Tina's November 2022 Movies & More

Movies here are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna fish, 5 being the top rating. Those marked with * are movies I had not seen before. Numbering picks up from previous months.
151.  Buying Beverly Hills* (2022, Netflix) – Just like “Selling Sunset,” this “reality” (I use the term loosely) series focuses on the extraordinary real estate offerings in one of the swankiest locales in the US, Beverly Hills. The Agency – literally the name of the real estate company featured here – is run by Maurice Umansky, the biggest seller of $100 million homes, and staffed by young, attractive agents, some with track records and some just getting their feet wet in the business, which describes his two daughters who work there, Farrah and Alexia. Like the other real estate shows I have watched, there is plenty of music along with drone shots of properties jutting off cliffs or with views for days, women in short skirts and sky-high heels, and men with just the right amount of facial hair. This one has far less drama than “Selling Sunset,” because there is less bitchiness and rivalry (less, not none!). I’m not about to buy a home in Beverly Hills – I would need to win the Powerball lottery to afford a $140 million home! – but a girl can dream, can’t she? This 8-part series goes down smoothly. I was hooked, and I watched the entire series in 2 days. 4 cans, lots of bathrooms, and oh, those chandeliers!
152. The Automat* (2022, HBO Max) – Sit down for a heaping serving of nostalgia with this delicious documentary about Horn & Hardart’s Automats. I didn’t know that these semi-self-serve restaurants were in both Philadelphia and New York, a partnership between Philly-based Horn and NYC-based Hardart. These men grew their business while staying loyal to their employees and treating them and the customers well. Automats in NY were all over the city, with people dropping nickels into the slots to open a window and get a slice of pie or a sandwich or mac & cheese. They were renowned for their baked goods and even had retail stores to sell pies as well as dinners. Many famous people appreciated automats for their variety, their low prices (nickel cups of coffee!) and their camaraderie. You’ll hear Mel Brooks sing the praises – literally – of the automat. I still recall a delicious cup of hot chocolate I had there once, and the magic of those little windows opening so you could retrieve your chosen food! Stop by this movie for the memories of simpler days, simpler food and simpler times. 4 cans.
153.  Armageddon Time* (2022, in the movies) – This movie is a bit too ambitious in its take on race, culture, antisemitism, class differences and generation gaps. Although it takes place in 1980, it touches on themes still prevalent in the American culture and, to make its point, even blatantly hauls the Trump family (just Fred, the father, and daughter, Judge Maryanne) and Ronald Reagan into the story of a sixth-grader who doesn’t quite fit in anywhere. The young Jewish boy Paul doesn’t much like school and would rather draw pictures than pay attention. His best friend Johnny, who is Black, wants to join the NASA. The two dreamers have family issues; Johnny lives with his grandmother, a step away from being scooped up by Social Services, and Paul with his stern father (Jeremy Strong) and sad and harried mother (Anne Hathaway). The light of his life is his grandfather (Anthony Hopkins), who encourages his art and urges him to do the right thing if he sees people being unfairly treated. The story is based on the boyhood of its director, James Gray, whose recollections of his youth are more interesting to him than they were to me. 3 cans.
154.  The Booksellers* (2020, Prime Video) – I must admit that I watched this fascinating documentary with as much guilt as interest, since I have thoroughly embraced both Amazon and my Kindle as my way of buying and reading books due to my eyesight issues. The antiquarian booksellers here, however, can offer collectors something Amazon can’t: Centuries-old books and manuscripts so special that some are bound in human flesh. The booksellers featured here, for the most part, are like collectors, always on the hunt for that rare book, manuscript or collection to add to their stock and ultimately sell to customers. The business has changed over the years, although the women featured here attest to the notion that it is still a business of older, white males. To see some of the rare volumes and some of the unique artifacts was a real treat. If you want action, this movie is not for you. But if you love the feel of a book in your hand, appreciate the art on the jacket and the paper on which it was printed, check out this movie. 3½ books.
155.  California Typewriter* (2016, Prime Video) – Ah, that sound of the keys striking the paper on the platen; the rat-a-tat of striking the keys themselves; the whoosh of the carriage return being used to advance to the next line; the sound of the bell – each one slightly different and unique to the make and model of the typewriter. Typewriter collectors and users may not be as efficient in their work as the process of computer and word processing, but some, like author David McCullough, treasure the pages with the cross-outs and typeovers to reflect back on the creative process. This quirky film looks at these groups, along with an iconic typewriter repair shop in Berkeley, California, where every new old typewriter in for repair is greeted and treated like a friend. Tom Hanks insists on writing thank you notes on one of his many typewriters, while singer-songwriter John Mayer swears he became more creative when he started using one for his many songs. One man takes typewriters apart and uses their inner and outer workings to create original art. The collectors treasure their finds – as Hanks does – and no matter how many they have, they are thrilled to find more. Whatever happened to my blue, plastic Smith Corona Portable, used for papers in high school and college? I no longer have the typewriter, but I do have some of the papers I wrote, and to many in this movie, that’s the point. 4 cans.
156.  Say Hey, Willie Mays* (2022, HBO Max) – I have been a Yankee fan since 1959, so I never remember Willie Mays playing for the New York Giants. He spent the prime of his career with the San Francisco Giants, whose games were not broadcast on the East Coast. But I saw enough of him to recognize his transcendent talent, his ability to power a ball over the fence, his trademark “basket catch,” his skill at stealing bases and throwing runners out. This loving documentary tells more of the story of the man himself, how important he was to the game of baseball and his absolute love of the game. This show hit a home run! 3½ cans.
157.  The Cost of Winning* (2022, HBO Max) – The hopes and dreams of the football players at St. Patrick’s High School in Baltimore rest in their success on the field. The team is so good that other schools in Maryland won’t play them, forcing the cash-strapped school to take on a national (and costly) schedule of highly ranked teams all over the country. This four-part documentary takes on the issues of minority students trying to keep up their grades, dealing with violence in their city, and forming a winning football team, all in hopes of getting out of Baltimore and pursuing their education and football opportunities at the collegiate level. Their success rests at being able to win their games and gain a national reputation so they can be recruited and signed by notable colleges. The kids work hard and try their best, and their devoted coaching staff really seems to care about them as people. This four-part series doesn't come close to the excitement of such similar series as “Last Chance U” or “QB1,” but it was an interesting and realistic look at the challenges faced by schools and their student athletes. 3 cans.
158.  She Said* (2022, at the movies) – In the pantheon of heroic reporter movies that, to me, starts with “All the President’s Men” and continues through “Spotlight,” this true story about The New York Times reporters who brought down sexual abuser and Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein ranks third – but that’s not to denigrate their work or the quality of this film. Meghan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) have to take their time to try to win the trust of the women who were sexually assaulted, threatened or abused by Weinstein, most of whom were forced to sign “Non-disclosure” agreements that forbade them from talking. Weinstein’s vile treatment of women was a well-known secret in Hollywood and included staffers and not just actresses. What they had in common was their fear about speaking out and jeopardizing their careers. Weinstein is the perfect example of the abuse of power and the humiliation which women suffer while just trying to do their jobs. This story is the perfect example of the power of the press – and TRUTH. 4 cans.
159.  Stillwater* (2021, Showtime) – Matt Damon is Bill Baker, a tough construction guy from Oklahoma whose daughter is in a French jail for killing her girlfriend in Marseille. Despite not understanding the French language or the legal system, Baker is not about to give up establishing this daughter’s innocence and moves to France to fight her case. Damon fits the role perfectly, working every angle he can and getting help and support from a woman and her young daughter whom he meets at his hotel. Given the obstacles, can he work successfully to free her (Abigail Breslin) without getting himself into trouble? This movie was a little long, but it held my interest. 4 cans.
160.  McEnroe* (2022, Showtime) – John McEnroe stormed onto the tennis scene in the late 1980s and quickly earned a reputation for great shot-making and hot-headed behavior. He could hit a winner as often as he could berate the refs. This portrait of the explosive McEnroe tackles his psychological issues and doesn’t steer clear of his questionable actions off the court. I felt like I was listening to a session with his therapist at times. But the tennis – particularly his rivalry with the great and sanguine Bjorn Borg – reminds us of his immense talent and the beauty of top-level competition. 3½ cans.
161.  A Christmas Story Christmas* – (2022, HBO Max) – Ralphie is back in the old homestead on Cleveland Street in this sequel to the classic 1983 film “A Christmas Story.” Here Ralphie (with both eyes intact) is an aspiring author, married and the father of two when he gets a call from his mother that his father has passed away. He takes the family to spend the holidays with Mom and try to revive the joy of the season. Hail, Hail, the old gang is all there – Flick, Schwartz and Randy and the yellow-eyed Scut, now a police officer.  Ralphie’s schemes are no more successful in the 1970s than they were in the 40s or 50s, when the original took place, but the story remains heart-warming holiday nostalgia. At least no one is foolish enough to put his tongue on a frozen steel pole this time! Having seen the sequel, maybe I will take a hiatus from watching the original this year. 3 cans.
 

