20th Century Women: At least one Goddess

Please listen to one of my favorite Jazz singer’s Gregory Porter as you read this blog: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=gregroy+porter+time+is+ticking&view=detail&mid=C79BF22AB3363629ABC9C79BF22AB3363629ABC9&FORM=VIRE The best thing a movie can do to you is make you realize, as Gregory Porter sings, that time is ticking. And 20th Century Women does just that, quietly sneaking up on you to say, “Pssst, what are… Continue reading 20th Century Women: At least one Goddess

Rituals Paterson Rituals

The Red Wheelbarrow* (William Carlos Williams, 1883 – 1963) so much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens. Jim Jarmusch used William Carlos Williams as his muse for the movie Paterson. And if you’re going to see a movie without any action, based on poetry, one would think… Continue reading Rituals Paterson Rituals

Never Say Never: Lion

I said I’d never see Lion because I couldn’t handle a lost child story. Then my son visited for a weekend and he also declined both Manchester and Lion, I think because he’s feeling a bit lost in Brooklyn right now and I assume because he was worried a downer or emotional movie might make… Continue reading Never Say Never: Lion

Music to My Ears

Another off film topic that I love–music! My son’s visiting this weekend inspired me to GET HIP and listen to Ben Ratliff’s Best Albums of 2016 http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/news/a50342/2016-music-chaos-best/ which I reordered from his article into my best to worst: The first three are pretty much a tie and far above the rest (though Chance the Rapper?… Continue reading Music to My Ears

Sins of the Father and Fences (TBR)

I’ll be seeing Fences sooner or later (TBR=to be reviewed), and my justification for a movie break was my mission to read as much of Stalin’s Daughter by Rosemary Sullivan and then attend a talk about the book at Selby Library by a very well spoken Dr. Kushner. A quote he articulated sums up not… Continue reading Sins of the Father and Fences (TBR)

Kenneth Lonergan, where you been all my life?

I’ve been a bad girl here at the tail end of 2016. After more defeats than victories in human connections department, I went back into a bit of a hermit mode, knowing full well I had a life line coming on December 31st (best friend from Rochester arriving). But there’s a silver lining in every… Continue reading Kenneth Lonergan, where you been all my life?

Best Ten Movies of 2016!

#10. Suspense tie/honorable mentions: Sully and Deep Water Horizon, solid performances by all. #9 Certain Women: Kelly Reichardt does it her way #8. Sing Street: Coming of age cutie. #7. My Name is Doris: Sally Field still has the chops and tight ropes perfectly an elder woman trying to remain relevant in modern society. #6.… Continue reading Best Ten Movies of 2016!

Great Cake, Too Much Frosting: “La La Land”

La La Land, directed by Damien Chazelle, was a fine film, but I can’t help but feel nostalgia for the power of his ‘Whiplash’ or even the rapture of a similar love story musical ‘Moulin Rouge’. So, let me complain first. The first two musical scenes needed to be combined or shortened. Dancers in a… Continue reading Great Cake, Too Much Frosting: “La La Land”

Foghorn “Jackie” Horn

“Jackie”, directed by Pablo Larrain, has given me fits and starts as far as purpose. Was the purpose to show Jackie Kennedy as a 60’s Stepford Wife, who after her husband’s assassination decided to try to assert herself, only to feel defeated? If so, then, Jackie decides to preserve the fantasy of Camelot through an… Continue reading Foghorn “Jackie” Horn