 seconds from the time birds hit and knocked out the engines of US Air flight 1549 until Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) landed the Airbus in the Hudson River – safely, with no loss of life – but it took much longer to determine whether he and his co-pilot (Aaron Eckhardt) made the right decision. Sully was immediately hailed as a hero, given star treatment by the media, but he also came under the scrutiny of the NTSB for choosing NOT to attempt to land at a nearby airport. Director Clint Eastwood has to give the movie substance beyond those 208 seconds, so much of the film focuses on the review of the flight by the authorities. Sully had extensive experience as a pilot and also in examining flight crashes, so any attempt to “sully” his reputation comes across as mean-spirited. The “Miracle on the Hudson” involved not only Sully and his crew, but also the many NY rescue boats, some of which were ordinary ferries that got to the sinking plane in time to rescue all 155 people on Board – with Sully, of course, the last one to leave. It takes a well-crafted movie to hold your interest when you already know the outcome, and this movie brings the drama while our hero Hanks brings the gravitas. The recreations and footage are amazing and should only be seen in a theater. 4 cans.
105. Steve Jobs* (2016) – I have now completed the Jobs trifecta, having seen “Jobs” (the Ashton Kutcher film) and “Steve Jobs: The Man In the Machine” (the Alex Gibney documentary) and my conclusion remains the same. Jobs was an insufferable son of a bitch, nasty to friends and foes alike, a man who denied his paternity and only grudgingly supported his child and her mother, a man who took credit for nearly everything and whose own partner queries him, “What do you do?” Genius? Yes, a man with a head for marketing and creating conceptual products that people not only will want, but which they fear they cannot live without. In this production, Michael Fassbinder is given the formidable task of delivering Aaron Sorkin’s fast and furious dialog. The plot centers around three product introductions at three different points in Jobs’ career, including the introduction of his post-Apple firing computer, Next. Jobs is never nice, is always demanding and after total control of everything around him. This is a well-executed story with an excellent cast (Kate Winslet as his right hand, Seth Rogen as legendary Woz) about a guy who is totally unlikeable, despite and because of his genius. 3½ cans.
106. Soapdish (1991) – Soapdish is a send-up of those cheesy daytime dramas where main characters are beheaded yet miraculously survive only to reappear decades later. Sally Field stars as the star, and I couldn’t help but like her, really, really like her as the bitchy lead. The wonderful Kevin Kline shows up as her former love interest, now reduced to playing Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman” at nursing homes. The cast is filled with talented vets like Robert Downey Jr., Cathy Moriarity, Terry Hatcher, Kathy Najimy, Carrie Fisher and Whoopi Goldberg. This is not Pulitzer Prize winning material, but if you want to laugh out loud and shake your head at Marxian antics, check it out. 4 cans.
107. Truth* (2015) – The truth is that journalism is no longer about objective reportage – if it ever was. Instead, we live in an age of “gotcha” news, where producers, newscasters, columnists and correspondents imagine themselves as the voice of the public, the keeper of values, the one source of truth, justice and the American Way (with apologies to Superman). Here, Robert Redford plays venerable CBS newsman Dan Rather, who, when he was a part of “60 Minutes,” worked with producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) on a story that attempted to prove that President George Bush received preferential treatment in joining the National Guard and didn’t fulfill his military responsibilities. And the team of news people know this because someone told them so and gave them a copy of correspondence that said so. And everyone, including the president of CBS News, was willing to go for it because they seemed to nail it. Except that they didn’t, because the documents were not originals and no one could authenticate them and the information. This story aims to be like Redford’s classic, “All the President’s Men,” with the good guy, white-hat-wearing investigative reporters, led by Mapes, determined to bring this outrage to the American people. Because no one ever got preferential treatment before for being rich and having connections. No. One. Ever. Right? In the case of “All the President’s Men,” Woodward and Bernstein were dogged in unearthing the Watergate incident. Here, the story is rushed to air before the team can really verify everything. And there is a price to pay. I worry about our ability to understand complex issues based on mere smattering of information that is so often served up to the public by the media in a frenzy to publish or broadcast. It would have been better to find the real story before airing it. 3½ cans.
108. Mistress America* (2015) – When you’re a college freshman who doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the girls at Barnard, life can be a little lonely. Such is the case with Tracy (Lola Kirke), who really just wants to have her work accepted by the campus literary society. Her mother is engaged to a man whose daughter, Brooke (Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach), lives in the city, so Mom encourages Tracy to look up her future stepsister. Brooke is a charismatic woman in her early 30s with more get-rich schemes than Ralph Kramden, and Tracy is lured into her world of fun and adventure more for the subject matter material than anything else. This movie becomes a female buddy movie, but also a somewhat comedic look at the dreams of Gen X and how hard it can be to achieve them. Warm and friendly, if a bit odd. 3 cans.