November Nuggets

Pumpkin spice season has passed, but now a new product is available for Thanksgiving – Turkey and stuffing-flavored potato chips. One of my friends declared this a good thing, since she can skip making turkey and stuffing and just pass the chips! I shouldn’t be buying chips (I’m really good about that), and the thought of these definitely will not tempt me!

How do you describe someone who is nondescript? I knew someone like this once and I described her as “no jelly, no glaze.” Does that say it all?

It is 2022. Why are we paying for gas with dollars, cents and fractions? What’s the point of $4.29 and 9/10s?  Can’t we just round up? I’m willing to do that. I mean, it’s a tenth of a cent! Gas is so expensive now that what’s another tenth of a cent?

If you remove the W from Women, you get Omen. Think about that!

I have no artistic ability, but I can draw a blank with the best of them.

I’m no longer very athletic – although I used to be a pretty good softball player – but I’m still world class in jumping to conclusions.

It has been almost 2 years, but when I hear Johnny Gilbert say, “And now, here’s the host of Jeopardy,” I still expect him to finish with “Alex Trebek."

If you go to visit the land of your ancestors, can you call it your Landcestors?

I bought $10 worth of tickets for the Powerball lottery but I didn’t win. And that’s too bad, because a bunch of people and charities were going to have a very good year, not to mention a chef who would have had a new, well-paying job planning, preparing, serving and cleaning up from my meals. You know, $2 BILLION goes a long way. The guy behind me on the line to buy tickets was grousing that Uncle Sam takes half. OK, I can make do with ONE BILLION. And don’t forget that the state of NJ takes a cut, he declared. You still come out WAY ahead, I reminded him. I’m just glad he wasn’t a winner. I would hate for him to have to deal with all those taxes. Better I should win (again, I didn’t, so I’m just saying…)

Do I really need an alert to inform me that my package is 10 stops away? Should I be waiting eagerly at the door, or should I try to intercept it on the corner of Here and There? Whenever it gets here is fine with me!

It occurs to me that most of my “walking program” consists of wandering around ShopRite trying to find things when I can’t recall where they are located. I added to the program by walking around CVS today, too. Cue the theme song from “Rocky.”

