xoxoxo e

the love of the last tycoon

2013-05-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

F. Scott Fitzgerald was working on a novel about Hollywood, The Love of the Last Tycoon, when he died, of a heart attack, at the age of 44. The novel was unfinished — although he had sketched out the plot, he had only completed sixteen of his planned thirty-one chapters. It was originally published in 1941, a year after the author's death, as The Last Tycoon, compiled by Fitzgerald's friend, the literary critic Edmund Wilson, but in 1993 Fitzgerald scholar Matthew J. Bruccoli edited and compiled what is now considered to be the authorized text, and reverted to what is believed to be Fitzgerald's original desired title for the work, The Love of the Last Tycoon.

Fitzgerald moved to Hollywood in 1937, where he not only wrote short stories to earn income, but also started working on film projects. He made (uncredited) script adjustments to Gone with the Wind and Madame Curie. Estranged from his wife Zelda, who had been in and out of mental institutions since the early 1930s, Fitzgerald met and fell in love with gossip columnist Sheilah Graham and lived with her in Hollywood until his death. Fitzgerald was an alcoholic, and was in fragile health:

Fitzgerald suffered two heart attacks in the late 1930s. After the first, in Schwab's Drug Store, he was ordered by his doctor to avoid strenuous exertion. He moved in with Sheilah Graham, who lived in Hollywood on North Hayworth Avenue, one block east of Fitzgerald's apartment on North Laurel Avenue. Fitzgerald had two flights of stairs to climb to his apartment; Graham's was on the ground floor. — Wikipedia

The hero of The Love of the Last Tycoon, Monroe Stahr, is a work-a-holic Hollywood producer, based on "Boy Wonder" Irving Thalberg, who Fitzgerald had worked with briefly and who also died young, at the age of 37. Like Fitzgerald and Thalberg, Stahr is in fragile health and has a doctor monitoring his heart on a regular basis. Stahr is a self-made man who has an innate understanding of how to get the best work out of people. His interest and influence touches all aspects of movie production, from choosing the appropriate director, to working with multiple screenwriters, to wrangling with union organizers. His whole life is work, until one night at the studio lot, after an earthquake, he catches sight of a young woman, Kathleen Moore, who reminds him of his dead wife. He is immediately smitten, and slowly starts to question how consumed he has allowed himself to become by his work.

Fitzgerald deftly sketches the 24-hour schedule of a studio boss, while also making him a thinking, feeling human being. The object of Stahr's desire, Kathleen, is a little less clearly drawn, but that seems deliberate, as she presents herself at first as a woman of mystery, to discourage Stahr's romantic pursuit. The story fluctuates between scenes involving Stahr in his daily life and the first-person observations of Cecilia Brady, the daughter of Stahr's studio rival, Pat Brady, who was modeled on Louis B. Mayer.

Director Elia Kazan made a movie version of the novel in 1976, starring Robert DeNiro in one of his most engaging performances as Monroe Stahr. It is ultimately a little unsatisfying, a little unfinished, like the novel, but it is enjoyable to watch, featuring some great actors like Jack Nicholson, Robert Mitchum and Theresa Russell in key roles. The best scene in the film is DeNiro acting out all of the parts in movie for an author (Donald Pleasence) who just can't understand how to write for Hollywood.

Stahr and his work, not just his potential romance, are so involving that it is truly tragic for the reader when the text stops abruptly. The very copious notes included in the volume clearly tell the reader where Fitzgerald was intending to take the story, but it is still frustrating to not be able to finish the journey with his winning prose. One wonders if his intentions would have played out as neatly as his notes suggest as Fitzgerald was known for re-writing and re-working.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about The Love of the Last Tycoon is that even in its truncated state it is still a wonderful novel. Monroe Stahr is an unforgettable character. And Fitzgerald's glimpse into the inner workings of Hollywood resonate even today. A truly great read.

cumberbatch into darkness

2013-05-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

Warning: spoilers abound, for those of you who haven't already guessed, viewed, or Googled Benedict Cumberbatch's true identity in the film.

J.J. Abrams's second entry in his rebooted Star Trek franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness, warped into theaters last week and did pretty well — over $164 million worldwide earned at the box office so far. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), and the rest of the gang were back, but there's no denying that what made Star Trek even more fun and fascinating this time around was the arch-villain played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Abrams & Co. are undoubtedly big fans of the original series and its subsequent films, as there were many shout-outs to fans peppered throughout the film.

Cumberbatch made a swell villain, and the film-mmakers definitely wanted to tweak the fans by revealing him to be ... Khan, but ... by making him Khan they have really messed with what had come before, both in the original series episode, "Space Seed," and the film, Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan with Ricardo Montalban playing the Indian Sikh super-warrior Khan Noonien Singh. It is undeniable that as gorgeous and kick-ass as Cumberbatch may look on the widescreen, he is quite the pale fellow. Khan's ethnicity and the series' historic nod to Genghis Khan went right out the window. Reportedly Benicio Del Toro was originally slated for the role, but Cumberbatch was great, one of the best things about the movie.

A super-man who can take out an entire army of Klingons? Yes, please!

Spock and Kirk work on their relationship

Uhura is not only fluent in Klingon, but can save her man at the end of the day

Having Kirk go into a radiation tube so that Zachary Quinto could yell, "KHAN!!!" after his friend had seemingly died, and then go after him for revenge was a nice switch. A cameo from original Spock Leonard Nimoy was also fun, although it smacked of not only deus ex machina, but that wacky LOST sideways universe, which is not necessarily a good thing.

Dr. Carol Marcus, (of Genesis project fame) played by Alice Eve, made an appearance, mostly so that we could see her in her underwear. Oddly, bra and panty design doesn't seem to have changed or improved much in the future. How a British-accented lassie could be the daughter of the very American Admiral Marcus, played by Peter Weller is anybody's guess.

There were definitely some great set-pieces:

The opening sequence on the planet Nibiru, was visually stunning and exciting, as Spock tried to save a primitive civilisation from an about-to-erupt volcano, while Kirk as usual, broke every rule in the book to save him from being blown up with the volcano.

The banter between Kirk and Spock, Kirk and Scotty (a very funny Simon Pegg), Spock and Uhura, Kirk and Khan — all great stuff. The relationships, as always, are the heart of these movies. The CGI pyrotechnics are just window dressing.

Kirk and Khan teaming up (temporarily) and hurtling through space together, to save the Enterprise and its crew was a great sequence.

The overall experience of watching the film was a fun one, but Star Trek Into Darkness was one of the noisiest damn movies ever. So many things exploding in space, with tons of gray metal junk flying all over the place. Whatever happened to no one being able to hear you scream in space? There will undoubtedly be a sequel, although which aspect of the Star Trek legacy the filmmakers will choose to plunder next time around remains uncertain. The fate of Khan and his companions wasn't left ambiguous enough to really register as clever, or a twist in storytelling. I wouldn't mind at all seeing Cumberbatch again, but is that really a story that needs to be (re) told?

farewell, cedar tavern

2013-05-22T09:00:00.001-04:00

I follow Jeremiah's Vanishing New York's posts on Facebook. It's sort of a love/hate experience to read them. I appreciate that he is a cry in the wilderness to a disappearing city, but I can't deny that it makes for a pretty depressing read most of the time, like a recent post about the death of Dojo's, one of my past favorite haunts. Au revoir Chicken sukiyaki salad with carrot ginger dressing.

