movie minute

Boys Of Obridge: In Nicholas Hytner's (director of The Crucible, The Madness Of King George) The History Boys (R), eight boys in their final year of learning spend a semester preparing for their Oxbridge exams. These students are the brightest of the bright and their patient, guiding and inspirational teacher wants to see them enjoy learning and be their best. The teacher, Hector, is played by Richard Griffiths. Griffiths gives a terrific performance that is understated and believable. As the boys prepare for the exams, the headmaster brings in a new and young teacher who rounds out the interview preparations for the boys and offers other more pragmatic tips to succeed. We also see that Hector touches the boys in more ways than one. On a rotating basis, the boys get a ride home with Hector on the back of his motorcycle. He then fulfills his needs in his own way. What happens when the news gets out is only part of the story. This film touches on a taboo subject without ever taking sides or portraying the boys as victims or naive.

The film is taken from the hit stage play that won a record six Tony Awards including Best Play, Best Director (Hytner), Best Featured Actress for Frances de la Tour (who plays Mrs. Lintott), and Best Actor for Griffiths. Samuel Barnett, who plays Posner, was nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor. It also features the entire original stage cast. There are two standouts aside from Griffiths. The first is Samuel Barnett who plays Posner (the one with the nice singing voice) and who is infatuated with Dakin and the second is Dominic Cooper who plays Dakin the self-professed heterosexual who ends up head over heels for the new teacher.

I will warn you now this is a sophisticated British film for a sophisticated viewer and done tastefully and artfully and excellently; few American films or directors, if any, could do this as well. Witness the one scene done almost entirely in French with no subtitles. My spouse knows French and filled me in on the dialogue after the film. My only response was clever (and also funny).

I would see this again in a heartbeat and I really enjoyed how sharp the boys were and the interactions between them and their older teacher.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 4.5

paul

movie minute

Rock-y With Me: The sixth and final (hopefully) Rocky movie is out and while it's not a great film it does pack some punch. Rocky Balboa (PG) charts the reemergence of the Italian Stallion as played by Sylvester Stallone. Rocky spends his days at his Italian eatery regaling his guests of the good old days when he was in his prime and also sitting by the grave of his late wife. Yes, Adrian, has passed (woman cancer) and Rocky misses her more than he can say. The role of Rocky has been a blessing and a curse for Stallone but watching him on the screen inhabit the good-natured, simple-minded Balboa, it's obvious he knows the role inside and out.

When ESPN runs a simulation fight between Rocky and the new champ, Mason "The Line" Dixon, and Rocky wins, it stirs interest and soon the manager of Dixon comes a-calling to set up an exhibition fight between the two boxers. Dixon is played by real-life boxer Antonio Tarver and it's too bad that he's made out as such a jerk. Dixon is fighting wimpy, no competition opponents; these guys are barely putting up a fight and Dixon is winning so easily that he's losing fans and not much of a draw. Once the simulated game is shown, and all the pundits come out of the woodwork, the thought of being pit against the aging Italian both intrigues and irritates Dixon. Make no mistake, Stallone's body (he recently turned 60) is still a sight to behold and pretty soon it's young and quick against old and tough.

The side story in the film shows Rocky and the relationship he has with his son, Rocky Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes). It's a nice dynamic that these two actors and characters have with each other and I would have liked to have seen more of it. Rocky Jr. (like Stallone with the character of Rocky) is both cursed and blessed to share the name of his father.

The movie really does drag for the first hour but jolts into life when the two fighters start training and the lead up to the fight reminds one of the electrifying feel of the first Rocky. Despite the critics, Rocky has heart and a love for the sport and one can easily say he is hanging on the past; yet there is nothing wrong with doing something and knowing you can do, knowing you can stand up amidst all the jeers and doubts. As Rocky says in one of his speeches, "It's not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can be hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward." The fifth Rocky back in 1990 was a dud of a film but with Balboa the franchise can be put to rest on a high note. And stick around for the credits to see just how much Rocky has permeated our culture.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3

paul

Ted Haggard recently resigned from New Life Church in Colorado Spring, Colorado amid allegations of homosexuality and drug use and now Rev. Paul Barnes of Grace Chapel in Colorado has resigned after confessing to having sexual relations with other men. Barnes said he has struggled with homosexuality since he was 5-years-old. Both men were evangelical preachers. Is there something in the water in Colorado? Maybe the Christian right rhetoric is finally catching up to these holier than thou types and biting them in the ass. While I wish the men and their families well, I do hope that the next preacher who has the urge to proclaim "homosexuality is wrong" thinks before they speak.

paul

The Golden Globe nominations were announced this week and based on the director, picture and acting races for the movie part of the noms, here's how I stack up in terms of movies I've seen and yet to see.

