Desert Magnolia

I love movies. If you've read this blog very long you know that you'll occasionally be faced with my brand of review, which is non-traditional and based on true reaction. As it should be, right? Anyway, we've seen some really good movies lately, most notably Searching for Sugarman and Silver Linings Playbook. Searching for Sugarman is wonderful! It's...inspiring, and makes me want to be a less materialistic, more socially conscious person. In a non-preachy way. Rodriguez, the subject of this film, manages to live two lives, in effect - that of the inspired '70's musician, and that of the hard laborer supporting his family in the absence of commercial success. He manages, in spite of the life he lives (in Detroit, no less), to raise his daughters with an enormous emphasis on culture and focus on the need for spirituality. He is a gentle man, a cultured man, and he raises his family in that light. It's amazing, the soundtrack is great, and the story is ...

Apparently one post isn't going to cut it for me today. Suffice to say, my head is chock full of randomness that I'm going to share with you! You're welcome. Anyway... So you know how it feels so very cool to have a stack of unread books by the bed? And how those books all came to be on that nightstand due to recommendations from good friends/colleagues/family who immediately thought of you when they read them and wanted to be sure you enjoy them too? And that at the very top of stack is one from your very best friend ever KS who just sent a box full of books last week stacked in the order they were to be read with pink post it notes adding her special commentary? And how it feels to have a Netflix movie waiting at home that's actually most likely NOT a stinker like the last couple G.G. made you watch  you were compelled to watch? (#1 , #2 . I'm not kidding.) And you know how great it is to have an episode of your favorite sexy vampire series loaded up and...

And since I have no free will, I sat through it. Another two hours I'll never get back. Plot summary per IMdb: Hall Pass (2011) A couple of married guys are always looking at other women, treating their own wives like trash. Their wives are fed up with their behavior, and grant them a ' hall pass ': a week off their marriage allowing them to do anything. But the guys take their time and their week is almost up. What they don't realize is that at the same time their wives make connections of their own. Really? 'nuff said. I'm tired of being snarky about movies, but giving this one a 2 on my 10 scale is a stretch. And I really like Jenna Fischer, who charmed me for years on The Office but couldn't pull this stinker out of the dumpster.

Sigh. So, Nicholas Cage can really only play one role, from what I can tell. You can set him in Medieval times, make him a passionate 'scientist' or cut off his hand and throw him into the mix with Cher and he 's still playing essentially the same role. Sometimes he's a little more angry, sometimes he's more passionate, but he's ever Nick Cage. This time he was doing his thing accompanied by Ron Perlman, an actor I've always liked for his self-deprecating humor. We have the Crusades to deal with, an epiphany for Cage when he has reached his tolerance for murdering in the name of the Church, a demonic possession eventually rectified when Cage wrestles the actual plague-inducing demon and ends up perforated by his own blades. But this sacrifice was somehow necessary, as Perlman's character, essentially Cage's wingman/right hand man, also dies by the demon's hand, only he's turned to ash. Which looks like a crappy way to die, BTW. An...

Matt Damon just keeps up the good work, doesn't he? I mean Good Will Hunting, The Bourne series, True Grit, Invictus, 30 Rock, The Oceans series, Stuck on You, etc....seriously, he's funny and serious and buff and wry and mostly awe.some. The Adjustment Bureau was cool in a way I hadn't anticipated. In fact I had a completely wrong idea about what the movie was about...but that turned out to be ok. It's not the first time my preconception about a movie was totally wrong, and in this case the outcome was just fine. I give it a 7 on my scale. Mostly because it managed to deliver without becoming trite, and it made me laugh and contemplate love and being human and our intended purpose, and so on. So that's worth something in my book. Granted, romances of this genre can be a little repetitive, but this one was sweet in a gentle and self-deprecating way. I love the idea of humanity being governed by a Plan, since we're clearly unable to manage our own affai...

I love the Coen brothers. I can't help myself. Why? Because they continue to make very, very good movies. True Grit? Is no exception. The cast? Perfect. The dialogue? Brilliant. On a scale of 10 stars I give it an 8. And if you know me, you know that's huge. A fun quote: Mattie Ross : And "futile", Marshal Cogburn, "pursuit would be futile"? It's not spelled "f-u-d-e-l." If you haven't seen it, Netflix it. Now. You'll be glad you did.

Something is amiss in the universe this year. Today, well into fall, is supposed to reach 89 degrees. 89 degrees, people. Really? Bonuses of extended summers refusing to turn over into the next season thereby prompting wardrobe shifts as well? Getting to wear fun summer stuff for just a little bit longer...For example, I'm wearing my new favorite summer dress. With high heeled sandals. Hell yeah. That's not a bad thing, no siree. Also, my pedi from last week is holding up very very well thank.you.very.much.most.detail.oriented.pedimen.at.my.new.favorite.pedi.place. So showing off toesies in sandals is fun. But the weather, well it's about to change. How do I know this? The Balloon Fiesta starts this weekend. While La Nina and other scientifically supported weather effects are in existence, we all know that when it's time for those hot air balloons all hell breaks loose from a weather standpoint. Rain. Wind. Cold. Eclipses. You name it. It's never pretty. So en...

