I ended the year by seeing 14 movies, bringing the total for 2011 to 161. Numbering picks up from last month, and ratings are based on a scale (get it?) of 1-5 cans of tuna fish. Movies marked with an asterisk are ones I had not seen previously.
148. Scott Turow’s Innocent* (2011) – This TV movie is a follow-up to “Presumed Innocent,” an earlier film based on author Turow’s novel. This time out, Bill Pullman plays Harrison Ford’s role as Rusty Sabich, a Chicago judge who is accused of murdering his wife (Marcia Gay Harden). This new version holds its own, despite the disadvantage of being played on TV and interrupted by commercials, but doesn’t quite measure up to the original. Still, the story is intriguing and you have to hang around to the end to know what really happened. Pullman looks a lot older here than we’re used to seeing him, and underplays the taciturn Rusty, but does a credible job. 3 cans.
149. The Last Picture Show (1971) – Bored people leading lives of quiet desperation populate this Peter Bogdonvich black and white classic. The setting is a small town in West Texas where everyone know’s everyone and everyone’s business. Once Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson, who won Best Supporting Actor) dies, most of the dying town dies with him. Even the picture show, owned by Sam, is going out of business. This is not the town in which teenagers like Sonny (Timothy Bottoms), Jayce (Cybill Shepherd) and Duane (Jeff Bridges) want to live, but they seem to be in no hurry to leave. Sex for the people in this town is just something to do, so when Sonny takes up with 40-something Ruth Potter (Cloris Leachman, who won the Oscar), no one bats an eye. This is story-telling without much of a story, beautiful filmed and evocative of the early 1950s. 4 cans.
150. Crazy Heart (2009) – It is not implausible to imagine Jeff Bridges’ character in “The Last Picture Show” morphing into his Bad Blake character in this movie. Both men – one very young, the other old and grizzled – have no real direction in life and generally don’t give a damn about themselves or anyone around them. In his Oscar-winning role here, Bridges is a country music singer-songwriter whose life is perfect for the genre. Broke and an alcoholic, he is on the road to nowhere until the love of a good woman and her son makes him want to reform. There’s a country song in there somewhere. Maggie Gyllenhaal is the woman he loves, and Robert Duvall, who played a similar role in “Tender Mercies,” is his friend. Bridges does a great job with the music as well as the role and earned his Oscar fair and square. 4 cans.
151. The Descendents* (2011) - George Clooney goes for a straight acting role in this film about a man living in Hawaii with his wife and two children when the wife is seriously injured in an accident. As he takes on the role of father, moving up suddenly from occasional parent, Matt King finds himself uncomfortable with his two teenaged daughters. He doesn’t know them, doesn’t understand them or their language, and ultimately finds out he didn’t know his wife all that well either. Throughout the movie, he peels away layers of his life that he didn’t know existed as he comes to terms with his wife infidelity and builds a rapport with his kids. Clooney wears a multitude of print shirts in this role, and the dialog often seems to end abruptly, but it is rewarding seeing him grow more comfortable as a parent even as he is less comfortable with dealing with those around him. Not a great movie, and I’ve come to expect more from a Clooney film. 3½ cans.
152. Strangers When We Meet* (1960) – If this movie were made today, some poor set designer would be chasing down mid-century modern furniture all over Hollywood and the director would have the leads naked in a hotel room. Life was simpler in 1960, but for desperate housewife Maggie (Kim Novak), it is hard to say no to handsome architect neighbor Matt Coe (Kirk Douglas) when her own husband has little interest in her. Douglas woos and wins Novak, but he has his own issues – starting with his wife and two children. She craves affection and he’s glad to provide it, eventually catching the eye of neighbor Felix (Walter Matthau, who is Felix, not Oscar in this movie). Can the illicit affair continue? Will the house he designs for a famous writer (Ernie Kovacs) slide down the hill? Will Kim Novak ever change her vacuous expressions? This movie has all the soap opera drama I could take. 3 cans.
153. Stakeout (1987) – Richard Dreyfus and Emilio Estevez play cops assigned to stake out the home of the attractive ex-girlfriend (Madeline Stowe) of an escaped convict. Dreyfus gets a close-up view when he falls for the girl, and, as you would expect, complications ensue. This is a cop-caper-buddy movie, and a combination of the byplay between the cops, the romance and the unusual action settings (a fish and a log processing plant) gives it enough of everything to keep me engaged. This is one of three movies from this era (the others are “Running Scared” and “Midnight Run”) that I always enjoy seeing again. 3½ cans.
154. The War of the Roses (1989) – Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are Oliver and Barbara Rose, the antagonists in this dark Danny DeVito comedy about a couple who trip over the thin line between love and hate on their way to a divorce. Wealthy and ensconced in a beautiful home that she found and decorated and that he paid for, both parties refuse to move out or give an inch. Their war of words escalates to destruction of property and bodily harm. I haven’t seen Michael Douglas look so infuriated since he thought Glenn Close boiled his bunny in “Fatal Attraction.” I did not like the construct of Danny DeVito as a lawyer recounting this tale to his client while chain smoking in a way that looked completely phony even to a non-smoker. The movie is well done, but I won’t be seeing this one again any time soon. The war has ended for me. 3½ cans.
155. The Graduate (1967) – No year would be complete without at least one viewing of my all-time favorite movie, so this is how I celebrated Christmas Eve day. An outstanding cast (Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katherine Ross) , stellar score and brilliant direction from Mike Nicholas make this look at society’s mores in the 1960s a classic. Is there anyone who doesn’t know the story of the young man seduced by the older woman who falls in love with her beautiful daughter? In the first year this movie was released, I saw it seven times, including twice in one day. I still love it and it still makes me think about my future – which never included “plastic.” Great, great stuff. 5 cans.
156. The Bridges of Madison County (1995) – I am on a roll this Christmas Eve, watching two of my all-time favorites. In this movie, the incomparable Meryl Streep lends subtlety and nuance to her portrayal of an Iowa farmer’s wife, stuck in a mundane existence, until a photographer (Clint Eastwood, who directed) arrives to take pictures of local bridges. She offers to assist him, and the two spend the next few days falling into one of those once in a lifetime loves. Can she leave behind her husband and children to build a new life? Or will she take the path she has led for so long and remain on the farm? The haunting score and beautiful scenery, combined with the details of the simple farmhouse, Streep’s clothes and hair, all build a reality that depicts every phase of the character’s life. This movie has a great cast, a great story and it always gives me a good cry. Definitely a chick flick on that score, but I couldn’t love it more. 5 cans.