For someone who can’t seem to park her car evenly within the lines – even with no cars on either side – how is it possible that I was able to parallel park perfectly on the Main Street in Manville the other day on my first try? And while I love a good “pull-through,” either I don’t pull through enough or my car protrudes way past where it should be. Is there a remedial Drivers Ed class I can take?

Here’s a sure sign of aging: You meet friends for lunch instead of dinner. Most of your friends are retired, so they can have lunch without rushing back to the office, and this way no one has to drive at night!

Complete darkness before 5 PM just seems so wrong!

An egg cream contains neither eggs nor cream. Please discuss.

Speaking of eggs, there’s nothing like making yourself a nice plate of scrambled eggs or an egg salad sandwich only to crunch on a shell as you eat. How could I have missed that?

In addition to the many kinds of Oreos you find on the supermarket shelf, you can now customize your Oreos with various toppings. Is this really necessary? First, do we need even ONE MORE variety of Oreos? And second, do you want to pay a bunch more so that you can get sprinkles on them? Just pass me the package of the OGs and a glass of milk and I will be happy!

I’m trying to understand the term “CIVIL WAR.” Isn’t war inherently uncivil?

Recently I passed by a strip mall that featured a barbecue joint, Dairy Queen, Kentucky Fried Chicken, a place for Chinese food, a pizza parlor – and a place for kidney dialysis. I think I get that last one.

What’s with all the military men who set up Instagram accounts and want to follow me? Many say they are single or widowed but they have one thing in common: I block them all. I don’t trust that their information or pictures are really them. Too much coincidence. And after I watched that documentary about the football player with the fake girlfriend, “The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist,” I am leery of anything over social media these days.

When I go to the movies now (which is not nearly as often as I went pre-pandemic), I go on Half-Price Tuesday in Manville. I think I like the movies twice as much for $4 than I do for $8 (daytime, first showing).

Do you ever change your plans because you don’t like the way your hair looks that day, or is that just me?

And speaking of hair, how did I manage to get a cowlick in the back of my hair after all of these years? I can only assume there are changes taking place back there that I am not going to like, and the hair has a mind of its own in trying to protect itself. Or something. And why is it called a cowlick? I could probably Google the answer, but then that question will stay in my search history and the next thing you know, I’ll be getting FB ads about cows.

I have to give credit to the dryer balls I use instead of sheets in the dryer. They are constantly working to find ways to escape, whether it is hiding in the sleeve of a sweatshirt (way down by the cuff, where they are not readily detected) or the corner of the fitted sheet, hoping that once it is put away, they are safe until the next time the sheet is used. I would not be that ingenious if I were in that predicament.

My sister said that she bought candy that was smaller than snack size this year for Halloween. The Kit Kat bars had only one section. With that miniscule size, you can’t exactly sing that theme song: “break me off a piece of that KitKat bar.” Do you remember the joy of scoring the full-size candy? The houses that gave out that stuff were very popular.

I don’t think I am destined to get Real ID. At my first appointment, I arrived well in advance despite getting lost on my way to the South Plainfield facility – a full two months early because I got confused about the date. This time I was booked in Edison and arrived 15 minutes ahead of my appointment, only to find at least 75 people ahead of me (I had time to count them), all waiting outside the office. It turns out there was a gas leak and the building needed to be evacuated after someone was taken away on a stretcher by the EMTs. The person in charge said we could all come back the next day and our appointments would be honored, but I figured the next day would have all of Tuesday’s appointments and all of Wednesday's appointments, which sounded like a bad idea. So, I will go online again to book an appointment and try to get there sometime between 2 months and 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Things could be worse – at least I wasn’t the person carried out on a stretcher.

Tina's October 2022 Movies & More

There is one special movie review here that almost all of you will never get to see. I'll let you figure out which one it is while reading the rest. Numbering picks up from previous months and those movies marked with an asterisk were ones I had not seen previously. Everything is rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 being the top.