I guess everyone believes that their time in New York (or wherever they spent their heyday, usually in their 20s and 30s) was the best time. I grew up hearing about my dad's glory days in New York, so I had his vision of the city to compare with my own when I went there to go to art school in the '80s. My first year in the city I lived at Union Square West, which was just a few short blocks from school — Parsons School of Design.

I tentatively explored my new neighborhood, either alone or with roommates or classmates. We walked everywhere, ranging in the beginning only as far north as 23rd Street and as far south as Grand Street and Little Italy. As a young art student one of the first places I wanted to check out was the nearby Cedar Tavern, which was on University Place. The (I believed) former hang-out of the legendary Abstract Expressionists. A bunch of us would go there from time to time, trying to soak up some old Jackson Pollock or Franz Kline vibes from the worn, heavily lacquered, wooden tables.

The (second) Cedar Tavern

Franz Kline

Jeremiah's Vanishing New York recently pointed me to a New York Times article, "Bye-Bye Bohemia," by Lee Siegel, bemoaning the fate of the Tavern's location at 82 University Place — from fabled artist's dive to a "wax center." The Cedar Tavern apparently closed in 2006 (I left the city for good in 2000). As the article points out, the bar that Pollock and Co. used to frequent was actually originally on Eighth Street and University Place, and closed in the early '60s, so in the '80s we were actually chasing phantoms in a second location. But still, they were fun dreams to chase.

Nothing is sacred or lasts, one of the anti-perks and realizations of adulthood. Am I really upset that where I once tried to soak up some Ab-Ex art history will now be a waxing salon? Just a little bit. If there is anything that that endures about New York it is the fact of its constant state of change. What does seem to be a shame is that a little hole-in-the-wall bar, even if it wasn't even the "right" one, will never again be a destination for a young artist's pilgrimage. Where will people go if they want to try and recapture a sense of New York's painting past, of a '50s Bohemia? The grid endures. One might not be able to walk into the Cedar Tavern anymore, but you could stroll over to 46 East Eighth Street and imagine Pollock trying to stagger home after a long, alcohol-fueled night. At least until the area's leveled to make room for a Walmart or Ikea.

the great gatsby: redford vs. dicaprio smackdown

2013-05-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

Baz Luhrmann's version of The Great Gatsby is brash and loud and colorful, compared to the pastel-hued tones of Jack Clayton's 1974 version. But is it a better film? Yes and no. The real take-away as the credits began to roll was that F. Scott Fitzgerald's timeless tale had proved, once again, to be, while not exactly un-filmable, at least as elusive to capture as Gatsby's dream of a future life with Daisy proved to be.

Leonardo DiCaprio was effective and impressive as Jay Gatsby, the self-made (and re-made) man, a dreamer who wants to go back in time with the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. DiCaprio was able to convey how much he cared for Daisy, and how deeply his small-town origins still hung about him, no matter how hard he tried to escape them. In 1974 Robert Redford captured the Gatsby facade, and wore the clothes (designer Theoni V. Aldredge won the Best Costume Oscar, but Ralph Lauren did the men's suits) with more ease and authority. Redford even made the phrase "old sport" sound almost natural and seemed more convincingly menacing as a man who may have been hiding some dark secrets. But DiCaprio was able to take the character to a more emotional place.

He wore it well: Robert Redford in one of Ralph Lauren's linen suits

Gatsby, looking good poolside

What really rankled in the 2013 version was how the women in the story all seemed to be relegated to the background. Daisy may have been Gatsby's focus and the impetus for all of his character's actions, but as played by Carey Mulligan she was just a bland, soft-voiced, Southern-drawling cipher. Luhrmann didn't even acknowledge Daisy's lack of mothering skills — until the last few moments of the film the audience, unless they were acquainted with the book or earlier film version, would hardly know she even has a child. As miscast as Mia Farrow might have been in the 1974 version, she at least was front and center throughout the story. Her Daisy was flighty and selfish and rather unlikable. Probably a litte too unlikable. But Daisy Buchanan, as Fitzgerald wrote her, is not, ultimately, a great person. Luhrmann tried to soft-pedal some of his heroine's faults at the end, which should annoy fans of the novel. Daisy also was dressed in impractical, busy summer frocks, designed by Catherine Martin (who is married to Luhrmann), and an unattractive bleach blond bob.

We have come to expect the character of Daisy to be un-castable, but there is no excuse for how poorly Jordan Baker and Myrtle Wilson were represented in this latest film version. Elizabeth Debicki started off promisingly as Jordan Baker, Daisy's professional golfer best friend, but then practically disappeared from the action, as Luhrmann chose to focus on narrator Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) and Gatsby and Daisy. What happened to Nick and Jordan's romance, or Jordan's witty, wicked sense of humor? What happened to Fitzgerald's interesting, multifacted female characters? Gone.

And unless the viewer is paying strict attention, it is possible that Tom Buchanan's (Joel Edgerton) lover, Myrtle Wilson (Isla Fisher) might be completely missed. With Luhrmann's frenetic pacing of certain scenes it's altogether likely that not only would one not catch Myrtle's name, but also not realize at first that she was the person who tried to flag down Gatsby's yellow car as it whizzed by in a penultimate scene of the movie.

Daisy's husband Tom is a jerk and a racist and a bigot, but he actually does care for Myrtle. Their relationship in both the book and the 1974 filmed version is portrayed as something far beyond casual. Joel Edgerton tried hard to fill in the blanks left in Luhrmann's script. Bruce Dern may have been a strange casting choice as the rich, Old Money, hunky, athletic Tom in 1974, but he very ably portrayed the boor's love of both of his women, Daisy and Myrtle.

That's a lot of lace and flounces for a summer frock

Leo, as Gatsby, raises his glass in a welcoming toast

Quick takes, 1974:

The screenplay/adaptation was by Francis Ford Coppola (!)

The scene where Nick has dinner with Daisy and Tom and Jordan: we see Daisy get jealous of Tom taking Myrtle's phone call — she is definitely hurt, and we feel that she really loves him.

The close-up camerawork was a little disconcerting.

Extra scenes showing Gatsby and Daisy's affair once they become reacquainted make us believe that their love may have a chance.

The scene with Gatsby showing his shirts to impress Daisy really works, as does the scene featuring Gatsby's final swim in his pool.

Quick takes, 2013:

A real stand-out scene is the final confrontation at the Plaza Hotel, where DiCaprio lets Gatsby (finally) lose his cool.