157. The Way We Were (1973) – With the airing of this classic romance, I have now seen three of my top five all-time favorite movies in the past two days. Can it be that it was all so simple then or has time rewritten every line? If we had the chance to do it all again, would we? Could we? Nothing is simple in this movie, especially the relationship between the breathtakingly gorgeous Robert Redford and the socially aware Barbra Streisand. They meet in college and years later build a relationship that goes beyond the superficial, each admiring qualities in the other. But their bond must supersede their personal differences, and there’s the rub. I love nearly everything about this movie and can quote dialog all day long. And then there is that beautiful Oscar-winning title song. What a movie! 5 cans.
158. War Horse* (2011) – “My Friend Flicka” joins the British army in this Steven Spielberg drama. Boy raises horse, boy and horse are separated by war, boy joins army – you figure out the rest. I found this film cloyingly sentimental in tone and look (the last scene was straight out of “Gone With the Wind”). There is too much fighting (OK, I know it’s about war, but still), too much predictability and too many Disneyesque moments for me. If you see it, just bear in mind my sister’s cynical summation: “What are the odds?” 3 cans and a major disappointment.
159. Love Affair* (1939) – Before Cary Grant charmed Debra Kerr in the quintessential romantic movie “An Affair to Remember,” Charles Boyer cast a similar spell over Irene Dunne in the first version of this classic love story (Warren Beatty and Annette Bening starred in the most recent version). Maybe it is because I can never understand Charles Boyer and his French accent, or maybe it is because he always looks like he smells cauliflower entering the grand ballroom (see “I Love Lucy” for that reference), but this version – though essentially the same story, with the same lovely grandmother and the same lines that appeared in later versions – was just not as good as the Grant/Kerr movie. The lighting was gloomy at best and the melodrama was at its peak here. Still, a good start for the later version. I just cannot think of anyone who looks better in a tux – or even a suit – than Cary Grant. Sorry, Charlie Boyer. 3½ cans.
160. Apollo 18* (2011) – Since “Apollo 13” is one of my favorite movies, I thought that watching this one at a friend’s house might turn out well. Picture “Blair Witch Project in Outer Space.” The premise here is that the Department of Defense continued the Apollo space program to plant listening devices on the moon, but the flight for Apollo 18 was so secret that not even the families of the astronauts knew about it. Shot to look like the 1970s and with the low-quality, hand-held cinema verite look, the movie purports to include actual footage from the ill-fated, fictional Apollo 18 flight. With a nod to all horror movies, the film makes you want to scream, “Don’t open the hatch of that Russian space capsule” – but of course, they do. Mostly, I just wanted to scream anything and get out of the room – not because I was afraid, but because I was grossly unimpressed. 2½ cans.
161. Beautiful Boy* (2011) – This unrelentingly bleak movie is about the deterioration of a family. The husband and wife (Tony Sheen and Maria Bello) who sleep in separate rooms, communicating little and ready to end the marriage when their 18-year old son is involved in a campus shooting. Involved as in he is the shooter, kills 18 people and then himself. The couple is left to figure out what they did wrong while staying on the run to avoid the media. The don’t have the kind of supportive network we would all rely on in such horrible circumstances. All they have is each other, and there is enough blame and sorrow to destroy themselves and each other. Not exactly a fun, light romp, the movies features excellent performances and handles a difficult topic from a different point of view. Can’t say I recommend this one, but I can say I admired it. 3½ cans.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011
It's About Time
I am completing my fifth year of retirement now, and I find myself still answering the same questions:
“So, do you still like being retired?” “What do you DO with all that time?”
The answers are simple: Yes, I love it (trust me and see for yourself), and every day is different, but every day is good for different reasons. Like all of my retired friends, I am busier than ever and I don’t know how I had time to work. (Actually, I do know: I had no life when I worked. All I did was work.)
These questions are brought to you by the working masses, the same people who wanted to know – make that demanded to know – “What are you going to do when you retire?”
The truth is, I didn’t have a plan then, and I don’t have a strict one now. But I have learned a lot in the past few years about myself and about life, lessons I didn’t have time to learn before I retired.
First, nobody does nothing better than me (and I mean that in the best grammatical sense). By that I mean that I can have a day with nothing scheduled and it will still fly by. I can remember being at work and looking at the clock, thinking that 5:00 would never come. Now, I start paying my bills on-line, throw in a load of laundry and, when I look at the clock, it is dinner time. And that’s not because I get up at noon or eat dinner at 4 PM either. I call this phenomenon my “kitchen cabinet theory of time.” No matter how many cabinets you have in your kitchen, you will fill them. It’s the same with time: The things you have to do fill the time in which you have to do them. I like that line so much, I should copyright it, or at least make t-shirts. If only I had the time.
I’m not saying every day is bursting with excitement, though the days that are spent reorganizing the salad dressings in the refrigerator (Make mental note: Add to To Do List) provide a certain feeling of accomplishment. Many of my days are filled with meetings for my volunteer work with Community Visiting Nurse Association or the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College. Knowing that I can spend a half day greeting freshmen and their families as they arrive on the Douglass campus is more rewarding than you can imagine. Meeting a friend for lunch, going to an afternoon movie or making a dentist appointment for mid-day relieves a lot of the stress I suffered when I worked. I can spend a day wandering around, taking pictures or loading them to Shutterfly. I can spend a day in the pool, reading or taking a nap (mental note: Take a nap later).
Second, there is always time spent spending money. I think I am doing retirement on $100 a day. I know I can’t leave the house without spending $100. Costco alone is $100 just to walk in the door (make mental note: Renew Costco membership today). When I am not shopping – and shopping is considerably less frequent than in my working days – I am at the cleaners (again, not as often) or filling the car with gas, buying plants for the porch or stopping at ShopRite to get bananas and walking out with three bags and minus $100. Even the days when I don’t leave the house I can spend $100. There are those shoes I wanted to order and there’s no charge for shipping, so why not save gas and order them on line, I ask myself. Someone is always walking for charity, or there is a birthday card and check to send, or the handyman is here to repair something, so even on the days I don’t leave the house, I still manage to spend $100 or more.
