LOTS OF SPOILERS BELOW.
Last night we watched Sean Penn in "I am Sam." The movie was pretty good, but it was a grueling experience! I generally balk at pix that're over the standard 110 minutes. This one runs 134 minutes. They could probably brought it down, but it never seemed to drag, at least not for me. In the first five minutes I took the bait and fell in love with with Penn's character, "Sam" (big surprise?), a man with a 'developmental disability" (as we say nowadays). What that means for him is that he's got the mental age of a seven-year old with autistic tendencies--basically an ability to remember extensive lists of bus routes, a compulsion to arrange everything "just so," and an inflexibility about deviating from his routine, such as Wednesday being I-HOP night and Monday being video night with his collection of charming and quirky friends, each with his own mental disability.
At about minute seven, we hit the first dramatic element in the movie: He's suddenly a single father responsible for a newborn. (You're going to have to watch the movie--trust me, it's actually a believable turn of events!) Gawd, from there I'm on the edge of my seat and really worried the remaining 127 minutes. You know there's going to be problems. Diana Wiest shows up as the reclusive but kind neighbor (I love that woman, even if a lot of her roles and pix have been kina...well...dawgs--Little Man Tate was a shoulda-been-made-for-TV mess, and in Footloose she was a complete stereotypic pastor's wife. Okay, okay, her role in The Birdcage was fun). Anyway, where was I? Who cares!
So, face it, it's a nail biter. For the next 20 minutes his daughter grows up. At 2 years 10 months she's Elle Fanning and by the time she's seven she's turned into Dakota Fanning! (That kind of reassured me. She did a terrific job.) Then, after he gets arrested for soliciting a hooker (which, of course, he had no idea was happening), the gears of the social service agencies start grinding him and his daughter up. Michelle Pfiffer appears with a lot of screen time as a really f--ked up attorney who helps him. There's a sad and sweet court scene in which Sam must testify to keep custody of his daughter and he gives this very eloquent speech that turns out to be from Kramer vs. Kramer, a movie his buddies and he have watched multiple times in order to figure out how to help him with his case.
I'm glad I watched it all the way through. It had a happy ending. I'm just glad that I don't ever have to watch it again. I don't think I could go through the emotional ups and downs.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The Golden Compass: Something to Disappoint Everyone
[This entry contains lots of spoiler info, so read no further if you want to be surprised at The Golden Compass.]
Anticipating the release of The Golden Compass, I read the entire three volume series titled "His Dark Materials" and asked myself again and again, "How the heck are they going to get away with making this into a movie?" The problem I anticipated was finding financial backing and an audience for such a bluntly anti-Christian storyline. For example, consider these story elements:
The movie also disappoints those of us who loved the books - and loved the audaciously anti-religion themes. There's little drama left. After all, in the books the stakes are very high: Restore humanity to its dignity and freedom in the absence of a pretender God. The stakes in the movie have been lowered: Rescue the little girl's friends from the bad guys.
The movie is visually very beautiful and witty, with the late-1800s architecture and clothing (although actually 'modern day' -- a servant comments that he is serving 'the 1990 Tokey' wine). But that's not enough to make it worth the price of admission. You can get a mass-market edition of the entire book series for about $14 on Amazon. Save yourself the trip to the theater and read the books!
Anticipating the release of The Golden Compass, I read the entire three volume series titled "His Dark Materials" and asked myself again and again, "How the heck are they going to get away with making this into a movie?" The problem I anticipated was finding financial backing and an audience for such a bluntly anti-Christian storyline. For example, consider these story elements:
- The action takes place mainly in a parallel world is dominated by the Magisterium, an autocratic and pervasive religious council that is explicitly identified with the Christian Church (sans pope)
- Members of the Magisterium and of another Church organization are on a mission to turn the next generation into a compliant race of zombies
- There is no Creator; all conciousness evolved from matter (in the form of the so-called "Dust")
- God was the first of the angels, who tried to convince all subsequent angels that he had created them and the universe
- The angels who rebelled against God (namely Satan, et. al.) actually rebelled because they knew he was a false soveriegn
- "The Ancients of Days" (i.e., God) is now a senile old entity who has given sovereignty over the universe to an evil angel who was once the human Enoch.
- One of the main characters in the story (Lord Asrial) mounts a war to destroy God and His viceroy, and to restore free will to humanity
The movie also disappoints those of us who loved the books - and loved the audaciously anti-religion themes. There's little drama left. After all, in the books the stakes are very high: Restore humanity to its dignity and freedom in the absence of a pretender God. The stakes in the movie have been lowered: Rescue the little girl's friends from the bad guys.