133.  Truth Be Told: The Fight for Women’s Professional Soccer* (2022, ESPN E60 series) – Women’s Professional Soccer has been around since the glorious World Cup victory by the USA in 1999 in front of a packed Rose Bowl. But several leagues have come and gone in that time, and there’s never a guarantee that any of the teams will have enough money to make payroll. So, the pros settle for less – inadequate training facilities and staff, less money and medical care – and they still fight to extend their careers. So that’s why so many young women in the current NWSL compromise their own safety and security when coaches emotionally or verbally abuse them or worse. They feel like they cannot challenge their treatment or they will be cut from their teams and their careers shortened or worse. A report issued in October lists despicable behavior by many coaches who have sexually assaulted or harassed players who reported them to the league only to have their reports ignored or glossed over. Coaches sometimes lost their jobs but were allowed to get new jobs in other places as officials who were informed of these incidents failed to take action. This kind of disgusting behavior is exactly what we have seen from coaches and team officials responsible for gymnastics, swimming and other sports, where young, vulnerable women are exploited and have no recourse except giving up their dreams and careers. When will this kind of behavior end? When will systems be in place to prevent and punish it? This documentary tells the story, but the coaches shown here are not all of the ones accused in the report compiled for US Soccer who are exerting power over their players and physically or sexually assaulting them. The situation is deplorable. 4 cans.
134.  Flight/Risk* (2022, Netflix) – One crash of a Boeing 737 Max jet in 2018 killed 346 people. The next year, the same model plane crashed, resulting in hundreds more deaths. But this documentary is less about the numbers than about the loved ones left behind with questions about what happened. Reporter Dominic Gates from the Seattle Times takes a hard look into the actions and inactions of Boeing, and whether corners were cut in their attempts to launch the plane. Boeing employee Ed Pierson is a whistleblower who warned the company that the production system was plagued with problems, but his pleas were not seriously considered. Was it the plane itself, the production process or the insistence that despite using a new system, special training for pilots was not necessary? This film takes a hard look at everything and portrays the loss on a human scale. 4 cans.
135. The Proposal* (2022, Limited Engagement) – A young man and woman stroll down a Chicago street hand in hand. He is carrying a jacket in his other hand. Suddenly she spots two flower arrangements next to a fountain, and they stop. She looks surprised, he looks happy. The soundtrack doesn’t reveal their conversation. Instead, it consists of her sister, who was recording the event while crying. They stop, he takes her hand and asks her a question. She is crying as she nods yes. He drops down on one knee and takes a box out of his jacket pocket, opening it to reveal a ring. Surprise ending? No, considering that they went ring shopping together a while back. But props to my favorite nephew, Brandon, for pulling off the romantic surprise and for finding a wonderful young woman, Julia, with whom to spend his life. There are tears and happiness as they embrace and kiss several times. This special video is only a minute and a half, but it is the best thing I have seen all year. I see a bright future for the two people in the cast! I know a lot of work on every detail went into the making of this short-subject, but it was worth it. I love a happy ending. I give this one a “ringing endorsement,” 5 golden rings and a possible Oscar! Mazel Tov!
136.  The Real Mad Men of Chicago* (2022, YouTube) – The Jolly Green Giant, the Marlboro Man, Tony the Tiger and the Pillsbury Dough Boy are all creations of the Leo Burnett Ad Agency, a Chicago-based advertising firm that rivaled the ad men of New York’s Madison Avenue beginning in the 1960s. They made the friendly skies of United come alive and created the “You deserve a break today” campaign for McDonald’s. The documentary illustrates the divergent approaches of Chicago’s Midwest sensibilities vs. the harder sell of the NY agencies. If you are interested in the creative combination of advertising and culture, this documentary is for you. I loved reliving some of the classics, like Charley the Tuna and Morris the Cat. 4 cans.
137.  Luckiest Girl Alive* (2022, Netflix) – The title here is strictly sardonic, because clearly Ani (Mila Kunis) isn’t so lucky after all. Sure, she has a cool job at a women’s magazine with a shot of a position at The New York Times and she’s about to be married to a handsome man from old money, but she often looks like she could kill him with her bare hands. There is trauma and tragedy in her past and her issues are unresolved. You can never relax watching this movie because with flashbacks coming at you that are unsettling, you just wait for the other shoe to drop. Suspenseful and current in its subject matter, but not a fun movie experience. 3 cans.
138.  I’ll See You in My Dreams* (2015, HBO) – Widow Carol (Blythe Danner) is a little lonely but she still has Hazel the dog – at least at the beginning of this film. Carol gardens, hangs out with her older lady friends who live in a nearby retirement community, plays cards and leads a quiet life. But there has to be something more. A speed dating event at the clubhouse is a disaster; trust me, no one would want to date this parade of elderly losers. But on the way out she meets Bill (a still-handsome Sam Elliott), an intriguing guy who has to memorize her number. He is unattached and attractive. She is curious and smitten. She also befriends her much-younger pool boy, Lloyd, who takes her to a karaoke bar where she shows off the singing chops of her younger days. And she and the ladies get into the stash of medical marijuana and come down with a major case of the munchies. When you reach a certain age, life isn’t filled with excitement, it is filled with moments, and Danner does a great, understated job of showing the emptiness and the richness life can bring. This was a lovely little film. 3½ cans.
139. Broadchurch, Season 2* (2013 PBS) – Let’s start with the fact that I didn’t know there WAS a Season 2. And as much as I loved Season 1, the story could have and should have ended there, with the confession of the murderer of young Danny Lattimer. This 8-episode installment introduces a host of new characters and a crime that was only referenced in Season 1 as the trial of the confessed murderer gets underway. There are three female characters who look so similar that I had trouble telling them apart. The plot shifts between the courtroom and way too many scenes of the characters brooding on the bluffs. David Tennant’s Inspector looks like he is about to expire any minute. Will he die before he finally solves the secondary case? Who are all of these new people? Olivia Coleman once again stands out in her role as a beleaguered wife and police officer, but everyone else just seems ticked off or anguished – or both. Sorry, PBS, but you should have ended this story after the superb first season. I understand that there is a third season, but I won’t be watching. 2½ cans.
140.  I Love You, You Hate Me* (2022, Peacock) – If you had children, grandchildren or nieces and nephews in the early 1990s, you undoubtedly were aware of Barney, the ubiquitous purple dinosaur whose show for pre-school kids dominated the airwaves. Barney and his “family” represented love, kindness and diversity, and many young kids were huge fans. However, there were plenty of people who detested Barney. OK, the song could get into your head, and maybe you thought that the world would never really be as nice as it was depicted in the show, but should it have spawned hate groups and physical attacks on the character when Barney appeared in public? The program aired at the beginning of the rise of social media, which led to death threats for the actors and others associated with the show. Creator Sheryl Leach was a Texas mother of a two-year-old, and she could not find age-appropriate programming for her active little boy. She created Barney, whose local popularity rose with a TV show, leading to live shows, a PBS series, plenty of merchandise -- and the rise of incredible vitriol. For all the success and happiness the character of Barney brought to young fans, the Leach family suffered immeasurably. This two-part documentary reveals the sad side of the story of Barney and proves to me, at least, why we can’t have nice things. 3½ cans.