Out of 25 different movies with nominations, I've seen 15. I missed three of them in their theatrical runs but two will be released on DVD within the next month and a half. Seven have yet to premiere in Rochester. Damn Rochester, anyway. Why can't I live in NYC? Of course the noms for the Globes and the Oscars rarely match up, if ever so I'm sure there will be some performances nominated for an Oscar that the Globes missed. Happy viewing indeed!

peace,

paul

movie minute

The Y to the I: Dreams do come true and it could happen to you could be the mantra of the new Will Smith movie The Pursuit Of Happyness (PG-13). The word happiness is misspelled on purpose; it's the sign on a wall outside of a daycare center. Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a man struggling to support his family (a wife and 5-year-old son) by selling medical equipment. His wife is played by Thandie Newton and his son is played by Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (the real life son of Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith). As the bills mount and the pressure builds, Gardner learns of an internship program at Dean Witter and he devotes 6 months studying, schmoozing and trying to cram for a test that he might do well on and still not get the job. The real Chris Gardner went on to do great things but before that he and his son spent a year sleeping in subway terminal bathrooms and shelters. I have two problems with this movie: The first is Newton's character, Linda, and her interactions with Chris. The two are rarely civil to each other and the nastiness is just not appealing and doesn't seem to fit in. The second is the film's one-bad-thing-after-another-I-just-can't-catch-a-break theme. It gets to be a downer after a short while. The film doesn't have much to say and it says it a lot. Smith is being hailed for his role as an everyman trying to keep his head and family above water but he doesn't delve deep enough. And for a man who is supposed to be so intelligent, Smith's character spends a lot of time seemingly unaware of how the world works. There are great moments but there's not enough of them and, while I do agree he should be nominated for an Oscar, I'm not sure his is the best male performance of the year. A revelation, yes; the best, probably not. Smith's son, who is named Christopher, is refreshing and cute but not cloying.

If you like Smith, you'll like his performance but just bring along some Prozac to help you along.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3 (for Smith's performance), 2.5 (for the movie)

peace,

paul

Addendum (in reference to a comment I received): I was too harsh on Newton's character, Newton does give a layered performance, I just thought she was too harsh at times. Smith's character, Chris, spends most of the movie as a self absorbed-I-deserve-everything macho dude and Newton, as Linda, plays well off of that. I'm a fan of Newton and I didn't totally dislike her in the film.

possible Oscar nods

Best Actor

so long, Secretary

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had his last day on Friday and is making way for new SOD Robert Gates. Yes, Rumsfeld has served as SOD under two different presidents in two different centuries (Gerald Ford in the 70's; George W. Bush in the 2000's) but he was just 10 days shy of becoming the longest serving SOD. That honor still belongs to Robert McNamara.

Rest in Retirement Rummy. See you on the book tour.

paul

Thanks to my friend Bud for sending this.

Ben Stein: If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly. The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart:
I have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife. Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. If this is what it means to be no longer young, it's not so bad. Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school . The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don t know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW." Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world s going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing? Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. (Wrong! I'm sending to everyone on my list) Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

peace,

paul

word of the week

State of Revenge: Imagine that you are married and one day you find out your spouse is cheating on you with someone else and, instead of going after your spouse for revenge, you go after the person your spouse is cheating with. Sound great? Sound fulfilling? Well it can happen if you live in one of these states: Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota, or Utah. It's called alienation of affection and it's based on the (out of date) belief that a woman is the property of the man. According to alienation of affection it is possible for someone to steal the affections and feelings of your spouse. And if that's not gobbledygook then I don't know what is. In recent times more and more states have moved away from the fault divorce but some states cling to the arcane law. The bar association of North Carolina wants the law removed but that would, in essence, be advocating a bill that promotes adultery. And that's some screwed up logic. The law is not invoked very often but there have been more than 200 suits using the law in recent years. Here's a thought: Instead of going after the person your spouse is cheating with, why not just get on with your life and move on? Oh, wait, that's too haaaaaaarrrrrrrrrddd.