The movie is visually very beautiful and witty, with the late-1800s architecture and clothing (although actually 'modern day' -- a servant comments that he is serving 'the 1990 Tokey' wine). But that's not enough to make it worth the price of admission. You can get a mass-market edition of the entire book series for about $14 on Amazon. Save yourself the trip to the theater and read the books!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Silly Season: Huckabee's Christmas Ad
Geez, give me a freakin' break. Mike Huckabee, an ordained minister and Republican candidate for his party's presidential nomination, is catching all kinds of flack for his Christmas ad in which he comes right out and mentions Jesus Christ.
I see an AP article that says, "Independent groups have criticized the ad, saying Huckabee went too far mixing politics and religion." D'uh! That's his whole strategy! He's the only candidate with even a hint of legitimacy to his claim to being an Evangelical Christian--of course he's mixing politics and religion.
And then the article reads, "Others took exception to the cross-like image created by a white bookcase in the background, describing it as a subliminal message." Listen carefully people: It wasn't subliminal! There was nothing subtle about it. Subliminal is when they flash an image of a Coca Cola bottle during a movie and suddenly you really want a Coke. Huckabee's ad was not deceptive or underhanded: That cross-like reflection is perfectly in keeping with his spoken message--it supports his message, so it was hardly "submliminal." They probably set up the lights and the camera and noticed that the reflection on the bookcase made a cross and said, "Cool, let's move him over here and we'll get that cross shape in the picture."
Now, if he'd said, "I will never allow my religious faith to intrude on my conduct as president" and then there was this "accidental" cross-like image--THAT would be dishonest and (if subtle enough), subliminal.
Here's the point: If you don't want someone who mixes religion with politics, don't give him any money. Don't vote for him. And give money and votes to someone who won't mix religion an politics. But don't use a lame-ass argument that he's being dishonest with subliminal messages. That's just stupid.
I see an AP article that says, "Independent groups have criticized the ad, saying Huckabee went too far mixing politics and religion." D'uh! That's his whole strategy! He's the only candidate with even a hint of legitimacy to his claim to being an Evangelical Christian--of course he's mixing politics and religion.
And then the article reads, "Others took exception to the cross-like image created by a white bookcase in the background, describing it as a subliminal message." Listen carefully people: It wasn't subliminal! There was nothing subtle about it. Subliminal is when they flash an image of a Coca Cola bottle during a movie and suddenly you really want a Coke. Huckabee's ad was not deceptive or underhanded: That cross-like reflection is perfectly in keeping with his spoken message--it supports his message, so it was hardly "submliminal." They probably set up the lights and the camera and noticed that the reflection on the bookcase made a cross and said, "Cool, let's move him over here and we'll get that cross shape in the picture."
Now, if he'd said, "I will never allow my religious faith to intrude on my conduct as president" and then there was this "accidental" cross-like image--THAT would be dishonest and (if subtle enough), subliminal.
Here's the point: If you don't want someone who mixes religion with politics, don't give him any money. Don't vote for him. And give money and votes to someone who won't mix religion an politics. But don't use a lame-ass argument that he's being dishonest with subliminal messages. That's just stupid.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Xmas Letter 2007
Note from Wayne: Frank tells me that it's past time to write the annual Christmas Letter, but I tell him that in actual practice it's been an "Annual Feast of the Epiphany Letter," owing to the fact that it usually gets out about January 6th. (Thank heaven the Postal Service is shut down on January 1 or it might run the risk of being the "Annual Feast of the Circumcision Letter" and putting the words "feast" and "circumcision" together turns the stomach. So, now that you're feeling a little sick, read on for more stomach turning fun!) By the way, we know that you have many choices in reading Christmas letters, and we thank you for reading ours. To make it easier to skip the stuff you don't care about, please scan for topics printed in bold. Anyway, you probably know about most of this stuff, if you've kept in touch with us or read the police blotter in the local paper.
Gardening: We managed the impossible in late spring by installing an extensive drip-irrigation system throughout our backyard. It had Wayne crawling around under some mighty stickery bushes, but in the end it's saved Frank many hours a week hand watering. Also, the thick layer of mulch that we spread on everything (you're not surprised that we spread a thick layer of something smelly, are you?) kept the weeds down so low that we've been living the life of Riley the past several months.