Chemistry between actors can be difficult to create, and no movie I've seen in recent history proves better how independently amazing actors, when paired, don't necessarily create something better and bigger than the sum of their parts. It's sad, really. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and John Travolta are both charming in their own right, but for some reason, their relationship feels really really forced. And their witty repartee comes off as...cliche. And really, truly, I was afraid Travolta was going to hurt his big self more than once attempting the moves he rocked during the movie. (Yes I know he had a stunt guy for the hard stuff, I'm just sayin'...) But enough of that. The Internet Movie Database Plot Summary (partial): A personal aide to U.S. Ambassador in France, James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) has an enviable life in Paris and a beautiful French girlfriend, but his real passion is his side job as a low-level operative for the CIA. All James wants is to...

Last night it rained. Really hard. Some parts of the city were flooded, it rained so hard. We needed it. Our parched desert, while in shock at the time of receiving the water gift, is already lusher and greener looking. Yes, that's a relative term, but the desert has a way of becoming incredibly, richly, lush when moisture comes. There's a blue green fuzz that appears, and little wildflowers pop out that have been just too dry to bloom before. There's a heavenly scent that wafts across the area that soothes, brings a smile to a desert dweller's face, and cools. As it was a Monday, and it had been a long, intense day, we opted for a funny movie with our dinner. Dinner was marinated, grilled chicken thighs, grilled potatoes w/sourcream and chives and sauteed garlic green beans accompanied by a Hogue Riesling. It was good, it was light, it was delicious. And we opted for funny. The InLaws, original version, with Peter Falk and Alan Arkin. I've seen it a few tim...

Anyone who knows me knows pot and I don't really get along. I don't object to it. I think if you enjoy it, you should smoke it. A friend of mine once observed, he'd never seen a stoned person pick a fight in a bar, but he'd seen plenty of drunk people initiate scuffles. He had a point. But for me, the dry mouth, the munchies (I am always hungry anyway...why would I want to exacerbate that???), the red eyes, the general stupidity...aren't desirable. For me, a glass of wine does the trick. It relaxes me, I view it as a food, if I drink too much I get sleepy before I get too silly (usually), and so that's my relaxation choice. But recently, in spite of my obvious preference for fruit of the vine over cannabis, I could have smoked a joint and been more in tune with the movie. It was well done, in that Tim Burton overstated way. It was funny, ironic, a social commentary in many ways. Lewis Carroll had to have been either smoking hashish or imbibing in absyn...

I may be the last person on the planet to have seen Avatar, and that happened last night. Wow. So, I see what all the fuss is about, was astounded by the effects, and moved by the message. And chagrined..that the horrible truth is that we as humans, and particularly we humans who live in an intensely resource-dependent country take advantage of, or often annihilate, cultures and natural beauty to fulfill our endless needs. It made me want to become more involved in making the world a better, safer place. The concept of being connected, all of us, by a greater, subtle, ancient force also resonated deeply within me. I've always believed this, and feel the movie did a lovely job articulating and demonstrating that throughout. The Tree of Life web project is all about the interconnectedness of all life on Earth. I borrowed their key image for a visual because it is cool: On the Tree of Life website, they quote Darwin: "The affinities of all the beings of the ...

Daniel Day Lewis plays Guido Contini, an Italian director and tormented soul in this movie. His wife, played by Marion Cotillard, loves him in spite of his shortcomings which include, but certainly aren't limited to, a mistress, played astonishingly well by Penelope Cruz. Dame Judi Dench was fabulous as Lewis' long suffering costume designer/confidant, and did her level best to steer Lewis clear of the moral muck in which he continually found himself, winning my heart in the process. Her first memorable line in the movie characterizes their relationship: Directing a movie is a very overrated job, we all know it. You just have to say yes or no. What else do you do? Nothing. "Maestro, should this be red?" Yes. "Green?" No. "More extras?" Yes. "More lipstick?" No. Yes. No. Yes. No. That's directing. Sophia Loren plays Lewis' deceased mother, and offers posthumous advice with mediocre results as Lewis resists logic and seems ...

Wow. Seriously good movie. Love the young heroine. Hate the manipulative older man. Really can't stand him. The plot isn't a new one, the young impressionable bored brilliant young woman seduced by the shady handsome compelling interesting older man. It's a classic coming of age story done very very well. They did a great job of it. All of them. And the writing was fabulous. Carey Mulligan is an amazing young actress who is clearly destined for greatness. Alfred Molina plays her overbearing father who manages to maintain a charm in spite of his fear for his daughter. IMDB plot summary: A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age.  This movie is worth seeing, ideally with friends. The wardrobe and hairstyles were classic 60's (I love that era for some reason), and the shoes were fab.u.lous!