peace,

paul

weekly post from December 10, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

Another week is behind us and another one looms ahead. Is it really almost the middle of December? Is Christmas really only 15 days away? Have we really so few days left to shop for our loved ones? Yes, yes, and YES! It's hard to believe and it honestly seems as if it were yesterday I was trying to remember to write 2006 on my checks. I messed a couple of them up by writing 2005; thankfully they didn't get mailed that way.

Does anyone watch NBC news? I don't often get a chance to watch the evening news but I do watch and listen to CNN and, of course, my favorite news program is on MSNBC. David Gregory, a reporter for NBC news, has been featured quite frequently in the White House press corp and he continually asks tough, smart, and challenging questions. I get to see some of these clips on my fav show Countdown With Keith Olbermann. It's pleasing to me to see him stump and fluster Tony Snow and President Bush. Gregory doesn't blink and doesn't back down. It's quite thrilling. And if you listen to the answers that Snow and Bush give, they don't really answer the questions; they evade and become wily, cagey and don't touch on the crux of the question. One must really hear what is being said to understand this. Condoleeza Rice is the same way. It's important for us to remember to ask questions that are tough, challenging, and smart and not to back down and not to settle for half-assed answers. It's our right to have the facts and the truth. Fox news had a question that asked Should NBC ditch David Gregory? No, they shouldn't. In fact they should be giving him a raise. On a separate note about Countdown, People magazine recently crowned George Clooney the sexiest male alive and inside the article on him he mentioned that he tivos Countdown everyday. I knew he had good taste.

It's that time of year now when the movies I am racing to see before the Oscars are coming fast and furious. I've already got the rest of December mapped out. Lest anyone think that I only go to the movies by myself and never go with Jim, don't worry, we do go together. In fact I've already heard some of the movies he wants to see so I've made plans for us to go see those movies too. Yes, as Jim says, it is an obsession. All I can say is it is something I enjoy doing and I'm not hurting anyone. And I do like to be ahead of the game come Oscar night. What can I say? I like movies and I enjoy the Oscars.

paul

A picture of the AIDS ribbon that is on display at 3rd Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY. It was on display for the World AIDS day ceremony on Sunday December, 3. It stands 8ft and is 4in wide. However, it only weighs less than 5 pounds. It was made by three people each of whom attends Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church (my church).

peace and love,

paul

movie minute

Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, and Natalie Maines. Do you know who these three women are? They are the members of the best selling female country group in the USA. The Dixie Chicks. And they are the subject of the documentary Shut Up And Sing (R). The film charts the Chicks from 2003 to 2006 and their heyday in 2003 to their drop in sales and popularity in 2006 to the release of their new album in 2006. The Chicks were doing a concert in London in 2003 on the eve of the start of the Iraq war when lead singer Natalie Maines made a small statement that turned into a firestorm. What Maines said, "we're ashamed that Bush is from Texas," turned the Chicks into pariahs and caused cities in the US to destroy and trash their cds. Should celebrities, singers, entertainers speak their minds or enter into the realm of politics? Can Toby Keith show a picture of Maines with Saddam Hussein and not get one negative comment while Maines makes one comment and receive a death threat? These are but a couple of questions the movie ponders as we see the impact on the band as a result of Maines's statement.

One man in the movie espouses that he is all for free speech but it shouldn't be done on foreign soil if it is against the US. Isn't that contrary to free speech? And Maines's comment was not against the US and it wasn't even that inflammatory but it was turned into a media event.

The movie is set against the music of the Chicks and it follows them as they deal with the aftermath and subsequent healing. The movie also touches on the beginnings of the band. Maines is not the original lead singer and the two sisters, Maguire and Robison, have been in the band since the beginning. It's an enlightening and emotional film with some very candid moments. At times Maines comes across as rigid and seemingly unaware that actions have consequences but it's a tribute to the three women that they stick together through very thick and extremely thin.