I’m not saying that the spending is a good thing, though I am trying my best to contribute to the economy. Could I curtail spending? Sure, I could. But will I stop putting gas in the car or supporting charities – or buying shoes? Doubtful. It only takes time and money to be a happy retiree.
Third, I still have to keep a schedule. I don’t mean waking up or going to sleep at certain times, but I need a calendar just to keep track or what I am doing and where I am supposed to be every day. There is a play in New York, a basketball game in Piscataway and a blood test in Bridgewater. Let’s just not have them all be on the same day. I literally carry my schedule around with me on my Samsung Galaxy Tablet (or, before that, on paper) because I would be lost without it. Sometimes I am even lost with it. I usually can’t remember further out than two days from now. I keep a folder just for all the invitations and RSVPs so I’ll know that I responded and when and where I am supposed to show up. Add that to garbage night, recycling day, the pool closing, somebody’s birthday and paying my estimated taxes and you’ll understand why I need a calendar on me at all times.
I don’t mean to imply that life is either too dull or too frenetic. On the contrary. It is all about time management – and having a good time. Time is truly the best gift you can give yourself. Retirement has taught me to appreciate time, whether it be spent with a dear friend at the Met for the day, bouncing around the pool in my “water ballet” class, or watching a movie I waited 40 years to see. I am grateful for the time to think, to read, to write, to take pictures, to watch movies, to enjoy life, to take a nap and to control time on my own terms.
I guess that was my plan all along. I wish you all the gift of time – time to do what you want to do, to do what you need to do and to treasure every minute. Have a good time.
“So, do you still like being retired?” “What do you DO with all that time?”
The answers are simple: Yes, I love it (trust me and see for yourself), and every day is different, but every day is good for different reasons. Like all of my retired friends, I am busier than ever and I don’t know how I had time to work. (Actually, I do know: I had no life when I worked. All I did was work.)
These questions are brought to you by the working masses, the same people who wanted to know – make that demanded to know – “What are you going to do when you retire?”
The truth is, I didn’t have a plan then, and I don’t have a strict one now. But I have learned a lot in the past few years about myself and about life, lessons I didn’t have time to learn before I retired.
First, nobody does nothing better than me (and I mean that in the best grammatical sense). By that I mean that I can have a day with nothing scheduled and it will still fly by. I can remember being at work and looking at the clock, thinking that 5:00 would never come. Now, I start paying my bills on-line, throw in a load of laundry and, when I look at the clock, it is dinner time. And that’s not because I get up at noon or eat dinner at 4 PM either. I call this phenomenon my “kitchen cabinet theory of time.” No matter how many cabinets you have in your kitchen, you will fill them. It’s the same with time: The things you have to do fill the time in which you have to do them. I like that line so much, I should copyright it, or at least make t-shirts. If only I had the time.
I’m not saying every day is bursting with excitement, though the days that are spent reorganizing the salad dressings in the refrigerator (Make mental note: Add to To Do List) provide a certain feeling of accomplishment. Many of my days are filled with meetings for my volunteer work with Community Visiting Nurse Association or the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College. Knowing that I can spend a half day greeting freshmen and their families as they arrive on the Douglass campus is more rewarding than you can imagine. Meeting a friend for lunch, going to an afternoon movie or making a dentist appointment for mid-day relieves a lot of the stress I suffered when I worked. I can spend a day wandering around, taking pictures or loading them to Shutterfly. I can spend a day in the pool, reading or taking a nap (mental note: Take a nap later).
Second, there is always time spent spending money. I think I am doing retirement on $100 a day. I know I can’t leave the house without spending $100. Costco alone is $100 just to walk in the door (make mental note: Renew Costco membership today). When I am not shopping – and shopping is considerably less frequent than in my working days – I am at the cleaners (again, not as often) or filling the car with gas, buying plants for the porch or stopping at ShopRite to get bananas and walking out with three bags and minus $100. Even the days when I don’t leave the house I can spend $100. There are those shoes I wanted to order and there’s no charge for shipping, so why not save gas and order them on line, I ask myself. Someone is always walking for charity, or there is a birthday card and check to send, or the handyman is here to repair something, so even on the days I don’t leave the house, I still manage to spend $100 or more.
I’m not saying that the spending is a good thing, though I am trying my best to contribute to the economy. Could I curtail spending? Sure, I could. But will I stop putting gas in the car or supporting charities – or buying shoes? Doubtful. It only takes time and money to be a happy retiree.
Third, I still have to keep a schedule. I don’t mean waking up or going to sleep at certain times, but I need a calendar just to keep track or what I am doing and where I am supposed to be every day. There is a play in New York, a basketball game in Piscataway and a blood test in Bridgewater. Let’s just not have them all be on the same day. I literally carry my schedule around with me on my Samsung Galaxy Tablet (or, before that, on paper) because I would be lost without it. Sometimes I am even lost with it. I usually can’t remember further out than two days from now. I keep a folder just for all the invitations and RSVPs so I’ll know that I responded and when and where I am supposed to show up. Add that to garbage night, recycling day, the pool closing, somebody’s birthday and paying my estimated taxes and you’ll understand why I need a calendar on me at all times.
I don’t mean to imply that life is either too dull or too frenetic. On the contrary. It is all about time management – and having a good time. Time is truly the best gift you can give yourself. Retirement has taught me to appreciate time, whether it be spent with a dear friend at the Met for the day, bouncing around the pool in my “water ballet” class, or watching a movie I waited 40 years to see. I am grateful for the time to think, to read, to write, to take pictures, to watch movies, to enjoy life, to take a nap and to control time on my own terms.
I guess that was my plan all along. I wish you all the gift of time – time to do what you want to do, to do what you need to do and to treasure every minute. Have a good time.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Tina's November Movies 2011
Here are the movies I watched in November. Numbering picks up from previous months and movies that I had not seen before are indicated with an *.
136. Groundhog Day (1993) – Imagine being stuck in the same day, seeing the same things and not being able to get to tomorrow. For self-centered weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray), that’s just what happens when he goes to cover Paxatawney Phil, the infamous groundhog whose shadow predicts whether winter will continue or spring will arrive each year. Every morning he wakes up, encounters the same people who say the same things, and it begins to make him just a little crazy. Bill Murray is so good as the sometimes smarmy weatherman who can live each day to the fullest or do things he’ll never regret since there is no tomorrow. This comedy is surprisingly touching and less manic than you’d expect from Murray. 3½ cans.