99. The Light Between Oceans* (2016) – This movie is drawn from the book, which I thought was way too long. There is certainly a slow pace here, too, but given the fact that the main character is a lighthouse keeper and nothing much happens on the job, that’s understandable. A veteran of WWI, Tom is a loner, content to live on a remote island near Australia and tend to the lighthouse. Back in town, he meets a lovely young woman who is brave enough to take on living in a place where you have to be pretty self-sufficient, and they get married and plan to have a family. To tell you more would ruin the story. Suffice to say that this drama involves moral dilemmas that no one should have to face. Michael Fassbender and Alicia Verkander star as the young couple. He brings stoicism and she brings vulnerability to their roles. Slow, but worth the time. 3¾ cans – a rating I have never given out before.
100. The Night Of* (2016) – Technically, my 100th movie of the year isn’t a movie at all. This was an HBO miniseries, but it was so rich and engrossing (and, at about 10 hours total, I didn’t want to pass up a chance to include it on my list) that I wanted to recommend it. Riz Ahmed plays Naz, a young and innocent-looking grad student of Pakistani descent who finds himself mixed up in a murder. His situation looks hopeless, but along comes broken-down lawyer John Stone (John Turturro), who sees him in the holding cell at the NYC precinct and decides to take on his seemingly hopeless case. The rest of the series focuses on the horrors of incarceration, the tedious task of solving a crime, the rippling effects of actions both big and small on families and friends, racism and cultural stereotyping and, most importantly, the old “who done it.” This series makes an excellent companion to the Netflix documentary series “The Making of a Murderer,” as each one grabs your attention and you cannot look away. It’s a long night, but a memorable one. 4½ cans.
101. Up In The Air (2009) – Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) has one of those jobs that didn’t exist even a few years ago. He flies all around the country, dispatched by his company more than 300 days a year to fire people at client companies that can’t pull the trigger on their own. Toting his trusty carry-on, a slew of airline loyalty cards and with no emotional baggage, he is the perfect, dispassionate guy for the job. Then along comes Alex (Vera Famiglia), who appears his match in mileage and lack of emotion. When young, inexperienced Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) joins the company, Ryan shows her the ropes on delivering the bad news, but she has a different approach, one that will ground Bingham and his cohorts and let the people hired to fire do it remotely, making the task even more impersonal. This movie is an indictment of corporate downsizing, and it uses people who were actually fired to react to the news. Clooney is the Cary Grant of his time, a handsome, well-dressed man traveling around with nary a wrinkle in his suit, packing, going through security and facing all of the hardships of travel with efficiency and purpose. But he lives an empty life, albeit one he doesn’t seem to mind a bit. One day, Natalie will be just like him, despite that baby-faced innocence. I kept thinking at the end she would be firing him, but that is not how the movie ends. 3½ cans.
102. Infamous* (2006) – When you think of author Truman Capote, you probably think of one of two things: Either his epic, gripping book, “In Cold Blood,” or his reputation as a bon vivant, favored member of New York society, rubbing elbows, bending elbows and swapping gossip with the rich and famous ladies who lunch. This movie gives you both versions. Toby Jones transforms into the small, petty, yet immensely talented Capote, who travels to Kansas to write an article on the brutal murder of a family and ends up writing a book instead. He ingratiates himself with the local authorities (Jeff Daniels) and winds up with unlimited access to the men eventually arrested for the crime. He develops a bond with Perry Smith (Daniel Craig) as he worms his way into the killer’s heart and soul. He is accompanied by author Harper Lee (Sandra Bullock), who is on hand to help him with the research. This movie is a fascinating account of a fascinating man and a story that is unforgettable. Jones IS Capote. 3½ cans.
103. Michael Clayton (2007) – Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is a fixer, the guy his law firm calls on to take care of its toughest issues, to “fix” things. Ironically, he can’t fix his own life, where he sees his son only on occasion, gambles too much in high stakes games and is out $80,000 in a bad bar investment deal. But one case presents a problem that may not be fixable. His firm is on the wrong side of an environmental case that has dragged on for years and needs to be settled. The boss (the late, great Sydney Pollack) needs the victory, and Arthur, one of the key people in his organization, (Tom Wilkinson) has uncovered information that will block that victory. Arthur has a meltdown, goes off his meds and out of his mind. Then the sinister forces of evil from the client side step in. This is a suspenseful drama that shifts back and forth in time, with the bad guys pursuing Clayton and the good guys pursuing the truth. Who will win in the end? 4 cans.