141.  The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks* (2022, Peacock) – The life of Rosa Parks did not begin and end when she refused to give up her seat on a bus in Birmingham, Alabama. Ms. Parks was a civil rights leader and activist, a long-time member of the NAACP and a woman who championed equality her entire life. Her refusal to move to the “colored” section of the bus led to a highly successful bus boycott by Blacks in the city that eventually led to legislation outlawing discrimination on the buses. This documentary traces the life of Rosa Parks from before her famous protest through her activism, fame and role in American history. 3½ cans.
142.  The Woman Who Wasn’t There* (2012, Prime Video) – Tania Head had a harrowing experience as a survivor of 9/11, injured and trapped in the Twin Towers on that fateful day. Even worse, she lost her husband, Dave. She eventually recovered and became active with the WTC Survivors’ Network, where she made friends and frequently shared her story publicly. But a few things didn’t add up. Where were pictures of Tania and Dave? Why wasn’t she in touch with his family? She seemed very convincing, but little by little, things started to unravel. This documentary reminded me of one I saw recently, “The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.” Truth is stranger than fiction. 3 ½ cans.
143.  The Redeem Team* (2022, Netflix) – When you are selected to play for the USA Olympic Men’s Basketball Team, you are expected to come home with a Gold Medal. But the 2004 team failed in that mission. When it came time to select the coach and squad for 2008, basketball executive Jerry Colangelo made sure the team had a good mix of experienced players and younger ones, such as LeBron James. But when Duke University Coach Mike Krzyzewski was named to head the team of professionals, he was convinced that the one missing piece was Kobe Bryant, the ultimate competitor and a player who would deck his own Lakers teammate to win a game. When James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul and the others on the team saw Kobe hitting the gym in the early, early morning, they understood they had to do the same. This documentary follows the team for the year of preparation through the 2008 Olympics in China. What a team! 3½ cans.
144.  Untold Story: Caitlyn Jenner* (2022, Netflix) – Bruce Jenner seemed like the perfect man. The winner of the 1976 Olympic Decathlon Gold Medal, he was dubbed the “world’s greatest athlete,” a title that came after years of dedicated work and training to meet that goal. Confession: I had his picture on my wall and thought he was drop-dead gorgeous. He had a beautiful blonde wife and appeared on every TV talk show and a box of Wheaties. But he wasn’t perfect. He didn’t feel like he was living an authentic life. After several wives and attempts to transition to being a woman full-time, he ultimately became Caitlyn Jenner, who, in this documentary, goes over Bruce’s achievements in the third person. I had forgotten how popular Bruce was, but Caitlyn has had a tougher time, worried about Bruce’s many children (he had to keep up with the Kardashians after all) and he became a she. I can’t even imagine how challenging it was for her to make that transition while staying in the public eye. But I do remember the amazing performance Bruce Jenner turned in as an Olympic champion. 3 cans.
145.  Lou* (2022, Netflix) – I guess if Liam Neeson can star in action movies, so can Allison Janney. Her Lou lives alone in the woods, interacting with people as infrequently as possible. But when the young woman (Jurnee Smollett) living on her property needs her help to find her kidnapped daughter, Lou snaps into action, drawing on her special set of skills that no one would have suspected she has. There is plenty of action and violence here, nothing that would remind you of Janney’s roles as “Mom” or C. J. Cregg in “The West Wing.” If you like suspense, check it out. 3½ cans.
146.  Spotlight (2015, HBO) – How could 90 priests molest young boys in Boston and get away with it? That’s what the “Spotlight” team from The Boston Globe sets out to investigate in 2001 in this dramatization of the real story. The background is simple: Boston is a city full of practicing Catholics and nobody questions the church. But the Globe discovers a few victims of sexual abuse by priests and delves into the records to find numerous priests who were reassigned, on “sick leave” or simply moved from one parish to another without being stopped for their misdeeds. The reporters (Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo and Brian D’Arcy James, led by editor Michael Keaton) keep peeling back the onion to find the corruption, and it isn’t all in the church. You can blame the system and the lawyers, too, but don’t overlook the Globe itself since the paper had been approached with evidence of the charges years before and did not investigate. This is a solid film and an indictment of the practice of passing along problems instead of facing and solving them, much to the detriment of the many victims of this despicable behavior. 4 cans.
147.  Ticket to Paradise* (2022, at the movies!) – Who could resist George Clooney, Julia Roberts and the beauty of Bali, Indonesia, in this light comedy currently in theaters? Their dazzling grins and easy chemistry make this lightweight romp more than acceptable entertainment. Once married, the two have been sniping at each other since their bitter divorce and their parental rivalry over their daughter Lily – until Lily decides to forego starting her career as a lawyer in Chicago in favor of marrying the handsome seaweed farmer she meets in Bali. They don’t want her to make a mistake and end up miserable like her parents, so they fly to Bali and conspire to stop the wedding. I won’t reveal more about the plot, but it is safe to say that you can probably predict some of it. In the hands of other actors, this movie would probably be one I would skip, but the frequent co-stars made it a fun time. 3½ cans.
148.  The Good Nurse* (2022, Netflix) – Charles Cullen was a good nurse. He was competent, empathetic and highly skilled – especially at injecting insulin or digoxin into IV bags that killed his patients. And when suspicions were raised, the hospitals where he worked would simply dismiss him, leaving him free to move to another hospital and do the same thing, saving themselves from any liability. This movie, based on the case that involved my own local hospital, features Eddie Redmayne as Cullen and Jessica Chastain as his fellow nurse Amy, the actual good nurse in the title. Both actors have won the Oscar, but, in my view, there is not enough meat or urgency to this story to help them do it again. I have been around plenty of hospitals, and I’ve never seen one so dimly lit. I had to watch it on my iPad because I could not see the TV screen well enough – even with my greatly-improved, post-cataract surgery eyes. 3½ cans.
149.  Belle Vie* (2022, Netflix) – Oddly located between a McDonalds and KFC in Los Angeles, this once thriving French restaurant has to deal with the shifting climate and challenges of Covid. Charming owner Vincent Samarco has built his small but exquisite little gem by hand, displaying pictures of his native France and his life. But when Covid hits, he is forced to find other ways to survive. This documentary shows him quickly changing to a take-out business, and, as things improve, he constructs an outdoor patio where he can again serve customers who want to dine outside. But then more Covid waves lead to more restrictions. Will his restaurant be a victim of this disease? This was heartbreaking to watch, knowing the heart and soul Vincent put into his place in making it a place of warmth and community. 3 cans.
150.  Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, Season 2* (2022, CNN) – Speaking of food, actor Stanley Tucci again takes viewers around Italy to discover the best of local and regional cuisine. This delectable 8-part series focuses on everything from stuffed sardines to pasta with pesto, fresh oysters and olive oil. We watch him discover places to eat that include private homes and restaurants and recipes that have been passed down for generations. The terrain can be challenging, but the people who harvest know exactly how to maximize every bit of their delicious haul. You can’t eat what Stanley eats, but you certainly wish you could. 4½ cans.