137. Unguarded* (2011) – I know a lot about basketball, but I was not familiar with the story of high school phenom Chris Herren. This ESPN documentary traces his career, from high school star in Fall River, Massachusetts, to Boston College, Fresno State, to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and ultimately to the hometown team, the Boston Celtics. But Chris’ accomplishments on the court were, in every stop, surpassed by his troubles with drinking and drugs. Throughout his career he overdosed on everything from cocaine to heroin, got in trouble with the law, and continued a downward spiral that nearly killed him. Not his loyal wife, his three kids, his friends or family could get in his way of his need to score drugs. Herren’s story is a cautionary tale for the young people with whom he now shares it. He is a living example of promise unfulfilled, of a life nearly wasted. There is considerable footage of Herren playing at all levels, of interviews with friends and mentors and his wife, that flesh out the real-life tale of this basketball junkie. 4 cans.
138. The Mighty Macs* (2011) – My second basketball movie of the day is a drama based on the real-life story of the Mighty Macs of tiny Immaculata College, a then-all-female school outside Philadelphia. If the story weren’t real, it would be improbable at best. Young Cathy Rush (Carla Gugino) takes a $450 a year job as the women’s basketball coach at the financially foundering college in 1972. The Mother Superior (Ellen Burstyn) hands her a battered basketball and lets her know there is no gym and no money to support the program. This was the time when women began playing under the same rules as men – though the Mighty Macs still donned those hideous jumper-type uniforms. Armed with nothing but hopes and prayers, Coach Rush gets the nuns out to support the team, and improbably sees her rag-tag underdogs begin to defeat more established opponents. This was also the stage in the history of women’s basketball before Title IX provided more funding for women’s sports and the smaller schools could still compete successfully. Cathy Rush did just that. In fact, a few years ago, she was elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame, the highest honor for anyone associated with the program. This movie is corny, trite and full of heart, with lessons young girls should learn. 3½ cans.
139. Dave (1993) – Kevin Kline gives an endearing performance as Dave, a man who so closely resembles U.S. President Bill Mitchell that his handlers draft Dave to appear as the President when the President suffers a stroke. Dave is so deft and likable in his new role that even the icy First Lady (Sigourney Weaver) is impressed with him. When a budget crisis threatens a program for children, Dave calls in his accountant (Charles Grodin, in a small but important role) to come up with cost-cutting ideas. The chief Presidential advisor (played by Frank Langella) sees his control of the erstwhile president begin to erode as Dave warms to the role and he strikes back. How will Dave endure this impending disaster? With Kline in the role, anything can happen. I always enjoy watching this movie and have never understood why Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver didn’t do more movies. Both are superior actors, displaying warmth and wry humor throughout this charmer. 4 cans.
140. Our Miss Brooks* (1956) – Fifty-something years ago I watched Miss Brooks, Mr. Boynton, Walter Denton, Mrs. Davis and Principal Conklin on an innocuous sitcom that was emblematic of its time. Stories meandered, concentrating on the inane, with a drop of humor here and there, and yet I watched – granted, as a child – and felt I knew these people. I didn’t know that this is the movie that started it all. The droll and lovely Eve Arden plays the title role of an English teacher with wit and plenty of double takes. This is in no way a great movie, but it was fun to see these characters again after so many years. 2 cans.
141. Body Heat (1981) – This stylish drama starts with a fire and ends with an explosion – and there is plenty of heat in between. Sultry Kathleen Turner is the bad rich woman who seduces willing lawyer William Hurt and persuades him to kill her husband (Richard Crenna, in the second Richard Crenna part of my day; he played Walter Denton in “Our Miss Brooks,” above). Will they get away with murder? Does she love him? Will anyone stop sweating in Florida? I hadn’t seen this movie in years, and it was still hot in every way. 4 cans.
142. Quiz Show (1994) – Ralph Fiennes delivers a sparkling performance as Charles Van Doren, scion of an intellectual family and national hero for his success on the 1950s quiz show “21.” Directed by Robert Redford, the movie focuses on the backstage machinations that made winners and losers out of contestants as the show’s producers provided them with answers or persuaded them to lose in favor of a more appealing contestant. That was the case with Herb Stempel (John Turturro, in a stellar performance as the wild-eyed, slightly paranoid Stemple), who takes a dive with the understanding that NBC would find another program for him. Replacing Stemple for 17 weeks is the telegenic college professor Van Doren, who became a household name. When Congressional investigator Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow) begins examining the program to determine if there was cheating, Van Doren’s reputation is on the line. This is a taut and intriguing story, but I still don’t appreciate my tax dollars (although I wasn’t a taxpayer back then) being used to investigate something that just doesn’t matter. In the end, audiences were entertained, contestants and sponsors made money and quiz shows survived. 4 cans.
143. Same Time, Next Year (1978) – This is a love story about a long-term relationship between a man and a woman. Both are married to other people, and they meet once a year at a small resort for their private trysts. The film catches up with them every 5 years, when their lives intersect. Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn are perfect as the loving couple in this charming comedy. I especially enjoyed seeing the black and white scenes depicting time passing before each time we revisit the couple. They clearly love their spouses and their lives, but they also relish the time they spend together. I know its morally wrong, but I find this film irresistible. 4½ cans.
144. Working Girl (1988) – Nike Nichols’ paean to the woman’s movement stars Melanie Griffiths as Tess, a young woman trying very hard to get ahead despite the lack of support by male co-workers, most of whom are more interested in how she looks than how she thinks. When her patronizing boss (Sigourney Weaver) breaks her leg skiing, Tess seizes the opportunity to pursue a deal with Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford). She ends up pursuing more than the deal as she shows she deserves a shot at success. Joan Cusack is hilarious as her best friend. Big hair and shoulder pads dominate the visual aspect of this story, reminding us of the time when women tried to look powerful as they attempted to seize power. 4 cans.
145. Bull Durham (1988) – Kevin Costner never looked better than he does here as Crash Davis, a career minor league catcher who is sent to the Class A Durham Bulls to impart his vast baseball knowledge to erratic pitching phenom “Nuke” LaLouche (Tim Robbins). Nuke needs a lot of education, and baseball groupie Annie (Susan Sarandon) makes him her pet project off the diamond. The contrast between Nuke, a boy, and Crash, a man, is not lost on Annie. One is destined for success if he can mature on and off the field, while the other is on a one-way ticket to nowhere. Costner made three baseball movies (“Field of Dreams,” and “For the Love of the Game”), all of which are terrific films, but this one is my favorite. The acting is spot on as the movie authentically captures minor league life and the small town atmosphere of the minor leagues. I love this movie. 4½ cans.