The tea that Gatsby arranges at Nick's to (re)meet Daisy, with Gatsby over-filling his small cottage with flowers and cakes, his nervous anticipation and awe at seeing the love of his life after five years, is both funny and poignant to watch.

The first over-the-top party that Nick attends at Gatsby's is everything Luhrmann is known for — visual opulence, hip music, frenetic camerawork — and it's great fun to watch. Unfortunately the rest of the film can't quite keep up the pace.

Tobey Maguire's Nick Carraway was even more removed and diffident than Fitzgerald's. Not many could attend a drug and alcohol-fueled orgy and still remain uninvolved, but somehow he pulled it off. Luhrmann's framing device of having an alcoholic Carraway narrate the film from a sanitarium as he writes the story didn't quite work, either.

The hip-hop music used to "update" this Gatsby actually worked quite well, but like many of the other design elements, seemed to lessen or disappear as the film progressed. Why not truly update the story to modern times instead of keeping it in the '20s? That may have held this film back from being a truly modern version.

Mia Farrow and Robert Redford as Daisy and Gatsby

L-R: Nick, Gatsby, Daisy and Tom (Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton)

As much as this latest version of The Great Gatsby didn't quite live up to my expectations — its vaunted excess actually seemed to peter out about halfway through the film into straight melodrama — it's hard not to admire both Luhrmann's ambition and aspiration to film such a complex literary classic. When most multiplex movie fare involves superheroes who battle endless CGI explosions, or the latest entry in a franchise that features cars driving really, really fast, a film that ends with some of the most evocative words in American literature is something to applaud:

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

something to believe in — game of thrones

2013-05-20T10:22:00.004-04:00

It is getting harder for readers of George R.R. Martin's epic Song of Ice and Fire series to watch events unfold on HBO's third season of Game of Thrones. Will this be the episode where ... well, I don't want to spoil it for you. But the show had upped the ante so much already, by building up some of the books' more minor characters, like Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) and Gendry, that even a well-versed fan can't help but hope that something might go a little differently, a little better, a little less deadly for some of their beloved characters. And maybe a little more deadly for others.

As much as the show's creators have taken liberties with the original text, it is clear that this season, with only two episodes left to go, is building toward a bang-up conclusion. Fans of the books know that there is still so much more to come. Last night's episode, "Second Sons," moved around the Seven Kingdoms and beyond, catching up with various characters, while testing each one's faith and resolve. It opened with Arya (Maisie Williams) and The Hound. She has sworn to kill him (and all of her enemies), believing him to be a ruthless, unrepentant villain, but he surprised her many times over, by calmly telling her that he was not taking her back to Joffrey as a prisoner as she assumed, but to her mother and Robb, and that he had saved Sansa from being raped. Arya has been living so long praying for the death of the Hound and others who have wronged her and her family that her belief system was shaken to the core.

The happy couple on their special day

Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) met the Second Sons — possible adversaries or allies. One particularly disrespectful and nasty warrior was just begging to be killed. His very handsome partner, Daario Naharis (Ed Skrein), made that dream a reality and Daenerys gained a new army and an ardent admirer. Does he believe in her power as a leader, as a beautiful woman, or her dragons? Maybe all three.

Witchy woman Melisandre brought lamb to the slaughter Gendry back with her to Dragonstone. Ser Davos tried to convince Stannis not to "sacrifice" his nephew. "I think mothers and fathers made up the gods because they wanted their children to sleep through the night." But Stannis, at least at present, still believes in Melisandre's Lord of Light. He did, however want to release Davos from his prison cell. Melisandre has her own plans. First up was climbing on top of not-so-little lamb Gendry. King's blood in the fire. But will they use him as a source for dark magic, or will he go out in a blaze of glory?

The highlight of the episode was Sansa and Tyrion's (Peter Dinklage) wedding. Brocade and leather abounded. Everyone was up in arms. Angry and jealous Shae. Nasty Joffrey, who gave the bride away ("Your father's dead.") Hateful Cersei, who shrugged off Margaery's attempt at friendship ("If you ever call me sister again I'll have you strangled in your sleep.") Dopey Sansa, who had to be told to kneel down so that Tyrion could put a wedding cloak upon her back. Tyrion told Sansa to drink up, but who could keep up with him? Tywin (Charles Dance), for once, seemed protective of his youngest son, telling a furious Joffrey to back off when Tyrion said something insulting to the young king. Tyrion and Sansa's wedding night was just as it was on paper, but I couldn't help but wish it had gone a little differently, that Sansa could at least understand that her husband is a kind man. She's just been too beaten down by the Lannisters to trust any of them. She can't believe in him or anyone.

The final scene was a good one. Sam and Gilly and the baby, who stil has no name, found themselves in the middle of a cold wood, in a deserted cabin, trying to start a fire. The sense of dread mounted as crows gathered and cawed above them, filling the trees outside. A white walker, coming for the baby, broke Sam's sword as if it was nothing. Sam was thrown, and then jumped up to protect Gilly and the baby, with his dragon stone (obsidian) dagger to destroy the monster. Whew.

Keep it coming, Game of Thrones, keep it coming.

spring has sprung

2013-05-19T18:37:00.000-04:00

I know this is Florida, so the change of seasons are more relative than actual, but there have been a lot of pretty blooms of late ...

ponytail girl

2013-05-18T13:06:00.003-04:00

She's getting so big, so fast, and another school year's almost over, I thought I better take a photographic record of my beautiful (now not so little) girl.

the great gatsby

2013-05-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is considered one of the great American novels. It is certainly great, and quintessentially American. It can practically be read in one sitting, but that doesn't limit the effectiveness of Fitzgerald's economic prose. The story, set during a hot Long Island summer in 1922, is part love story, part morality tale, while also reflecting the post-World War I excesses of the priveleged set.

Jay Gatsby may be the focus of the novel, but the hero is its narrator, Nick Carraway, a 29 year-old man who has been drifting through life since the end of the war. Originally from the Midwest, he, like many, heads east to New York in search of direction — and something else — thrills, love, purpose? He isn't quite sure. He gets pulled into the orbit of his wealthy cousin, Daisy Buchanan, and her philandering, polo-playing husband Tom. They try to pair him off with Daisy's professional golfer friend, the "incurably dishonest," Jordan Baker, who leads him to his most significant friendship of the summer — his mysterious and exceedingly wealthy next-door neighbor, Jay Gatsby, who throws extravagant parties that he never seems to attend.

As Nick gets to know Gatsby he learns that he and Daisy were once very well-acquainted. In fact, Daisy promised to wait for Gatsby when he went off to the War in 1917, but then turned around and married the more suitable (and monied) Tom Buchanan (who attended Yale with Nick) two years later. When the war was over a heartbroken Gatsby devoted his life to amassing a suitable fortune to both impress Daisy and launch him into the society he has always so desperately wanted to be a part of. But the New Egg and Old Egg where Gatsby and the Buchanans reside are strictly divided — new money and old money. Old money may attend new money's lavish parties, but will never really accept them as one of their own, as Tom Buchanan effectively sneers when Gatsby claims that he and Daisy are going to run off together, "I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that's the idea you can count me out ..."