Odds & Ends

The really big news this month was the engagement of my nephew and his girlfriend in Chicago, where they live. He is my only blood nephew and I am his only – and certainly favorite – aunt. He works in logistics for Amazon, and he had the surprise proposal well planned, complete with itineraries and even a map with circles on it to pinpoint locations. He did it privately, but his fiancé’s sister captured it on video. The entire soundtrack consists of the sister crying. The bride-to-be was crying, too, through her laughter and joy, along with my nephew. Afterwards, he was smiling, laughing, crying and sweating. He looked so completely happy – and relieved, not that she said yes, but that he pulled off a mission on the order of D-Day. The D here is for “diamond.” Mazel Tov, my man!

All Rise! Yankee outfielder Aaron Judge is now the all-time home run king of the American League after belting his 62nd, breaking Roger Maris’ 61-year-old mark of 61 in 1961. I love the symmetry! Judge seems like a very calm, modest guy with no demonstrative swag, who is probably relieved and happy to claim that crown in his free agent year. If he leaves the Yankees for another team, well, we will always have 62 to celebrate!

I read something recently that said it is OK to split an infinitive (i.e., to SIMPLY split an infinitive…), which brings me a small measure of relief and just a bit less guilt on the rare occasions when it makes sense to me to do that. And most of you have no idea what I am talking about. Oh, is it acceptable now to end a sentence with a preposition, you ask? Hmmm.

I’m not a coffee drinker or a pumpkin-spice-in-everything kind of person, so the flavor of the season is lost on me. However, I salute Hefty for producing a special line of garbage bags – limited edition—which have the pumpkin-spice fragrance. I guess you could say that that makes “scents.”

I makes me sad to see prices in the now incorrectly named Dollar Store increase to $1.25 or more, but I did note that you can buy fake blood there, should that be on your shopping list. I forgot to check the price.

I tried to make myself a special dinner, but I let the chicken cook too long and the sauce became more of a glaze, which would have been fine but there wasn’t enough of it, and, let’s face it, I would have been Chopped if this whole episode had been on TV.

I get mad at myself for a lot of things, but I really get annoyed when I find a stray tissue in the laundry. I put the wet stuff in the dryer and there is tissue everywhere. And there is NO ONE to blame but me!

Here’s how you can tell that it is fall, beyond the obvious signs of the leaves turning color:
•    The Food Network shows all feature items with pumpkin spice and run programs on Halloween (making scary cakes), Thanksgiving and holiday baking.
•    I stop wiggling around in bed looking for the coolest spot on the sheets and instead go back to wearing socks to sleep.
•    I stop buying things to grill and start looking for sales on pot roast for the crock pot or Instant Pot.
•    I have the air conditioning on one day and the heat on the next day.
•    And, of course, there is an ice cream ban in my house until next spring and I start hauling out the soup recipes. I know, I know…

My paprika and cinnamon are a little too close to each other in the spice cabinet. One of these days I am going to have a real surprise in my French toast. This is also true of my mouthwash and cleaning containers. I really don’t want to splash bleach in my mouth.

Alex Trebek hosted "Jeopardy" for 36 years, and before that, the daytime version, hosted by Art Fleming, aired for 10 years. Two years after Alex's death, the show is still going strong and expanding into new versions, such as "Celebrity Jeopardy." The common factor here is the appearance of the name of the game's creator, Merv Griffin, every night. What a legacy!

The people responsible for the constant barrage of commercials and emails about poisoned water at Camp Lejeune ought to stop the ads and instead give the money to the victims. I know, they are trying to alert the potential victims, but they are annoying me!

Just wondering: Why are there SUPERintendents when there are no intendents? Doesn’t the term imply that SUPERS are superior to regular intendents – which don’t exist?

My car and I are both closing in on 72. The car just hit 71,200 and I turn 72 in October. I think I’ll hit 72 first since I’m still not driving very much!

I am happy to report that several months after cataract surgery I am again able to drive at night. My eyes are far from perfect for this task, but the halos around lights are drastically diminished. My goal was to be able to drive to night basketball games, and, with my improved vision and the fact that the car knows the way on autopilot, I’m good to go for the season, which begins on mid-November.

In my gym bag I still carry and use a towel that my mother bought me when I went to college – in 1968! Does that make me frugal, practical or just plain cheap? Please discuss – and be kind!

While I was having a manicure, I couldn’t help noticing the wrinkled skin on my hands and arms and now I understand why Jane Seymour is hawking that cream for “crepey skin” in those informercials in the middle of the night. Send a vat or two my way, Dr. Quinn!