Frank and the Rose Club: Last year, Frank created a design for Rose Haven, a public garden built by the Temecula Valley Rose Society took shape; his design helped them land a $75,000 grant from the Metropolitan Water District. This year, the garden really took shape. He's continues to be very active with the Temecula Valley Rose Society, and is now co-president for 2008. He's been giving all sorts of demonstrations and lectures at meetings of local clubs (pruning, arranging, etc.), his rose care column will be appearing each month in a local newspaper, and he is generally basking in the brilliant glare of the news cameras that follow him everywhere. (That last part is not true—about the news cameras.)
Cruise with the Oldsters: In April we both joined Wayne's extended family for a three-day cruise from LA to Ensenada, Mexico, to celebrate his parents' 60th wedding anniversary. It was great being together and just long enough. Seemed longer. In a good way. (Mostly.) Wayne's sister did yeoman's duty organizing the whole thing (not rowing the ship) and did a very good job.
Visit with Frank's Sisters: Also in April, Frank and his sister Billie went to Rockport, Texas (outside of Dallas) to visit their sister Elsie. They rendezvoused at the Denver airport, then bro-in-law Bob flew off to New Mexico to visit his son, and the two sibs went on to Dallas. They found their 85-year-old sister's living situation somewhat disheartening: She is now diabetic and legally blind. However, her mental faculties are surprisingly intact. On a drive of more than 60 miles to the cemetery, she was able to tell them every turn and landmark to reach their destination! (She performs similarly well in the supermarket!) She is under the 'care' of her extended family, not an entirely hopeful situation. But all in all, the sibs were glad they got together. Escaping Texas (which is what any sane person would want to do after five days) was not so easy. A hurricane sent all flight schedules into the dumper and caused hours of delay at all points. They did, finally, make it back to their respective homes, happy to have had the visit.
Road trip with Italians: We hosted some friends from Italy in June/July. They are a young husband, wife, and 2 year old son. (The boy was delightful. Hearing him speak Italian in his sing-song was adorable, and he quickly picked up some English and fearlessly used it. If only we could learn that fast!) The visit included a road trip up the coast to San Francisco where we spent a couple of days, four days at Wayne's family's mountain place (slightly primitive), and a couple days camping and hiking around in Yosemite—where, just after crawling into bed on the first night, a bear invaded the neighboring campsite and snatched a load of bread off the table because those idiots didn't follow the ranger's instructions—then back to the Temecula Valley and San Diego County. All were pooped. Wayne later rated each day of the trip on a 1-to-10 scale and, despite a couple of days ranking at "2," the overall the trip rated at 7.2 which isn't too bad. (We haven't heard from them since! Maybe their rating was lower!)
Wayne's Daughter: For the past six months or so, Katie has been living in Buenos Aires (that's in Argentina last time we checked). She's been teaching English and learning their rather distinctive form of Spanish. Wayne spent Thanksgiving with her (and both their birthdays) and had a fantastic time. Frank stayed home but isn't reporting what he did. It is hoped that his time was also fantastic.
Holidays: We're hosting assorted folks over the holidays and plan to eat too much and regret it later.
Aunt Julia's Passing: On a serious note, Frank's aunt Julia passed away this year at the age of 101, just before Valentine's Day. She was a tough old lady who always stood up for herself. Since fracturing her hip several months before, she'd been drifting down that long river and, finally, her little boat went out of sight. We'd been wondering when she'd finally reach that shore -- seems like she paddled against the current for a long time. Her ever-decreasing awareness (due to the advance of Alzheimer's) was in many ways a blessing, as it eventually allowed her to forget the many hurts and regrets that had plagued her over years. We were a little sad, a little relieved, a little apprehensive, but more than anything, we were grateful that this remarkable lady came into our lives and changed us.
In Closing: We are grateful for your friendship and we hope that you have a splendid whatever-you-celebrate and a wonderful new year. We will be working on doing the same.
Gardening: We managed the impossible in late spring by installing an extensive drip-irrigation system throughout our backyard. It had Wayne crawling around under some mighty stickery bushes, but in the end it's saved Frank many hours a week hand watering. Also, the thick layer of mulch that we spread on everything (you're not surprised that we spread a thick layer of something smelly, are you?) kept the weeds down so low that we've been living the life of Riley the past several months.
Frank and the Rose Club: Last year, Frank created a design for Rose Haven, a public garden built by the Temecula Valley Rose Society took shape; his design helped them land a $75,000 grant from the Metropolitan Water District. This year, the garden really took shape. He's continues to be very active with the Temecula Valley Rose Society, and is now co-president for 2008. He's been giving all sorts of demonstrations and lectures at meetings of local clubs (pruning, arranging, etc.), his rose care column will be appearing each month in a local newspaper, and he is generally basking in the brilliant glare of the news cameras that follow him everywhere. (That last part is not true—about the news cameras.)