146. Les Miserables* (1998) – Liam Neeson stars as Jean Val Jean in this handsome adaptation of the classic Victor Hugo tale. The poor and hungry Val Jean is convicted of stealing bread and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor. When he violates his parole, Inspector Jauvert (Geoffrey Rush), a former guard at the prison, makes capturing Val Jean his lifelong pursuit. The epic story unfolds over decades as Val Jean demonstrates his inherent goodness and improves the lives of those around him even as he must dodge the dogged inspector. The story makes us face the concept of imprisonment beyond bars, of morality and of love, set against the beginnings of the French Revolution. The Broadway musical version of the story is one of the best experiences I have ever had in the theater, and this version of the movie stands strong on its own. 4½ cans.
147. The Hustler (1961) – Paul Newman plays pool hustler Fast Eddie Felson in this classic drama about a cocky guy who just doesn’t know when to stop playing. After he plays Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason, in a strong performance), the king of the billiards parlor, and beats him soundly, Fast Eddie isn’t content to take the money and run. He keeps playing – and losing, while Fats gets stronger and fresher during what seems like a heavyweight bout. Fast Eddie, down on his luck, has to scramble to get anyone to play him who doesn’t know his story. The dialogue here is sparse, but Eddie is eloquent in describing the pleasure he derives when he knows he’s playing well. This is a great movie, shot in black and white and filled with ups and downs that come with a vagabond life of a hustler. Piper Laurie and George C. Scott co-star. The original is so much better than the Tom Cruise/Paul Newman sequel, “The Color of Money.” 4½ cans.
136. Groundhog Day (1993) – Imagine being stuck in the same day, seeing the same things and not being able to get to tomorrow. For self-centered weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray), that’s just what happens when he goes to cover Paxatawney Phil, the infamous groundhog whose shadow predicts whether winter will continue or spring will arrive each year. Every morning he wakes up, encounters the same people who say the same things, and it begins to make him just a little crazy. Bill Murray is so good as the sometimes smarmy weatherman who can live each day to the fullest or do things he’ll never regret since there is no tomorrow. This comedy is surprisingly touching and less manic than you’d expect from Murray. 3½ cans.
137. Unguarded* (2011) – I know a lot about basketball, but I was not familiar with the story of high school phenom Chris Herren. This ESPN documentary traces his career, from high school star in Fall River, Massachusetts, to Boston College, Fresno State, to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and ultimately to the hometown team, the Boston Celtics. But Chris’ accomplishments on the court were, in every stop, surpassed by his troubles with drinking and drugs. Throughout his career he overdosed on everything from cocaine to heroin, got in trouble with the law, and continued a downward spiral that nearly killed him. Not his loyal wife, his three kids, his friends or family could get in his way of his need to score drugs. Herren’s story is a cautionary tale for the young people with whom he now shares it. He is a living example of promise unfulfilled, of a life nearly wasted. There is considerable footage of Herren playing at all levels, of interviews with friends and mentors and his wife, that flesh out the real-life tale of this basketball junkie. 4 cans.
138. The Mighty Macs* (2011) – My second basketball movie of the day is a drama based on the real-life story of the Mighty Macs of tiny Immaculata College, a then-all-female school outside Philadelphia. If the story weren’t real, it would be improbable at best. Young Cathy Rush (Carla Gugino) takes a $450 a year job as the women’s basketball coach at the financially foundering college in 1972. The Mother Superior (Ellen Burstyn) hands her a battered basketball and lets her know there is no gym and no money to support the program. This was the time when women began playing under the same rules as men – though the Mighty Macs still donned those hideous jumper-type uniforms. Armed with nothing but hopes and prayers, Coach Rush gets the nuns out to support the team, and improbably sees her rag-tag underdogs begin to defeat more established opponents. This was also the stage in the history of women’s basketball before Title IX provided more funding for women’s sports and the smaller schools could still compete successfully. Cathy Rush did just that. In fact, a few years ago, she was elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame, the highest honor for anyone associated with the program. This movie is corny, trite and full of heart, with lessons young girls should learn. 3½ cans.
139. Dave (1993) – Kevin Kline gives an endearing performance as Dave, a man who so closely resembles U.S. President Bill Mitchell that his handlers draft Dave to appear as the President when the President suffers a stroke. Dave is so deft and likable in his new role that even the icy First Lady (Sigourney Weaver) is impressed with him. When a budget crisis threatens a program for children, Dave calls in his accountant (Charles Grodin, in a small but important role) to come up with cost-cutting ideas. The chief Presidential advisor (played by Frank Langella) sees his control of the erstwhile president begin to erode as Dave warms to the role and he strikes back. How will Dave endure this impending disaster? With Kline in the role, anything can happen. I always enjoy watching this movie and have never understood why Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver didn’t do more movies. Both are superior actors, displaying warmth and wry humor throughout this charmer. 4 cans.
140. Our Miss Brooks* (1956) – Fifty-something years ago I watched Miss Brooks, Mr. Boynton, Walter Denton, Mrs. Davis and Principal Conklin on an innocuous sitcom that was emblematic of its time. Stories meandered, concentrating on the inane, with a drop of humor here and there, and yet I watched – granted, as a child – and felt I knew these people. I didn’t know that this is the movie that started it all. The droll and lovely Eve Arden plays the title role of an English teacher with wit and plenty of double takes. This is in no way a great movie, but it was fun to see these characters again after so many years. 2 cans.
141. Body Heat (1981) – This stylish drama starts with a fire and ends with an explosion – and there is plenty of heat in between. Sultry Kathleen Turner is the bad rich woman who seduces willing lawyer William Hurt and persuades him to kill her husband (Richard Crenna, in the second Richard Crenna part of my day; he played Walter Denton in “Our Miss Brooks,” above). Will they get away with murder? Does she love him? Will anyone stop sweating in Florida? I hadn’t seen this movie in years, and it was still hot in every way. 4 cans.