When getting a manicure, the toughest decision is selecting the nail color. I brought an old bottle of dried-up polish with me because I always liked the shade and figured I could match it up with something at the nail salon. The bottle was so old that it had a Caldor price tag on it! And then I wrote down OPI C89 on my calendar so I could remember what I chose. I would have taken a picture of the bottle but I didn’t want to ruin my manicure!

Finally, who is in charge of naming colors, both for nails, paint, crayons, etc.? Sexy red, midnight blush, proud plum – I could make this stuff up. I wonder if there are any openings…

My dermatologist recommended a special powder to be used in a problem area and told me that it is hard to find it in the store. I found it on Amazon when I got home, ordered it and the next day it was waiting on my porch. I couldn’t have made it to CVS and back that fast!

You know all those calls you make to customer service that have a warning that says, “This call may be recorded?” Are they actually recorded? Really? And who is listening to these calls? That would be a pretty dull but doable job. I’d do it from home for the extra $$$. It can’t be that hard.

Why do we take things “with a grain of salt?” Why not a grain of rice? Or a grain of sand?

I’m trying the REAL ID process again next month. I plan to show up on the designated day and time, not two months ahead of schedule as I did the first time!

Someone asked me recently if I had ever bought clothes at Costco. Oh, hell, yeah! They have great workout pants and I have some nicer ones of that ilk that I wear on airplanes. I have also bought t-shirts with a NJ seal on them on the NJ Turnpike and sweatpants and sweatshirts at ShopRite. Kohl’s is looking a little high fashion now to me!

During the depths of the pandemic, when sports were largely closed down, I saw that ESPN programming was covering cornhole tournaments. That looks like a sport that even I could do. Tossing a beanbag into a hole? How hard could that be? Now, despite a plethora of sports available for your viewing pleasure, ESPN is televising an event that I’m sure I could never do: The World Excel Championships. Picture a bunch of Excel experts in the Battle of the Spreadsheets! They compete in 30-minute, head-to-head battles of specific task completion, testing Excel skills, math prowess and God only knows what else. Who’s ready to throw their hat in the Excel ring?

Last month I spent some time extolling the athletic feats of Serena Williams, perhaps the greatest tennis player ever, though you could make a good argument for Roger Federer. Like Serena, Federer has announced his retirement from the tennis tour after a stellar career. Few players have conducted themselves with the class and grace of the magnificent champion Federer. After his final match, playing doubles with archrival and good friend Rafa Nadal, Federer broke down and wept openly. I think Nadal wept almost as much. Pictures of them hugging and then sitting and holding hands will stay in my mind forever. No grunting, not sweating, no swearing, just elegant movement and deadly strokes, Federer is one champion who set a standard all future champions should aspire to achieve. Thank you, Roger.

Word of advice – you have a turn signal. Please use it. And don’t pull into the right lane if you are turning left.

I can’t stand when I allow someone to get into my lane and don’t get that little nod or wave or smile of gratitude or any acknowledgment. People, are we no longer civilized?

Unless you have a disability, you should return your cart to the cart area rather than leave it in the middle of the parking lot.

If you are going to pay by check at the supermarket, please have your checkbook ready, as well as your store loyalty card. The lady in front of me the other day not only did that, but she had to find her credit card to pay. THEN she started bagging. The cashier was done ringing up my order and she was still packing! I managed to work around her. I hope she’s home by now.

Believe me when I tell you that you do NOT have to REPLY ALL to let everyone you agree with someone’s email. There’s another waste of my time. 

And stop reporting on your Wordle results on Facebook. There’s another good reason to withdraw from social media.

Wow, somebody’s grumpy today!

Tina's September 2022 Movies & More

September featured a limited number of movies & more. All are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, with 5 at the top of the rankings. Numbering picks up from previous months, and movies marked with an asterisk are ones I have not seen previously.