One other interesting part of this film is knowing how far the situation in Iraq has devolved since 2003 when Bush's approval ratings were high and people were certain that the war would be over quickly. As one person in the film says to the Chicks as they prepare for an interview, "it (the war) could be over tomorrow." Also it is now in vogue to criticize Bush and the war in song. Many artists have done so since Maines's outburst including Green Day, The Rolling Stones, and Neil Young.

As the film comes to an end we see them just finishing and promoting the album that they released this year, "Taking The Long Way." We also see that it is possible for a family and the human spirit to overcome adversity and hatred. Taking is by far one of the best albums of the year and it hit #1 on the Country Album chart, as well as the Top Albums chart, without any airplay. The album was recently recognized as such with multiple grammy nominations. It's a no holds barred documentary worth seeing if you are a Dixie Chicks fan and feel free to wear your shirt with the letters F.U.T.K.

bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3.75

paul

holiday humor

*Holiday Eating Tips*

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk orwhole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips;

Start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

movie minute

Civilization Now: Mel Gibson is back and just as ambitious as ever. In his film Apocalypto (R), Gibson depicts the Mayan civilization as a world imploding and destined to start over. Ok, first of all, I really don't know much about the Mayan civilization so it would have been nice to have some sort of historical background or set up; a point of reference to guide me as the film started. Having said that, I find it hard to believe that the Mayans had the phrase "he's f****d" as part of their lingo.

In the film, a Mayan tribe is invaded (I'm guessing by other Mayans) and the hostages are taken off to be offered as sacrifices to the Gods. Supposedly the sacrifice scene is a political allegory about sending Americans off to Iraq for no reason. One Mayan, however, escapes. This would be Jaguar Paw, and yes, that is really his name. Jaguar Paw has a pregnant wife and son back at the camp that was invaded. Before he was captured he made sure they were hidden from the invaders. Now it's a race to get back to them before it's too late.

The first part of the film is very drawn out and on the verge of boring. The second half is quite exciting. While it has got to be one of the longest foot races ever filmed and mother nature's role in the film is clever, the action keeps going to keep one interested. While the second act is hopping, it should be noted that there are some scenes extremely gratuitous gore. Whatever happened to leaving things to our imagination?

The movie was filmed in Veracruz and it is in the Mayan language of Yucatec. Don't be scared off because of the subtitles, believe me you'll have no trouble keeping up. I did read one article in which one woman in a preview screening raised her hand and questioned the bloodletting of one of the tribesmen who is killed. It just so happened there was a doctor in the audience and he said that what is portrayed on screen is accurate. Gibson has obviously done some homework and is quite a talented director and this film surprised me by how good it was. It is long and it is drawn out, especially in the first half, but it's a better film than his Passion film. I almost didn't get to see the end. Right at the last 15mins of the film, the movie stopped suddenly (right at one of the big payoff scenes) and the emergency lights in the theater came on. The 20 of us, including me, who were in the theater were offered free movie passes. Thankfully there was another showing of the film that had already started. Several of us went in to the other showing and it was not too far off from where the first movie had stopped.

Apocalypto has been getting good reviews (from what I've read so far) and I have to agree. He may be a ranting and raving drunk (ouch) in real life but he sure knows how to direct a film.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3.25

possible Oscar noms

Best Director

peace,

paul

movie minute

Blood Bauble: In Edward Zwick's (The Last Samurai, Legends Of The Fall) new film, Blood Diamond (R), Leonardo DiCaprio plays a tough diamond smuggler who gets wind of a diamond that is hidden and will stop at nothing to find it. Rounding out the main cast is Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly. Hounsou plays Solomon, a father who is desperately searching for his family and then realizes his son has been kidnapped by rebels who want to recruit him. Connelly plays Maddy who is a tenacious journalist determined to expose the illegal diamond trade. Lest you think this is fiction, it's not. Before the Kimberley process was signed by 40 different nations, conflict diamonds were rearing their heads into the stores of mainstream jewelers. Diamonds were sold for ammunition or drugs. Even today, there are still conflict (blood) diamonds so it's imperative for people to make sure that the diamonds they are buying are legit.