142. Quiz Show (1994) – Ralph Fiennes delivers a sparkling performance as Charles Van Doren, scion of an intellectual family and national hero for his success on the 1950s quiz show “21.” Directed by Robert Redford, the movie focuses on the backstage machinations that made winners and losers out of contestants as the show’s producers provided them with answers or persuaded them to lose in favor of a more appealing contestant. That was the case with Herb Stempel (John Turturro, in a stellar performance as the wild-eyed, slightly paranoid Stemple), who takes a dive with the understanding that NBC would find another program for him. Replacing Stemple for 17 weeks is the telegenic college professor Van Doren, who became a household name. When Congressional investigator Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow) begins examining the program to determine if there was cheating, Van Doren’s reputation is on the line. This is a taut and intriguing story, but I still don’t appreciate my tax dollars (although I wasn’t a taxpayer back then) being used to investigate something that just doesn’t matter. In the end, audiences were entertained, contestants and sponsors made money and quiz shows survived. 4 cans.
143. Same Time, Next Year (1978) – This is a love story about a long-term relationship between a man and a woman. Both are married to other people, and they meet once a year at a small resort for their private trysts. The film catches up with them every 5 years, when their lives intersect. Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn are perfect as the loving couple in this charming comedy. I especially enjoyed seeing the black and white scenes depicting time passing before each time we revisit the couple. They clearly love their spouses and their lives, but they also relish the time they spend together. I know its morally wrong, but I find this film irresistible. 4½ cans.
144. Working Girl (1988) – Nike Nichols’ paean to the woman’s movement stars Melanie Griffiths as Tess, a young woman trying very hard to get ahead despite the lack of support by male co-workers, most of whom are more interested in how she looks than how she thinks. When her patronizing boss (Sigourney Weaver) breaks her leg skiing, Tess seizes the opportunity to pursue a deal with Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford). She ends up pursuing more than the deal as she shows she deserves a shot at success. Joan Cusack is hilarious as her best friend. Big hair and shoulder pads dominate the visual aspect of this story, reminding us of the time when women tried to look powerful as they attempted to seize power. 4 cans.
145. Bull Durham (1988) – Kevin Costner never looked better than he does here as Crash Davis, a career minor league catcher who is sent to the Class A Durham Bulls to impart his vast baseball knowledge to erratic pitching phenom “Nuke” LaLouche (Tim Robbins). Nuke needs a lot of education, and baseball groupie Annie (Susan Sarandon) makes him her pet project off the diamond. The contrast between Nuke, a boy, and Crash, a man, is not lost on Annie. One is destined for success if he can mature on and off the field, while the other is on a one-way ticket to nowhere. Costner made three baseball movies (“Field of Dreams,” and “For the Love of the Game”), all of which are terrific films, but this one is my favorite. The acting is spot on as the movie authentically captures minor league life and the small town atmosphere of the minor leagues. I love this movie. 4½ cans.
146. Les Miserables* (1998) – Liam Neeson stars as Jean Val Jean in this handsome adaptation of the classic Victor Hugo tale. The poor and hungry Val Jean is convicted of stealing bread and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor. When he violates his parole, Inspector Jauvert (Geoffrey Rush), a former guard at the prison, makes capturing Val Jean his lifelong pursuit. The epic story unfolds over decades as Val Jean demonstrates his inherent goodness and improves the lives of those around him even as he must dodge the dogged inspector. The story makes us face the concept of imprisonment beyond bars, of morality and of love, set against the beginnings of the French Revolution. The Broadway musical version of the story is one of the best experiences I have ever had in the theater, and this version of the movie stands strong on its own. 4½ cans.
147. The Hustler (1961) – Paul Newman plays pool hustler Fast Eddie Felson in this classic drama about a cocky guy who just doesn’t know when to stop playing. After he plays Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason, in a strong performance), the king of the billiards parlor, and beats him soundly, Fast Eddie isn’t content to take the money and run. He keeps playing – and losing, while Fats gets stronger and fresher during what seems like a heavyweight bout. Fast Eddie, down on his luck, has to scramble to get anyone to play him who doesn’t know his story. The dialogue here is sparse, but Eddie is eloquent in describing the pleasure he derives when he knows he’s playing well. This is a great movie, shot in black and white and filled with ups and downs that come with a vagabond life of a hustler. Piper Laurie and George C. Scott co-star. The original is so much better than the Tom Cruise/Paul Newman sequel, “The Color of Money.” 4½ cans.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Nifty Fifty
At Weight Watchers we have a saying: “Every ounce counts.” That’s why I show up at every Tuesday weigh-in with shaved legs, trimmed nails, and, if I needed a haircut anyway, I will have had it done the day before. I won’t wear earrings or my watch, and I even skip the usual moisturizing process. I figure that not only will the lotion add weight, but that the dry skin flaking off my legs might just help me on the scale.
All that trickery – and following the program – has finally paid off. I am now down 800 ounces. For those of you who are math challenged, that’s 50 pounds, or approximately the size of a sturdy toddler.
Don’t get the wrong idea. Unless I have a sudden growth spurt, I will continue to be way over the recommended weight for my height. Any doctor seeing me for the first time would tell me I have to lose weight, not knowing I started 50 pounds ago. This process isn’t like “The Biggest Loser,” the TV show that takes obese people, puts them on a ranch and subjects them to trainers who bully them into incredible weight losses each week. This is a slow trip from one end of the scale to another, one that requires attention to every single decision involving food.
For someone accustomed to eating daily from the four food groups – cake, candy, cookies and chocolate – I have had to rely on Weight Watchers to help me change my bad habits. (In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I miss every one of those groups.) But Weight Watchers practices tolerance, too. As long as you stay within your daily allotment of “points,” you can occasionally treat yourself to something yummy. In fact, it is better that you do, so you don’t just fall off the wagon and quit over a Hershey bar.
I’ve done Weight Watchers before – and so has every woman in my group. But this time it seems to be sticking. Maybe I reached the end of my rope, hit rock bottom and realized I was running out of excuses and time. Now I know that I am in this for life and I am finally heading in the right direction. This is one of the main reasons I retired, so I could concentrate on my health. Never mind that I gained 20 pounds first.
I have learned that if you kind of follow the program, it kind of works. But if you really follow the program, it really works. And, actually, it isn’t all that bad. I eat plenty of food each day and just have to make sure I write everything down and stay within my points. It’s not like it doesn’t count just because you didn’t write it down. Before this, just writing down everything I ate would have required pulling an all-nighter. It’s just possible that I was eating too much, you know?