Last night Hubby and I watched The Men Who Stare at Goats. It reminded me of the style of Brother Where Art Thou, and Clooney did a fine job of playing a soldier in the New Earth Army with paranormal powers. It was fun, it was silly, it was touching and gentle and quirky and wholly enjoyable. We also watched The Informant. So, the idea of corporate corruption and price fixing isn't new; weaving that into a plot where the main character is ridiculously bipolar and seemingly delusional in a sociopathic and rather confusing and terribly annoying way is new to me. I didn't really like it, probably because my cinematic preferences fall into appreciating the absurd more than the overdone (fine line, I know, but there you have it). Matt Damon did a great job of wrangling a bizarre character. He always does a good job, but I simply didn't like the movie much. I'm not sure how we crammed two movies into a week night, other than it's still Hubby's Spring Break and...

This one gets 7 on a scale of 10. It has it all for me - romance, comedy, cons, and a great cast. Mark Ruffalo, Adrian Brody, Rachel Weisz and Robby Coltraine star, but the entire cast works. The characters are quirky, human, and while any one of them could be cynical and jaded for various reasons, they instead come off as endearing and simply flawed, intelligent, interesting people. My favorite quote (Rachel Weisz' character says this to Adrian Brody' character during a private conversation about life where Brody is steeping in a bit of self pity...) Penelope Stamp : I think you're constipated, in your fucking soul... I think you might have a really big load of grumpy petrified poop up your soul's ass.  It was classic, a little shocking coming out of her mouth, and very effective. I highly recommend this movie. Its IMDB plot summary reads as follows: The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of ...

For some reason Hubby has been nostalgically wasting our Netflix choices choosing older movies, some of which are enjoyable to watch (ie, The Milagro Beanfield War) but many of which are, just, What??? Why??? They were mediocre the first time, and years between first viewing and now aren't helping their quality even a little bit. Last night, The Long Kiss Goodnight was added to the mediocre list. I never saw it the first time it came around, and am now wondering why on earth I sat through the entire thing after enjoying a perfectly wonderful dinner of grilled rosemary pork chops, a big salad with a citrusy dressing and avo, and a seasoned brown rice, all accompanied by a pretty good Merlot. (If you know me, you know I prefer cabs and deep zins. I just do, so whenever I talk about merlot I usually have a slightly strained look. I can't help it. ) I must have been languishing in a post-pork, post-Merlot stupor to have suppressed the urge to get up off the couch and find so...

If you haven't already been forced to watch seen this movie, I wouldn't bother if you've seen anything remotely resembling a decent heist movie in the past decade. Morgan Freeman, Antonio Banderas and Radha Mitchell star in this. They try really hard to make it work, but in spite of Freeman's decent acting, and Banderas' and Mitchell's contrived chemistry, it doesn't work. It's charming at times, but usually bordering on forced. It has a couple of fairly steamy sex scenes, which feel strained, though if you're into butts, Banderas and Mitchell should both be proud-they show 'em off and clearly personal trainers have earned their money. My favorite line from the movie? Freeman's character: Some people were born to compose music. Others to split the atom. I was born to steal shit.    Overall, it felt to me like a watered down version of Entrapment and The Italian Job, without the real chemistry between characters (emotional and sexual...

Great movie! Charming, great quirky, interesting characters. Fun topics -- food and life journeys. Definitely worth a view if you have any fondness for: food, Julia Child, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, quirky characters, finding your way, identifying your true passion and food. As the movie was playing I got out my own edition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and flipped through it. It had been awhile, so doing so once more made me feel connected to my inner artistic foodie. The timing was terrific as my friend KD's birthday is this weekend, and I'm making a dark chocolate cake with buttercream frosting to help celebrate. I love the buttercream frosting recipes in the book. Of the three, I use the first. It's a matter of preference, I suppose, but there you have it. I love being entertained, and the movie was definitely entertaining. I also love being reminded of just how very much I love food. Thinking about it, preparing it, presenting it, enjoying it, I love i...

Remember Moonstruck, the movie? Yeah, the one with Cher, Nicolas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aielo, Vincent Gardenia and other good actors. And that great scene with the really huge moon. Love that scene. Every time I go to New York I look for that moon, but no luck yet. Cosmo's moon looked a little like this one: Fun movie. When you're a freaky food lover like me, though, you tend to take things away from movie experiences besides just the plot, the acting, the directing, etc. You take away ideas for food. Which is how we permanently added Moonstruck Eggs to our breakfast recipes. You just slice a thick slice of sourdough bread, butter both sides, carve a hole in it for an egg, then slap it into a pan. Drop an egg into the hole, let it cook for while, then flip. As you're flipping, spray a little Pam or butter beneath where the egg is going to hit the pan or it'll stick. Be sure to cook the round pieces of bread you carved out, too. They get nice and c...