104. Sully* (2016) – It only took 208 seconds from the time birds hit and knocked out the engines of US Air flight 1549 until Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) landed the Airbus in the Hudson River – safely, with no loss of life – but it took much longer to determine whether he and his co-pilot (Aaron Eckhardt) made the right decision. Sully was immediately hailed as a hero, given star treatment by the media, but he also came under the scrutiny of the NTSB for choosing NOT to attempt to land at a nearby airport. Director Clint Eastwood has to give the movie substance beyond those 208 seconds, so much of the film focuses on the review of the flight by the authorities. Sully had extensive experience as a pilot and also in examining flight crashes, so any attempt to “sully” his reputation comes across as mean-spirited. The “Miracle on the Hudson” involved not only Sully and his crew, but also the many NY rescue boats, some of which were ordinary ferries that got to the sinking plane in time to rescue all 155 people on Board – with Sully, of course, the last one to leave. It takes a well-crafted movie to hold your interest when you already know the outcome, and this movie brings the drama while our hero Hanks brings the gravitas. The recreations and footage are amazing and should only be seen in a theater. 4 cans.
105. Steve Jobs* (2016) – I have now completed the Jobs trifecta, having seen “Jobs” (the Ashton Kutcher film) and “Steve Jobs: The Man In the Machine” (the Alex Gibney documentary) and my conclusion remains the same. Jobs was an insufferable son of a bitch, nasty to friends and foes alike, a man who denied his paternity and only grudgingly supported his child and her mother, a man who took credit for nearly everything and whose own partner queries him, “What do you do?” Genius? Yes, a man with a head for marketing and creating conceptual products that people not only will want, but which they fear they cannot live without. In this production, Michael Fassbinder is given the formidable task of delivering Aaron Sorkin’s fast and furious dialog. The plot centers around three product introductions at three different points in Jobs’ career, including the introduction of his post-Apple firing computer, Next. Jobs is never nice, is always demanding and after total control of everything around him. This is a well-executed story with an excellent cast (Kate Winslet as his right hand, Seth Rogen as legendary Woz) about a guy who is totally unlikeable, despite and because of his genius. 3½ cans.
106. Soapdish (1991) – Soapdish is a send-up of those cheesy daytime dramas where main characters are beheaded yet miraculously survive only to reappear decades later. Sally Field stars as the star, and I couldn’t help but like her, really, really like her as the bitchy lead. The wonderful Kevin Kline shows up as her former love interest, now reduced to playing Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman” at nursing homes. The cast is filled with talented vets like Robert Downey Jr., Cathy Moriarity, Terry Hatcher, Kathy Najimy, Carrie Fisher and Whoopi Goldberg. This is not Pulitzer Prize winning material, but if you want to laugh out loud and shake your head at Marxian antics, check it out. 4 cans.
107. Truth* (2015) – The truth is that journalism is no longer about objective reportage – if it ever was. Instead, we live in an age of “gotcha” news, where producers, newscasters, columnists and correspondents imagine themselves as the voice of the public, the keeper of values, the one source of truth, justice and the American Way (with apologies to Superman). Here, Robert Redford plays venerable CBS newsman Dan Rather, who, when he was a part of “60 Minutes,” worked with producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) on a story that attempted to prove that President George Bush received preferential treatment in joining the National Guard and didn’t fulfill his military responsibilities. And the team of news people know this because someone told them so and gave them a copy of correspondence that said so. And everyone, including the president of CBS News, was willing to go for it because they seemed to nail it. Except that they didn’t, because the documents were not originals and no one could authenticate them and the information. This story aims to be like Redford’s classic, “All the President’s Men,” with the good guy, white-hat-wearing investigative reporters, led by Mapes, determined to bring this outrage to the American people. Because no one ever got preferential treatment before for being rich and having connections. No. One. Ever. Right? In the case of “All the President’s Men,” Woodward and Bernstein were dogged in unearthing the Watergate incident. Here, the story is rushed to air before the team can really verify everything. And there is a price to pay. I worry about our ability to understand complex issues based on mere smattering of information that is so often served up to the public by the media in a frenzy to publish or broadcast. It would have been better to find the real story before airing it. 3½ cans.
108. Mistress America* (2015) – When you’re a college freshman who doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the girls at Barnard, life can be a little lonely. Such is the case with Tracy (Lola Kirke), who really just wants to have her work accepted by the campus literary society. Her mother is engaged to a man whose daughter, Brooke (Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach), lives in the city, so Mom encourages Tracy to look up her future stepsister. Brooke is a charismatic woman in her early 30s with more get-rich schemes than Ralph Kramden, and Tracy is lured into her world of fun and adventure more for the subject matter material than anything else. This movie becomes a female buddy movie, but also a somewhat comedic look at the dreams of Gen X and how hard it can be to achieve them. Warm and friendly, if a bit odd. 3 cans.
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