The benefits of my loss are measurable. I wouldn’t say I am bounding up the stairs, but my knees don’t ache anymore. My first time seeing a basketball game at the Prudential Center I had to ask someone if the seats were that much bigger than they are at Rutgers or whether my ass had gotten that much smaller (a bit of both, I was informed). I did so much more work around the house and pool this summer than I was able to do in previous summers because I had more energy. This all makes sense since I am no longer lugging 50 pounds of dead weight around with every step. I can even tie my shoes better.
As my WW leader put it, every five pounds we lose is the equivalent of a brick. The way I see it, the three of us at WW who are around 50 pounds down now collectively have lost a small patio.
These days, as I promised myself, I have been busy shopping in my closet. I have made numerous trips to the basement to gather up the smaller-sized jeans and pants and put away – or, in some cases, give away – the bigger clothes. I can fit into the suits I wore before I retired, though I have eliminated the ones with the huge shoulder pads that look like Linda Evans’ wardrobe from “Dynasty.” Some of the suits are too big now, which is a great feeling. One pair of pants that I tried on was still too tight to wear, so I stuck a note on the hanger that read “Not yet.” By the time I tried them on again, they were ready to be labeled “Yet.” Now they are about to make the trip to the basement, where they will be stored with the clothes labeled “Bigger Sizes.”
I also bought new clothes to make sure I would have things to wear as my body got smaller. Some of these were returned before I even wore them because by the time I got around to wearing them, they were too big. I have a new relationship with the Return desk at Kohl’s, and I wisely keep all tags on garments until I am ready to wear them (is that where the term “ready to wear” originated?).
I set a goal of losing 50 pounds prior to the start of the Rutgers Women’s basketball season on November 13, and I met that goal. But the fact that my butt will fit into the seats at the RAC isn’t nearly as important as the fact that on my most recent trip to the endocrinologist, she eliminated one of the three drugs I was taking for diabetes. One out of three is a good start. Maybe I will get to the day when I am no longer considered diabetic and I can get off all of those medications. That would be the best news.
So, this is not the end of the story. I still have a long way to go, but at least I am on my way. I see light at the end of the tunnel – I just hope it isn’t the high beams from a Drake’s Cake truck filled with Devil Dogs. I have installed a force field around my car so that it cannot possibly turn into the parking lot of the nearby strip mall that is the home of Five Guys, Baker’s Treat and a candy store. I will continue to show up every Tuesday to Weight Watchers and exhale before I get on the scale. After all, every ounce counts.
All that trickery – and following the program – has finally paid off. I am now down 800 ounces. For those of you who are math challenged, that’s 50 pounds, or approximately the size of a sturdy toddler.
Don’t get the wrong idea. Unless I have a sudden growth spurt, I will continue to be way over the recommended weight for my height. Any doctor seeing me for the first time would tell me I have to lose weight, not knowing I started 50 pounds ago. This process isn’t like “The Biggest Loser,” the TV show that takes obese people, puts them on a ranch and subjects them to trainers who bully them into incredible weight losses each week. This is a slow trip from one end of the scale to another, one that requires attention to every single decision involving food.
For someone accustomed to eating daily from the four food groups – cake, candy, cookies and chocolate – I have had to rely on Weight Watchers to help me change my bad habits. (In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I miss every one of those groups.) But Weight Watchers practices tolerance, too. As long as you stay within your daily allotment of “points,” you can occasionally treat yourself to something yummy. In fact, it is better that you do, so you don’t just fall off the wagon and quit over a Hershey bar.
I’ve done Weight Watchers before – and so has every woman in my group. But this time it seems to be sticking. Maybe I reached the end of my rope, hit rock bottom and realized I was running out of excuses and time. Now I know that I am in this for life and I am finally heading in the right direction. This is one of the main reasons I retired, so I could concentrate on my health. Never mind that I gained 20 pounds first.
I have learned that if you kind of follow the program, it kind of works. But if you really follow the program, it really works. And, actually, it isn’t all that bad. I eat plenty of food each day and just have to make sure I write everything down and stay within my points. It’s not like it doesn’t count just because you didn’t write it down. Before this, just writing down everything I ate would have required pulling an all-nighter. It’s just possible that I was eating too much, you know?
The benefits of my loss are measurable. I wouldn’t say I am bounding up the stairs, but my knees don’t ache anymore. My first time seeing a basketball game at the Prudential Center I had to ask someone if the seats were that much bigger than they are at Rutgers or whether my ass had gotten that much smaller (a bit of both, I was informed). I did so much more work around the house and pool this summer than I was able to do in previous summers because I had more energy. This all makes sense since I am no longer lugging 50 pounds of dead weight around with every step. I can even tie my shoes better.
As my WW leader put it, every five pounds we lose is the equivalent of a brick. The way I see it, the three of us at WW who are around 50 pounds down now collectively have lost a small patio.
These days, as I promised myself, I have been busy shopping in my closet. I have made numerous trips to the basement to gather up the smaller-sized jeans and pants and put away – or, in some cases, give away – the bigger clothes. I can fit into the suits I wore before I retired, though I have eliminated the ones with the huge shoulder pads that look like Linda Evans’ wardrobe from “Dynasty.” Some of the suits are too big now, which is a great feeling. One pair of pants that I tried on was still too tight to wear, so I stuck a note on the hanger that read “Not yet.” By the time I tried them on again, they were ready to be labeled “Yet.” Now they are about to make the trip to the basement, where they will be stored with the clothes labeled “Bigger Sizes.”
I also bought new clothes to make sure I would have things to wear as my body got smaller. Some of these were returned before I even wore them because by the time I got around to wearing them, they were too big. I have a new relationship with the Return desk at Kohl’s, and I wisely keep all tags on garments until I am ready to wear them (is that where the term “ready to wear” originated?).
I set a goal of losing 50 pounds prior to the start of the Rutgers Women’s basketball season on November 13, and I met that goal. But the fact that my butt will fit into the seats at the RAC isn’t nearly as important as the fact that on my most recent trip to the endocrinologist, she eliminated one of the three drugs I was taking for diabetes. One out of three is a good start. Maybe I will get to the day when I am no longer considered diabetic and I can get off all of those medications. That would be the best news.