Fitzgerald's Gatsby is not just a romantic dreamer, but a personal embodiment of the American Dream. He is a self-made man, although the source of his income is shown to be through underworld connections. Gatsby has reinvented himself, from his low origins as James Gatz, a poor farmer's son. His go-getter attitude garnered him connections to powerful men who wanted to help him — first a millionaire named Dan Cody, and later New Yorker Meyer Wolfshiem.

"Meyer Wolfshiem? No, he's a gambler." Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly: "He's the man who fixed the World's Series back in 1919."

"Fixed the World's Series?" I repeated. […] "Why isn't he in jail?"

"They can't get him, old sport. He's a smart man."

As Nick gets to know more and more about Gatsby, his admiration for him is not tarnished, as it is with his party guests and even Tom and Daisy. If anything, he respects him more, as he tells him towards the end of the novel, "They're a rotten crowd ... You're worth the whole damn bunch put together"

Fitzgerald writes beautifully, and his dialogue is so alive that it seems not just modern, but contemporary. There are jarring notes, however, mostly in the form of racist comments made by Tom Buchanan. Ethnic stereotypes also abound, further alienating the reader from the "beautiful" Daisy and her crowd. Some of the recurrent imagery, although evocative, is a bit overdone. Although many like to point out the number of times Gatsby calls someone "old sport," I was bothered more by Fitzgerald's need to refer again and again to "the valley of ashes," and the omnipresent poster on the road to New York featuring the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg.

Eckleburg aside, there are some wonderful visual references, most notably the green light that flashes at the end of Daisy's dock across the Sound from Gatsby. Gatsby sees it as a guiding light, bringing him back to his true love, and not for what it truly is, a siren's call. The scene with Gatsby's shirts, where he impresses Nick and Daisy with his extensive and expensive wardrobe, is a neat visual to tie in to the other overarching theme of the novel — money, and how it determines most of the characters' actions and motivations.

“'Her voice is full of money,' he said suddenly. That was it. I’d never understood it before. It was full of money — that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it ... High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl.”

Gatsby knows that money is what drives Daisy, but he also hopes that there is great love, too. Daisy may love Gatsby, in a way, as one loves their youth, but she also loves Tom, and not just for his wealth. It is clear how she reacts to his mistress, Myrtle Wilson, calling him at their home, that he can hurt her, which wouldn't be the case if she didn't care about him. Tom knows this, but Gatsby doesn't want to believe that Daisy can love both of them.

"I love you now — isn't that enough? I can't help what's past ... I did love him once — but I loved you too!"

The Great Gatsby is a classic and timeless tale which features (mostly) unlikable people. Gatsby is the most sympathetic, because as hopeless as it might be, he has a dream of the future. Nick can only observe and then retreat when life gets too real, too messy. And Daisy and Tom are just like all of those selfish people we read about every day, who think that the world only exists for their own entertainment. As Fitzgerald, through Nick, so eloquently states,

"They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made."

the case of the broken glass

2013-05-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

The first year that I went to college, art school, Parsons School of Design in New York City, I lived in their "dorms," a few floors in a high-rise on Union Square. The understanding was that by the end of the year students would need to find other accommodations to make room for next year's influx of art students. I looked at a few places over the summer, but nothing was working out, until I lucked into a place in Park Slope, sharing it with a girl who modeled in one of my art classes. The real bonus was that as nice as she was, she spent a lot of time at her boyfriend's place, so for the most part, although it sometimes got lonely, I had a large, railroad apartment to myself. During that sophomore year my roommate eventually moved out, and when one of my classmates found himself out of his latest digs I was more than willing to share my good fortune, telling him to come and stay until he found his own place.

I was a bit of a stray collector in those days. I never intended to have my classmate become my permanent roommate, but if that had worked out, I probably would have been fine with it. But that's not how things worked out. It's always hard to live with people. We all have our quirks. I had grown up with a brother, so I was used to hair left in the shower, or the toilet seat being up. Those really weren't a big deal. But being sneaky or dishonest was a deal-breaker.

"A Broken Glass," by Kit Umscheid

So what happened?

We were living in Brooklyn, but we both would also still go home and visit our families on the weekend from time-to-time; my family in New Jersey, his in upstate New York. I had returned from such a weekend to find a sink full of dishes — again, not exactly a big deal, just a small annoyance. I didn't have that many glasses or dishes, so would have to wash what was in the sink to be able to use them. I turned on the water and grabbed a sponge and some dish soap and started washing the plates and forks, my mind drifting. I then reached for a juice glass, putting the sponge inside, and turning it, twisting it, to get the suds over the inside of the glass. Suddenly I glanced down into the sink and wondered why it reminded me of the shower scene in Psycho. Blood was swirling down the drain. I looked from the bottom of the sink to the glass and my hand. My hand was bleeding, between the thumb and index finger. The glass had been broken, perfectly, horizontally, and then put back together. Put back into the sink. As if done by a three year old. Maybe she won't find out. She won't know that I did it. What a jerk. Luckily, the gash wasn't deep enough to warrant stitches, but I still have a scar.

I gave him until the end of the week. I never really got angry with him, or scolded him, or told the story (much), but we were never really friends after that incident. Understandably. A few months later, as I was going through some of my books in a bookcase I heard something drop down to the floor behind it. I fished out the object. It was my grandmother's pinking shears, broken, hidden behind some pieces of trimmed cardboard. He had used my seamstress grandmother's pinking shears to cut thick cardboard for some project. And then apparently broken them and hidden them. What sort of infantile behavior would do crap like this? Twice?

Things get broken. It happens. But every once in a while I have to wonder how and why this brand of sneakiness, something that I have dealt with on occasion with my daughter — who's nine years old — had extended into adulthood. Granted, twenty-somethings are not as grown-up as they think they are, but to put a broken glass back in a sink instead of just throwing it out. It still boggles my mind.

brava angelina

2013-05-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Angelina Jolie recently announced her decision to undergo a double mastectomy earlier this year as an anti-breast cancer preventive measure. After having lost her mother, Marcheline Bertrande, at age 56, to ovarian cancer in 2007, Jolie discovered that she possessed a mutated gene, one of the early markers for breast and ovarian cancer, as she lays out in honest, engaging, and touching detail in her recent New York Times op ed piece, "My Medical Choice." Some may consider such a step radical, but Jolie is undeniably making a brave, and very personal choice about her health.

The initial screening for the mutated gene, depending on your insurance, can be costly, not to mention the subsequent, if opted for, surgeries. One of Jolie's intentions, besides living her life in a frank and open manner, is to try to advocate for making such tests more widely available and affordable. It makes dollars and sense. In the big picture such testing and even the surgeries would end up being cheaper than cancer treatment. Not to mention the easing of minds that could be achieved.