Cruise with the Oldsters: In April we both joined Wayne's extended family for a three-day cruise from LA to Ensenada, Mexico, to celebrate his parents' 60th wedding anniversary. It was great being together and just long enough. Seemed longer. In a good way. (Mostly.) Wayne's sister did yeoman's duty organizing the whole thing (not rowing the ship) and did a very good job.
Visit with Frank's Sisters: Also in April, Frank and his sister Billie went to Rockport, Texas (outside of Dallas) to visit their sister Elsie. They rendezvoused at the Denver airport, then bro-in-law Bob flew off to New Mexico to visit his son, and the two sibs went on to Dallas. They found their 85-year-old sister's living situation somewhat disheartening: She is now diabetic and legally blind. However, her mental faculties are surprisingly intact. On a drive of more than 60 miles to the cemetery, she was able to tell them every turn and landmark to reach their destination! (She performs similarly well in the supermarket!) She is under the 'care' of her extended family, not an entirely hopeful situation. But all in all, the sibs were glad they got together. Escaping Texas (which is what any sane person would want to do after five days) was not so easy. A hurricane sent all flight schedules into the dumper and caused hours of delay at all points. They did, finally, make it back to their respective homes, happy to have had the visit.
Road trip with Italians: We hosted some friends from Italy in June/July. They are a young husband, wife, and 2 year old son. (The boy was delightful. Hearing him speak Italian in his sing-song was adorable, and he quickly picked up some English and fearlessly used it. If only we could learn that fast!) The visit included a road trip up the coast to San Francisco where we spent a couple of days, four days at Wayne's family's mountain place (slightly primitive), and a couple days camping and hiking around in Yosemite—where, just after crawling into bed on the first night, a bear invaded the neighboring campsite and snatched a load of bread off the table because those idiots didn't follow the ranger's instructions—then back to the Temecula Valley and San Diego County. All were pooped. Wayne later rated each day of the trip on a 1-to-10 scale and, despite a couple of days ranking at "2," the overall the trip rated at 7.2 which isn't too bad. (We haven't heard from them since! Maybe their rating was lower!)
Wayne's Daughter: For the past six months or so, Katie has been living in Buenos Aires (that's in Argentina last time we checked). She's been teaching English and learning their rather distinctive form of Spanish. Wayne spent Thanksgiving with her (and both their birthdays) and had a fantastic time. Frank stayed home but isn't reporting what he did. It is hoped that his time was also fantastic.
Holidays: We're hosting assorted folks over the holidays and plan to eat too much and regret it later.
Aunt Julia's Passing: On a serious note, Frank's aunt Julia passed away this year at the age of 101, just before Valentine's Day. She was a tough old lady who always stood up for herself. Since fracturing her hip several months before, she'd been drifting down that long river and, finally, her little boat went out of sight. We'd been wondering when she'd finally reach that shore -- seems like she paddled against the current for a long time. Her ever-decreasing awareness (due to the advance of Alzheimer's) was in many ways a blessing, as it eventually allowed her to forget the many hurts and regrets that had plagued her over years. We were a little sad, a little relieved, a little apprehensive, but more than anything, we were grateful that this remarkable lady came into our lives and changed us.
In Closing: We are grateful for your friendship and we hope that you have a splendid whatever-you-celebrate and a wonderful new year. We will be working on doing the same.
Words to Live By in 2008
As we near the end of this tired year and look ahead with hope to the new year, I've been pondering deep truths, asking myself, "What have I learned from life that might help others on their personal journey?" I have come up with these simple truths which have helped me in time of need. I hope that they help you as well, especially in the workplace.
1. Opinions are like ass holes: Everybody's got one, and most of them stink.
2. Every dog must lift its leg on every project.
3. People with a little bit of power always use it to its fullest extent, because that's the only way they know they've got it.
In addition, it's helped me to keep the universe in perspective by keeping these principles in mind:
1. It's all a joke. From top to bottom.
2. There's nobody making the joke.
3. The joke is on us.
(I choose to laugh at the joke. It's better than crying over it.)
1. Opinions are like ass holes: Everybody's got one, and most of them stink.
2. Every dog must lift its leg on every project.
3. People with a little bit of power always use it to its fullest extent, because that's the only way they know they've got it.
In addition, it's helped me to keep the universe in perspective by keeping these principles in mind:
1. It's all a joke. From top to bottom.
2. There's nobody making the joke.
3. The joke is on us.
(I choose to laugh at the joke. It's better than crying over it.)
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