So, this is not the end of the story. I still have a long way to go, but at least I am on my way. I see light at the end of the tunnel – I just hope it isn’t the high beams from a Drake’s Cake truck filled with Devil Dogs. I have installed a force field around my car so that it cannot possibly turn into the parking lot of the nearby strip mall that is the home of Five Guys, Baker’s Treat and a candy store. I will continue to show up every Tuesday to Weight Watchers and exhale before I get on the scale. After all, every ounce counts.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tina's October Movies 2011
I saw just 8 movies in October, with all but one a new movie for me. Numbering picks up from last month, and movies I had not seen previously are marked with an *.
128. An Education (2008) – British schoolgirl Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is not your average student. The 16-17 year old plays the cello, excels in Latin, speaks French and plans to study at Oxford. But first she meets mysterious and wealthy David (Peter Saarsgard), who innocently picks her up and not-so-innocently proceeds to expose her to art, music and a faster crowd than her schoolmates. Is he as charming as he seems, even winning over her stern and disapproving parents? An interesting story that takes place near London in the swinging 1960s, “An Education” shows that life has many lessons and not all education takes place in school. 4 cans.
129. Ides of March* (2011) – Politics is a dirty business, as this political drama so clearly points out. Populated by a bevy of alpha males, the Democratic presidential primary in Ohio pits Pa. Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney, who also co-wrote the script and directed) against an opponent willing to court Republicans and independents and make deals the Governor refuses to make. His media adviser Stephen Meyer (Ryan Gosling) feels like his horse is sure to win the race. However, when Meyer is approached by the campaign manager (Paul Giammatti) for the opponent, he’s too flattered to turn down an inappropriate meeting. The plot is less about the battle between the candidates and more about the war of conscience vs. ambition, of values vs. pragmatism. The intriguing story is well played by Gosling, Giammatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the campaign chair who values loyalty above all else. Clooney has more of a supporting role as an attractive candidate whose values seem impeccable. I detest politics, but I liked this movie. 4 cans.
130. The Jerk* (1979) – Somehow, for all these years I managed to miss this early Steve Martin comedy, directed by Carl Reiner. Martin is the poor white son of a poor black family who sets out to seek his fortune. A good-natured simpleton, he is enthusiastic and appreciative of any opportunity he receives. I cannot imagine anyone other than Steve Martin playing this role in a movie of such inspired lunacy. He may be a jerk, but he is an endearing one. 4 cans.
131. Light in the Piazza* (1962) – Yvette Mimieux is luminous as Clara, an innocent young woman traveling in Florence with her devoted mother (Olivia DeHaviland) when she meets a handsome young Italian man (George Hamilton) and falls madly in love. Sounds like this story is headed for a happy ending, until you learn that there is something just not quite right about young Clara. Can she grow into the young woman of her mother’s dreams and live happily ever after or will her limited mental capacity become apparent to her would-be suitor? Should her mother protect her and stop the budding romance or allow her to blossom as best she can? This was a sweet movie and showed a side of Olivia DeHaviland that reminded me a bit of her role as Melanie in “Gone With the Wind.” The most amazing part of the movie was seeing a virtually tanless George Hamilton, who brims with enthusiasm and charm as he courts Mimieux. She plays her part with gusto and without guile. 3 cans.
132. Prayer for a Perfect Season* (2011) – There is no more bitter rivalry in sports than the one between New Jersey’s catholic high schools, St. Anthony’s of Jersey City and St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth. Located just miles apart, the two schools face each other on the basketball court each year to determine the best team in the state, or, last year, as shown in this HBO documentary, in the country. St. Pat’s, coached by Kevin Boyle, plays a national schedule but still has to compete in the county and the state tournaments. This film takes a close look at Boyle and his stars, focusing primarily on Kentucky-bound senior Michael Gilchrist. This is high school sports at its most intense, with Boyle presiding over a bunch of boys turning into men, while his chief rival, the legendary St. Anthony’s coach, Bob Hurley, stands in the way of his perfect season. This film whetted my appetite for the upcoming basketball season with a compelling story and some pretty slick moves on the court. 4 cans.
133. Footloose* (2011) – Though I missed the swagger of Kevin Bacon in this remake of his classic ‘80s performance as Ren McCormack, big-city kid in a small town, I really enjoyed this version. The tradeoff is that the new Ren, Kenny Wormald, can actually dance, as can Julianne Hough, the “Dancing With the Stars” alum and replacement for Lori Singer in the role of the rebellious preacher’s kid. Dennis Quaid didn’t fit the role of the father as well as John Lithgow in the original, and the new Willard in this version (Miles Teller) is a much superior dancer to Chris Penn from the original, but the sequence of Ren teaching him how to dance is still fun to watch. The story is the same, centered around a tragedy that causes a small town in the south to ban loud music and dancing, which only makes the kids want to dance even more. The details have been tweaked a bit and updated for today’s audience, which means giant boomboxes have been replaced by iPods. The music is still fun and the dancing joyful and exuberant. The only downside was voiced by my friend Dee, who said, “Too much drama, not enough dancing.” That hasn’t changed from the original, but we all would have loved a little more action on the dance floor. My only observation about both versions of this movie is that for a town where kids aren’t allowed to dance, they sure have a lot of great dancers! If you missed the original, go see this one anyway. 4 cans.
134. Emma* (1996) – Gwyneth Paltrow stars in the title role of Jane Austen’s 19th century novel about a young society woman determined to match up all those in her social circle. This is a story of social mores, miscommunication between potential couples and how to survive a boring life by paring off your friends. Paltrow – so very young and thin here – plays the part with grace and humor. Jeremy Northam co-stars as her good friend Mr. Knightly. The cast is uniformly good – but, if I fall asleep not once but FOUR TIMES while watching a movie, it’s safe to say it didn’t really hold my interest as intended. 3 cans and a long nap.
135. Hoffa* (1992) – Jack Nicholson, devoid of his trademark killer smile, portrays tough guy Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa in this biopic tracing the rise and fall of the union leader. Hoffa led his union with determination and bravado, building the Detroit local one member at a time on his march to the top. He defied his enemies, including several explosive face-offs with Attorney General Bobby Kennedy and the Justice Department on his way to an eventual jail term. I am always amazed by the magic way Hollywood turns actors into look-a-likes of the people they portray, and Nicholson here resembles Hoffa in the way I remember him before his 1975 disappearance. Nicholson chews the scenery as the fiery leader in a movie directed by his co-star Danny DeVito. Both men deliver the goods throughout the movie. 3½ cans.
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