Angelina Jolie

Jolie with her mother, Marcheline Bertrand

Clan Jolie-Pitt

My own gynecologist, a breast cancer survivor, is a strong advocate for such measures. When a slight shadow on one of my routine mammograms profiled me for six-month instead of yearly mammos, she suggested a new test, for genetic markers, to see if she could lower my probability profile. It cost far less than the $3000 mentioned in Jolie's op ed, which may be the "price" of the test, pre adjustments and insurance, etc. My doc was able to order it in such a way that made it very low cost to me. It wasn't a blood test, but a saliva swab. The doc says this is the future of medicine, checking genetic predictors and creating custom treatments. Bottom line, I didn't have a high probability marker genetically (whew), so will be able to go back to yearly or, as the protocols change, maybe even bi-yearly mammos in future. Again — long-term less testing, less spending. And less worry.

What many are focusing on with Jolie's revelation is her status as an international beauty and what the surgeries might mean for her career. But Jolie has been far much more than a sex symbol for many years now, with her charity work (Special Envoy and former Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), Academy Award-winning actress (Girl, Interrupted), and director (In the Land of Blood and Honey). But what comes across most clearly to me most about Jolie, always, is her devotion to her family. She would risk anything to be with them, and to not put them through what she went through, losing her mother to cancer. Brava, Angelina, for what must have been a very difficult decision, but for you and your family was the right one. And courage for any future health-related decisions you might choose or need to make. Good health to you and your family.

vintage '80s

2013-05-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

The 1980s, as a style decade, was certainly guilty of some serious fashion faux pas. Some of those trends are even coming back, or they never really left. Day-glo socks and other accessories can be seen all over Target these days. Bi-level and asymmetrical haircuts are strangely still being sported by women all over the country. But one of the trends of the '80s that was dear to my heart, and isn't around that much anymore, was vintage clothing. I don't miss those other trends, but I do miss vintage or "antique" clothing.

I dove headfirst into this trend, and was pretty lucky, because my mom, who had lived in New York in her 20s, had held onto most of her clothes, and I was able to raid her old wardrobe for some great pieces. I wore my mother's old party dresses and fancy attire, mixed in with basic items like jeans or simple skirts. I also shopped in used clothing stores, and even worked in a few of the more famous New York City ones (Canal Jean Co. and Reminiscence), for quite a few years during and post college.

Outside Scribner's bookstore in some typical '80s city garb — antique coat and scarf, cropped jeans, short boots.

In SoHo, near the basketball courts, wearing my "James Dean Rebel Without A Cause" reversible jacket that used to be my mom's, a vintage scarf that originally belonged to my grandfather, and some antique clip-on earrings.

I remember the gigantic bins full of of old, used, woolen overcoats outside of Canal Jean Company on Broadway, where male and female, young and old, would try them on, looking for the perfect, dramatic winter coat. Most would tend to be oversized, which was of course, fine in the '80s, so one would roll up the sleeves and flip up the collars to come up with one's own version of a '40s-style trenchcoat.

I was always a little leery of those overcoats, some still with an odor of mothballs. I wondered where the store's antiques buyer had found them. Were they really so many old men in Cincinnati no longer in need of their winter overcoats, or were they just from some overstuffed warehouse, where they never sold? And here they were, on the backs of New Yorkers (and New Jerseyans and Long Islanders, etc.) 40 years later. But tons of people bought them, and wore them during the cold winter, and looked pretty cool while doing it. Even as an avid film buff, I couldn't really remember any old black and white movie featuring overcoats exactly like these, but I think a lot of people were buying these sorts of clothes and remaking themselves in what they saw as more modern versions of cinematic superstars of the past, like Humphrey Bogart or Lauren Bacall. I know I was at times.

In one of my mom's old party dresses, channeling Kim Novak.

I worked at another clothing store, Reminiscence, after I left Canal Jeans. That became a bit of a schizophrenic "vintage" experience. Reminiscence did sell vintage items, but its real money was made on its own versions and knock-offs of mostly '50 styles. Bright colors and prints were its trademark, appearing on everything from trumpet skirts to Hawaiian shirts, and of course, even jeans. It was probably appropriate, with all of the talk at the time, of simulation and questions of originality in the art world, that art student me worked at a retail store which was simulating styles of the past.

Fashion these days, in comparison, is pretty boring. People seemed to pay a little more attention to putting together a look in the '80s. Maybe their outfits were over-the-top, but they were interesting, too. What current fashion trend is interesting? Certainly not leggings, or the persistent wearing of one's trousers 4 to 5 inches below one's underwear. Where are all the fun clothes?

This fun little number probably cost me round $5.00, and the vintage shoes and oversized blue plastic hoop clip-on earrings, not much more. It was a wow at the Warhol opening at MoMA. And more than that, as you can see, it was a lot of fun to wear.

Some of the blame for current boring fashion trends I blame on the obsession first with supermodels, and then designer labels. The inevitable red carpet "Who are you wearing?" question as mostly cookie cutter gowns glide by generates little enthusiasm, and seldom seems to translate to any street wear. As the '80s waned, television shows centering on fashion, style, make-overs, and supermodels, became omnipresent. In the '90s suddenly heels had to be high and thin (no more boots or chunky heels). Skirts and silhouettes also slimmed down (goodbye '50s-style puff skirts). Everything, while certainly stylish, was also uniform. There was no room for mis-matched earrings, or just wearing one earring, bright colors, and prints. Black, always a go-to color in fashion, was certainly as popular in the '80s as any decade, but in the '90s and now in the '00s, black and solid muted colors dominate. Now don't get me wrong, I don't miss all those '80s little floral prints that were also all over the place, but a splash of color, something that even looks a little crazy, something a little fun — where today is the fun in fashion?

I've been wondering if this latest film version of The Great Gatsby will spawn another "vintage glamour is back" moment. These trends never really seem to take hold for long, however. Fashion trends only last from one season to the next. Lots of folks like myself still enjoy shopping at thrift and used clothing stores. It might never be like it was in the '80s, when vintage clothing and style became a bigger trend. I find that a little sad. But I guess you can now be prepared for the sight of me walking down the street in a vintage trumpet skirt or something similar. I warned you.

i'm really enjoying this season of game of thrones

2013-05-13T15:20:00.001-04:00

So many of the characters in George R. R. Martin's fantasy epic are hitting high marks:

Armed only with a wooden sword ...

Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) — the ultimate odd couple. First they were enemies, then reluctant teammates, and now they may actually be becoming, if not friends, allies. The scene in last night's episode, “The Bear and the Maiden Fair,” where Jaime returned to Harrenhall and helped Brienne fight her way out of a pit and away from a vicious bear (where she had been left, with a wooden sword, to be attacked for a sick form of entertainment) was both frightening and exhilarating. And speaking of odd couples, the wonderful Arya (Maisie Williams) has split from the Brotherhood, but run away right into the arms of The Hound (Rory McCann).

Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) has seemed far away and not quite so interesting for most of the season, but the last two episodes have shown just how much of a badass the tiny silver-haired girl can be. Look out Yunkai (and Westeros), here she comes.