122.  Flagrant Foul* (2022, Netflix) – When you are an NBA referee, making great money, and you understand the rules prohibiting ANY KIND OF GAMBLING and you do it anyway, are you crazy? Real-life ref Tim Donaghy fell in with the wrong crowd, started gambling on sports (any sports gambling is prohibited by the league) and then gave inside info to his gambler/bookie friends, but soon progressed into betting – ON GAMES HE REFFED! Did he make calls favorable to the team he picked? Were other refs involved? There’s plenty of finger pointing, but it doesn’t matter. Donaghy went to prison and was lucky he wasn’t locked up longer. 3 cans.
123. Edie* (2017, Prime Video) – Don’t tell older people that they can’t do something. Just don’t. Edie Moore (Sheila Hancock) is 83 and for the past 30 years she has been stuck caring for a husband she doesn’t much like. When he dies, she is free to follow her dreams – to climb a mountain in the Scottish Highlands. She has some camping experience and some very antiquated equipment, so she enlists the aid of a young man (Kevin Guthrie) from the local camping store to replace her gear and train her for the climb. This is a heartwarming drama about dreams at any age and realizing that you don’t need to subscribe to the stereotypes that people place on you. 3½ cans.
124.  Hell of a Cruise* (2022, Peacock) – This documentary will not be featured in the promo materials for the Carnival Cruise Line. Passengers boarding the Diamond Princess in the Far East in March of 2020 thought they were in for the trip of a lifetime – but just not this way. Those who survived certainly found their experience unforgettable as the new COVID virus boarded along with them. This film reminds us of how little was known in the beginning stages of the virus but also shows how unprepared and unresponsive cruise company officials were in dealing with a deadly illness that they confidently dismissed. By day 7, there were already 174 cases, passengers were quarantined and the ship was forbidden from docking for several weeks. It might be too soon for this reminder, but watching this movie certainly validated my fears about ever going on another cruise. 3½ cans.
125. June Again* (2022, Prime Video) – June (Noni Hazelhurst) is an elderly woman with dementia living in a nursing home, where she can barely speak or recognize friends or family. By some miracle, suddenly she is lucid again, and she breaks out of the home and tracks down her family members, her former home and even the wallpaper factory she used to run. Somehow, this turns into a buddy-like movie, where, for at least a while, June is June again. Sweet but slow. 3 cans.
126. Father Stu* (2022, Prime Video) – Mark Walhberg plays the unlikely hero of this film about a boxer who becomes a priest. Stuart Long hasn’t had an easy life. He decides to leave boxing, goes to Hollywood to be an actor, falls for a good Catholic girl and starts going to church, where his life changes completely. Wahlberg, who produced and self-funded this true story, shows that Stu is not your typical priest. Before he becomes a man of the cloth, he drinks, he swears and he brawls with everyone. If the story were not true, I wouldn’t believe it for a minute. There is plenty of heart in this movie along with sadness and a strange kind of calm. Also starring seldom-seen Malcolm McDowell and Mel Gibson (who did an excellent job but whom I abhor) and Jackie Weaver as Stu’s mother. I thought it dragged a bit, but worth seeing. 3½ cans.
127. Abbott Elementary* (2022, ABC, HBO Max, On Demand) – I don’t usually include broadcast TV series, but Abbott Elementary deserves special recognition. Conceived and created by the clever Quinta Brunson and inspired by her mother’s career as a teacher, the show uses warmth and humor to deliver this workplace comedy showing teachers coping with meager resources, a self-centered (but hilarious) principal and a host of willing students who can be unruly. The revelation here is Brunson herself, as she plays Janine Teagues, a young, dedicated teacher who brings enthusiasm and energy to her students at a Philadelphia school (you want so much for her to succeed). You can’t take your eyes off the screen for a moment, because Brunson and the cast frequently break the fourth wall, looking directly at the camera, and missing their reactions would be a big loss. Both Brunson and Rutgers alum Sheryl Lee Ralph won Emmys for the series, Brunson for writing and Ralph the Best Supporting Emmy for her role as Barbara Howard, a veteran, calm, sage of a teacher who has put up with less than she needs for so long. I finished the first season in time for the second season to debut in September, and I’ll make sure to catch the episodes much earlier this time around. 4 cans and a couple of Emmys.
128. Mr. Holmes* (2015, Pluto TV) – Aging and retired inspector Sherlock Holmes is facing the last chapter in his illustrious career with the reality that his fading memory is rendering him unable to solve an old case. Living in a private home outside London with a housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her young son Roger (Milo Parker), Holmes is not content to simply tend to his beloved bees and he tests his recollection of the details of the case. Flashbacks show him tracking down a woman whose husband has hired Holmes, but can he recall enough to solve it? Sir Ian McKellen brings a world-weary 93-year-old to life with his slow, deliberate movements as he labors on the details. This is not an action movie by any means, but there are plenty of twists and turns. 3½ cans.
129. The US and the Holocaust* (2022, PBS) – Man’s inhumanity to man is on full display in documentarian Ken Burns’ devastating look at the Holocaust, Hitler’s efforts to exterminate all European Jewish people before and during WWII and the deplorable way the US stood by and watched the tragedy unfold. I cannot bear to go through the details; I could barely summon up the strength to watch this three-part program, but it is one that must be seen, taught and retained forever. The American people in general did not want fleeing Jews to come into the US and the government set strict quotas on visas for those desperate people attempting to emigrate. If history can teach us a lesson, this is one that must be learned. 5 cans.
130.  Sidney* (2022, Apple TV+) – This loving tribute to actor Sidney Poitier comes just months after his death earlier this year. From his poor background in the Bahamas, Poitier came to the US barely able to read but somehow managed to become one of the best actors in the annals of Hollywood and a cultural icon. Oprah Winfrey, an unabashed admirer of Poitier, produced this documentary, which includes plenty of interviews with Poitier, his wives, his daughters and his contemporaries. If you are a fan – or even if you are not – it is worth watching for the film clips of his many stellar performances and his role in civil rights.  3½ cans.
131.  I Used to Be Famous* (2022, Netflix) – Life was great 20 years ago for Vinnie D, the bleached blonde front man for a British Boy Band. But now, the glitz is gone, and Vince is hustling around town trying to book gigs at local pubs, desperate for a job in music. When Stevie, a talented, young, autistic drummer, jams with him on a park bench, he feels a connection and they quickly form a duo despite some limitations and the hesitancy of Stevie’s mother. Can this duo open the musical doors for Vince once again?  Can music restore his life and career? Tune in to find out. 3 cans and some terrific drumming.
132.  Yankees-Dodgers – An Uncivil War* (2022, ESPN) – As Sophia Petrillo would say – picture it: Yankee Stadium, 1977, Reggie Jackson at the plate. Three first pitches, three screaming shots over the fence, three home runs as the Yankees humbled the Dodgers in the World Series. This documentary is a reminder of that Yankee team, which made as many headlines off the field as on it, led by fiery manager Billy Martin, gruff catcher Thurman Munson and the ever-present New York media, who reported each and every detail. Meanwhile, 3000 miles away, the too-good-to-be-true Steve Garvey led the Dodgers to the top of the National League but not without resistance from some of his teammates, who thought the camera-ready first baseman was a phony. There were plenty of outsized personalities on both teams, and if you are a fan of either team back on the 70s, you remember it well. Still, this stroll down a sometimes bumpy memory lane was fun to watch. 3½ cans.