Daenerys and one of her babies, via Pandawhale

Charles Dance continues to be fabulous as Tywin Lannister, reminding young King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) who exactly is running things in the Seven Kingdoms. Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister is always wonderful, and it was almost painful to watch him try to (unsuccessfully) appease his mistress Shae (Sibel Kekilli ) as he tried to reconcile himself to his upcoming nuptials to Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner).

Although not exactly in the books, there have been some additions to the story that have added quite a lot to the drama and pathos this season:

Hello, young lovers. As Ygritte (Rose Leslie) keeps reminding him, "You know nothing, Jon Snow," Jon (Kit Harington) is still thinking like a member of the Night's Watch, and not a Wildling. Their romance is more intense onscreen than in the books, and all the more poignant. Jon's older half-brother Robb (Richard Madden) and his bride Talisa (Oona Chaplin) are also deeply in love and enjoying a brief respite from the war and the disapproval of Robb's mother Cat and the Frey clan.

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the season continues to be Margaery Tyrell, played by Natalie Dormer. Her part in the current storyline has been expanded way beyond her role in the books, and it has benefited many story-lines; from her quick recovery from the death of her husband Renly, to her betrothal to the odious Joffrey, to her friendship and advice to young and naive Sansa. As she told the girl this week, she shouldn't despair about her marriage to Tyrion, who is not only quite handsome, but clearly the kindest of the Lannisters. A union with Tyrion could have Sansa's child running most of Westeros.

Listen up, Sansa! You might learn something.

The only bum note this season continues to be Theon's (Alfie Allen) storyline. Stretching out his torture from episode to episode is getting to be a bit much. Hardly a favorite character, certainly we could skip him in an episode or two and still see him end up as broken from the experience, as he will undoubtedly be. In the latest drawn-out torture scene's defense I will say that for once, the HBO pre-requite nudity per episode was actually used for a purpose — and a menacing one at that, rather than the usual T&A.

“The Bear and the Maiden Fair” was also the only episode this season written by George R. R. Martin, which may explain the (deeper) depth of feelings that some of the characters were able to plumb this time out. With only three episodes left to go, and some serious drama yet to unfold (don't worry, I'm not telling), season three is bound to end with a bang.

happy mother's day

2013-05-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

My mom, with her mother, father and maternal grandfather

Me and my mom

The kid and me

the kid loves to read

2013-05-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

But she needs her sleep, too.

ommmmmm ...

2013-05-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Kitty yoga.

They're perfecting their deep relaxation pose.

j lo and jersey girl

2013-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Jennifer Lopez is a very familiar face these days. She is also known by the monikers J Lo and Jenny from the Block. She married and separated from Latin singing sensation Mark Anthony, but not before having twins Emme and Maximilian with him. We've seen her on American Idol, in a variety of movies. She seems almost omnipresent as a commercial spokesperson and has released multiple fragrances. She has found success as a singer, with seven studio albums which have even spawned some chart-topping hits ("If You Had My Love," "Waiting for Tonight," and "On the Floor"). She has been sure to be photographed wearing as little as possible at various award shows to accentuate her celebrated curves (most memorably, at the 2000 Grammy Awards with a green Versace dress slashed from here to there). Some may not remember that she was also half of one of the first tabloid super couples in recent years that caught both the public's and the paparazzi's attention, Bennifer.

Lopez had no idea the dress would create such a stir. Uh huh.

"Bennifer", a portmanteau, was the nickname given to the celebrity couple ... by Affleck's friend, Kevin Smith. [They] met on the set of their mega-flop Gigli ... Their relationship spanned eighteen months and included a much-hyped engagement, a 6 carat (1.2 g) Harry Winston diamond engagement ring, an aborted wedding, and a prolonged breakup, culminating in their split on January 20 2004, with both blaming media attention. — Wikipedia

Before there was Brangelina, there was Bennifer. Photographers followed them everywhere, and fans and critics alike wondered at their mismatched romance. The two seemed to encourage all of the attention, publicizing extravagant gifts given to each other. They made a couple of movies together, both which were critical and financial failures. While Gigli is universally considered to be a terrible movie, I'd never heard too much about their second effort, Jersey Girl, which was directed by Kevin Smith.

When Jersey Girl showed up on cable the other day, I was curious and thought I might as well give it a chance. It couldn't be that bad, could it? Jersey Girl is by no means the greatest movie ever made, but it also is certainly not the worst. I guess Gigli still holds that distinction. Jersey Girl is just a small slice-of-life film. Lopez is hardly in it, which may have contributed to both its success and its failure. Let's face it, Lopez may have conquered music and television, but she has never had too much success at the movies. Apart from the wonderful Out of Sight, with George Clooney, her film output is far from impressive. And the reason that film is so good, is a good script and its two stars have some serious chemistry. But chemistry is not acting.

Lopez has tried to mold herself into a rom-com star a la Julia Roberts, with flicks like The Wedding Planner and Maid in Manhattan, but these for the most part have been pretty poor, even in that genre. More recent efforts like The Back-up Plan, Monster-in-Law, and What to Expect When You're Expecting weren't even as good as The Wedding Planner. Over-saturated critics and fans alike may have had it out for Bennifer when Jersey Girl came out, but they can't entirely blame Lopez for its failure, as she hardly appears in the movie. Her character comes and goes within the movie's first few scenes, sporting an incomprehensible Shirley Temple-like hairdo while she's there.

In 2004 Shirley Temple 'dos were all the rage - not.

Once Lopez is out of the picture, Jersey Girl concentrates on the story Smith wants to tell — of single father Ollie (Affleck), who is completely unprepared and unsuited to take on his fatherly duties when his wife dies in childbirth. He's lucky he has his father, Bart (a wonderful George Carlin) around to help. He less than thrilled that Bart enlists his two buddies, Greenie (Stephen Root) and Block (Mike Starr) help raise his little girl.

Bart, "Sun even shines on a dog's ass some days."
Greenie, "You gettin' a dog?"

Affleck is a over-the-top and obnoxious during the first part, or practically all of the movie, but the smart-ass behavior suits the character of a guy who thought he was a big shot and blames his wife's death for his losing his mojo. What makes Jersey Girl enjoyable are the people — the little girl Gertie, played by Raquel Castro; her grandpa, George Carlin, and his buddies; and Liv Tyler, a girl who's really too good for grieving widower Affleck, but who we know will eventually bring him around. Will Smith also shows up for a brief, funny, and important cameo.

Post Jersey Girl Affleck floundered for a while, with films like Surviving Christmas, He's Just Not That Into You, and Smokin' Aces, but he soon was back on top again as an actor and a director, with films like State of Play, The Town, and most recently, the Oscar-winning Best Picture, Argo.

Just when you forget that Kevin Smith is the director of Jersey Girl, there are series of jokes lambasting the Broadway musical Cats, brought to a very funny fruition during Gertie's school pageant.

Ollie, "Cats is the second-worst thing that ever happened to New York City."

Gertie, too cool for Cats, chooses to feature a scene from Sweeney Todd in her segment in the pageant. Jersey Girl is a fun little movie. No one may remember Bennifer these days, but at the time the press and the public's tiring of the super-couple was enough to sink this film. And the film's failure was probably also more than a little responsible for sinking their romance.

r.i.p. ray harryhausen

2013-05-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Like many, I grew up with the amazing stop-motion animation of the incredibly talented Ray Harryhausen. My first exposure to his work was in Jason and the Argonauts, and I still enjoy watching it. The climactic fight between Jason and his men and the armed skeletons is a cinematic classic, but I also loved Harryhausen's Talos, the gigantic man of bronze.

I also loved Clash of the Titans, with a gorgeous young Harry Hamlin as the intrepid Perseus, who is tested by A-list actors playing the Greek Gods - Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Claire Bloom, and Ursula Andress, Hamlin's lady love at the time.

A few years ago I found a DVD with some of Harryhausen's early work, stop-motion animated nursery rhymes and fairy tales, like Rapunzel, Mother Goose, etc., that my daughter loves. She also loves Jason and the Argonauts. We're carrying on the Harryhausen appreciation to the next generation. Thanks, Mr. Harryhusen, for a lot of fun at the movies.

summer movies

2013-05-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

The New York Times had a summer movie preview section this past Sunday and for the first time in a long time there were a whole lot of movies that looked interesting to me.

The kid got interested too, as I was reading off some of the descriptions of upcoming films featuring actors or concepts that appealed to me. So I have adapted their list to reflect our summer movie preview.

What I want to see (on my own):

May

GREETINGS FROM TIM BUCKLEY - I love Jeff Buckley's music, so this sounds pretty interesting to me. With Penn Badgley, Imogen Poots, William Sadler and Norbert Leo Butz.

THE GREAT GATSBY - I am almost positive that I won't like this, and it will be a huge mess, but director Baz Luhrmann is sure to have made a visually stunning mess with great costumes.

THE ENGLISH TEACHER - I'm not always in the front row to see a Julianne Moore movie, but this sounds fun. She's "a small-town schoolteacher [who] risks it all to mount a high school production of a play by her former star student (Michael Angarano), who has come back home after failing to establish himself as a playwright in New York. Bonus: Greg Kinnear and Nathan Lane.

June

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING - Joss Whedon, Shakespeare, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion. 'Nuff said

WORLD WAR Z - I usually avoid zombie movie like a post-apocalyptic plague, but hey, Brad Pitt.

BYZANTIUM - This one sounds a bit like The Hunger, but it stars Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan and is directed by Neil Jordan, so it's definitely worth a shot.

THE HEAT - Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy sound like mis-match made in heaven. And they're cops.

July

THE WAY, WAY BACK - Sam Rockwell. Here's the NYT description: "A shy 14-year-old (Liam James), neglected by his mother (Toni Collette) and her new boyfriend (Steve Carell), gets some essential life lessons from the manager of a water park (Sam Rockwell) over summer vacation. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash directed; with Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Maya Rudolph, Amanda Peet and Rob Corddry." What a cast. And again, Sam Rockwell.

THE ARTIST AND THE MODEL - I'm not sure I'll be able to catch this French film at the theater, but it sounds great; "Jean Rochefort plays an aging sculptor who escapes the troubles of Vichy France by moving to a remote village in the Pyrenees, where a Catalan woman (Aida Folch), her life shattered by the civil war in Spain, becomes his new model. With Claudia Cardinale; Fernando Trueba (“Belle Epoque”) directed, in black-and-white."

GIRL MOST LIKELY - Kristen Wiig, with Annette Bening as her mom.

ONLY GOD FORGIVES - Ryan Gosling, with Kristin Scott Thomas as his mom.

BLUE JASMINE - Woody Allen assembles another fantastic cast: Alec Baldwin, Cate Blanchett, Bobby Cannavale, Louis C.K., Andrew Dice Clay, Sally Hawkins, Peter Sarsgaard and Michael Stuhlbarg.

August

AUSTENLAND - Keri Russell is looking for her own Mr. Darcy, and any movie with Jennifer Coolidge has got to be fun.

What I want to see (but may end up having to wait for on cable):

May

FRANCES HA - A tale of girlfriendship, starring Greta Gerwig.

June

VIOLET & DAISY - Alexis Bledel and Saoirse Ronan turn to crime to get designer duds. With James Gandolfini.

COPPERHEAD - A Civil War story set in the north (New York), with Billy Campbell, Angus MacFadyen and Peter Fonda.

July

THE HOT FLASHES - Another sports underdog movie, directed by Susan Seidelman with a great "mature ladies" cast: Brooke Shields, Wanda Sykes, Virginia Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and Camryn Manheim. And Eric Roberts, too.

RED 2 - The first one was fun. It's probably just a DVD, but the cast is hard to resist: Bruce Willis, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mary-Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren and David Thewlis.

R.I.P.D. - "When a cop is killed in the line of duty, he’s promoted to the Rest in Peace Department and assigned to find his killer, from the other side." With Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, and Jeff Bridges.

August

BLOOD - Will probably be ultra-violent, but how to resist some of my favorite Brit actors, "a brutal police chief" played by Brian Cox, his sons, played by Paul Bettany and Stephen Graham, and their colleague, played by Mark Strong.

THE FROZEN GROUND - "A 17-year-old street kid (Vanessa Hudgens) gives an Anchorage detective (Nicolas Cage) the vital clue he needs to stop a serial killer (John Cusack). With 50 Cent." This sounds like such a mess, but I love me some Nic Cage. I don't care much for John Cusack, so I would probably enjoy seeing him as a bad guy.

What I am willing to see with the kid:

EPIC - We liked Rise of the Guardians and this one is based on another book by William Joyce. Plus, Colin Farrell and Chris O’Dowd are two of the voice actors.

June

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY - The trailer is clever. How bad can it be, with Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Charlie Day, Sean Hayes and many others in a Pixar film?

July

DESPICABLE ME 2 - The first one was cute, so I was prepared for the kid wanting to see this one. Steve Carell and Russell Brand are back, also joined by voice actors Ken Jeong, Steve Coogan, and Al Pacino.

THE SMURFS 2 - I knew before the credits rolled on the first one that we would have to see this.

August

PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS - We both liked the first movie, and the sequel has Nathan Fillion and Stanley Tucci — not-too-shabby.

What we both want to see:

May

STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS - Yeah, Star Trek, Spock, blah, blah, blah. Cumberbatch!

NOW YOU SEE ME - An interesting cast with a crime/magician twist: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.

June

MAN OF STEEL - Henry Cavill looks great in the previews as Superman. He's got A-list back-up: Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne and Russell Crowe.

July

THE LONE RANGER - Johnny Depp as Tonto, but will anyone care about the Lone Ranger? It will be interesting to see Depp in a movie with Helena Bonham Carter and no Tim Burton.

GROWN UPS 2 - Hey, I liked the first one, so sue me. The gang's all back — Adam Sandler and all his friends: Kevin James, Chris Rock and David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, and Maria Bello. Hopefully Steve Buscemi will turn up for his usual cameo.

I'll have to check this list again in the fall and see how I did ...

iron man 3 — more talk, less action, please

2013-05-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

Iron Man 3 is quite entertaining. It is also over-bloated, poorly plotted and scripted, and in fact, a mess. But what makes it entertaining, not unsurprisingly, is its cast, especially Robert Downey Jr., who is back as Tony Stark, the brilliant motor-mouthed inventor and creator of all those cool yet heavy metal suits. While onscreen Downey never stops talking, which in some other actor's case might be annoying, but with him is a blessing. Downey even gets to explore a side of Tony Stark that we don't usually get to see — all-out panic.

Stark, "I'm Tony Stark. I build neat stuff, got a great girl, occasionally save the world. So why can't I sleep?"

Apparently since his last adventure with The Avengers, Stark has had trouble sleeping. And coping, especially whenever any mention is made of The Big Apple. He has one or two full-fledged anxiety attacks in the course of the film. It was an interesting twist on the cockiest of characters, which was suddenly dropped, and then never referred to again about two-thirds into Iron Man 3. That sort of schizophrenic, kitchen-sink approach to the script plagues the movie and the audience's patience. If it weren't for some great chemistry between Downey and his fellow actors the film might be more of a chore to sit through.

An Iron Man and his girl

Tony Stark taking a moment

Don Cheadle in his "War Machine Roxx" gear

What didn't work: the endless blowing up of buildings and other heavy objects, creating an anxiety in the viewer similar to the one Tony Stark was experiencing. The "burning man" subplot had some interesting special effects, but made no sense whatsoever. The terrorist subplot was also unconvincing. I have to admit that I saw one of the major plot twists coming from miles away.

While Stark is battling his way out of the bad guy's lair, one of the henchmen surrenders and gets a chance to get a laugh, too. Guard, "Don't shoot! Seriously, I don't even wanna work for them. They are so weird!"

What worked: Most of the action scenes were a snore, but there were two memorable sequences — one featuring a daring in-flight rescue, and the other incorporating multiple Iron Man suits. Downey's interactions with Gwyneth Paltrow as his girlfriend, Pepper Potts, and with his best friend Rhodes, played by Don Cheadle (criminally underused, as always) were also always fun to watch. Ben Kingsley was impressive in his cameo, and Guy Pearce had a blast is the in-house villain, Aldrich Killian. The usual bonus Marvel universe after-the-credits scene was also fun. Downey seemed to be having a lot of fun in his scenes mid-film with a kid named Harley (Ty Simpkins). Harley's character is proof that the film-makers were of two minds about what sort of movie they were making and what sort of audience to attract. Iron Man 3 is rated PG-13, but the character of Iron Man has definitely appeal (and is heavily marketed) to a younger crowd.

Quibbles aside, I still had fun. I saw it in 3D, which didn't really seem to be necessary or add much to the already loud and fast-moving experience. The Iron Man series may be done (for now), but Tony Stark and his wise-cracking sense of humor are sure to be back in future Avengers movies. Things are bound to blow up in those movies, too, but hopefully Downey will get just as much of a chance to talk as ever.

happy cinco de mayo

2013-05-05T14:43:00.001-04:00

heavy clouds, no rain

2013-05-04T22:03:00.001-04:00

this always makes me smile ...

2013-05-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

... and gets my feet to tapping.

two worth a look ...

2013-05-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

Foolproof - From 2003, a heist/who's zoomin' who caper with an interesting cast. Starring Ryan Reynolds as the leader of a trio of "theoretical" criminals who pull off a real heist when a gangster (David Suchet) enlists them to turn one of their dream jobs into reality. It's slick and fun, but the real treat was seeing Suchet in non-Poirot mode, with (I think) his real voice.

David Suchet serves up some theif-erly advice

Timeline - Also from 2003, this is an implausible but fun time travel yarn with an amazing cast for Anglophiles. Directed by Richard Donner of Superman and Lethal Weapon movies fame and written by Michael Crichton (and based on his novel). I'm not sure why I never heard of this before. Maybe because it's more silly than scary, but it was still fun to watch.

An elite group of archaeologists (Paul Walker, Frances O'Connor, Gerard Butler) and commandoes (!), led by Neal McDonough, need to travel back to medieval France to rescue a stranded comrade (Billy Connolly). But once there, things get, well, medieval, as the French are busy warring the neighboring British and the group starts to get smaller, one-by-one. And to complicate matters even more, back home the time travel machine has been damaged and the scientists running it (David Thewlis, Ethan Embry) are of two minds on whether to effect repairs. Will they be able to get back home to the present before their window of return expires? The cast in the past is just as impressive as the future travelers, including Michael Sheen, Anna Friel, and Lambert Wilson.

No they're not going to a local RenFest, they're going to the past

The past (and Anna Friel) is looking pretty good to Gerard Butler

According to imdb, Timeline was prey to a lot of studio interference, which certainly plays into why it wasn't properly promoted:

The film was originally slated to be released in the fall of 2002, however the studio was not happy with the Richard Donner's cut of the film, which included a prologue explaining the disappearance of the Billy Connolly character in the film ... Donner was then forced to re-cut the film ... Paramount, particularly studio head Sherry Lansing, was again unhappy with Donner's second cut of the film that he had delivered which completely had eliminated the Billy Connolly prologue, which was essential to the both the Michael Crichton novel and the film's backstory ... Donner was forced to re-cut the film once more and the film was again delayed to unspecified date ... The final cut of the film would be 116 minutes from its original 136 min cut, mainly the Billy Connolly prologue clearly absent from re-cut version and the final cut, which proves that the film was clearly interfered with by the studio ...

Timeline is probably a shadow of what it could have been, but it's still worth a look, especially for Gerard Butler's playful character, Marek.

happy may day

2013-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Charlie Chaplin in "Sunnyside", 1919, From Vintage Everyday

recent pins

2013-04-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have been having a lot of fun with Pinterest lately. There is no end to the interesting images one can find, past and present:

Vintage bridal display in department store window

Anatomical Barbie

Hercules stool

Laurie/Teddy paper doll

This chair makes me think of a 3D Magritte

xoxoxo e

the love of the last tycoon

cumberbatch into darkness

farewell, cedar tavern

Related articles

the great gatsby: redford vs. dicaprio smackdown

Related articles

something to believe in — game of thrones

Related articles

spring has sprung

ponytail girl

the great gatsby

the case of the broken glass

brava angelina

vintage '80s

i'm really enjoying this season of game of thrones

Related articles

happy mother's day

the kid loves to read

ommmmmm ...

j lo and jersey girl

r.i.p. ray harryhausen

summer movies

iron man 3 — more talk, less action, please

happy cinco de mayo

heavy clouds, no rain

this always makes me smile ...

two worth a look ...

happy may day

recent pins