The film isn't great and it takes a long time to get where it's so obvious it's going. And there are too many scenes in which villages or people are shot at. Ok, I get it, it's a violent country. The standout here is, of course, Hounsou. He gives a terrific performance of a man who is willing to part with the diamond he found in order to get his family back. Connelly, too, is really good. I'm not an expert on accents and I cannot do them but it seemed like DiCaprio's accent kept coming and going. Why not just speak American? It was distracting and I don't think he's a great actor to begin with.

One other bone I have to pick with this movie is the writing; some of it is just downright unbelievable. I want to know how much the writers got paid and how long it took them to come up with lines such as, "In America it's bling-bling, in Africa it's bling-bang." Ooh, that's so hot and clever. I have to use that! DiCaprio's character actually utters that line at one pont (it's also featured in the trailer) and there are some other less than inspiring lines in the movie.

There's a lot of violence and it seems like a meandering mess for the first 35mins but it's worth it to see Hounsou's performance.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 2.75

possible Oscar noms

Best Supporting Actor: Djimon Hounsou

paul

winner of the week

Ninety-nine passengers bound from Washington to Dallas/Fort Worth made an unscheduled stop on to Nashville on Monday thanks to the antics of one of the passengers. The American Airlines plane made an emergency stop at the Nashville International Airport because of the smell of matches being struck. The woman who struck the matches admitted that she had done so when questioned by the FBI. The woman, who lives near Dallas, struck the matches to cover body odor. It seems she has a medical condition. It is legal to bring up to four books of paper matches but, of course, not legal to strike them. She was not charged but was also not allowed back on the airplane.

peace,

paul

Here's a website to visit. As we head into the Christmas season, our troops overseas need to be reminded how important they are and how we haven't forgotten them. Now, with the help of Xerox, you can send a card to the troops. It's not possible to choose which soldier gets the card but it is a nice sentiment. I've sent several already. The website is www.letssaythanks.com

paul

weekly post from December 3, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

Another week has passed and taken us to the first weekend of the last month of the year. Pretty soon we will be writing the number 7 in the date section of our checks. It's so hard to believe as it seems like just yesterday I was trying to remember to write 6 instead of 5.

Jim and I went for a nice hike yesterday with some people from church and we're thinking of trying to do it every other weekend (which is how often the man who organized the group wants to do it). It felt really good and we were both invigorated. In other news, I've worked my last Sunday (which was last Sunday). I recently got a schedule change in which I will work Mon-Fri instead of Sun-Thur. I don't particularly relish the thought of working Friday nights but it will be splendid having Sunday nights off. It still feels like a dream.

Right now we are just chilling in front of the tube after a full day of church and, for Jim, a remembrance service (with 300 people). The sun was out today and it was so radiant that it was a bit shocking. Of course, now we are being threatened with snow; snow which the midwest and Canada has already been socked with. Or maybe it's different snow.

As you settle into your Sunday night just remember that I pray and think of you each day. I hope that as the Christmas/Hannukah season gets closer, you are able to call up patience, tolerance and kindness. Pray for each other as I pray for you.

paul

weekly post from November 25, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

Another Thanksgiving is behind us and now the big "C" looms straight ahead. I hope each of you enjoyed the holiday and didn't eat too terribly much and were able to take time to realize how many blessings and gifts each of you has. It's always weird for me working on holidays; I don't automatically have them off. I stopped at Wegman's on my way home from work on Thursday morning and the cashier wished me a Happy Thanksgiving. My brain took a moment to process what she had said before I could reciprocate the well wishing. My brain didn't immediately register that it was a holiday.

We finally got our new bird feeders up and the new pole. The other feeders and pole were destroyed earlier this year by a black bear. We'll have to be diligent in making sure the new feeders don't get destroyed. We'll probably bring the feeders in at night once hibernation is over. Of course the weather has been so mild that we may have start doing that tonight. Do bears hibernate even if it's mild?

It's been a relaxing morning as both Jim and I decided to treat ourselves to a Sunday off. The weather is close to 60 and the sun is shining. Two years ago today as we were coming back from Massachusetts we were in a car accident. A young woman (lesbian from what we could ascertain and seeing her interaction with the woman who picked her up). The woman was passing us and hydroplaned and hit us causing us to lose control and hit the guardrail. Thankfully everyone was ok. Things could change in the blink of an eye so cherish each moment.

paul

Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix will start using a new machine by Christmas that has some people up in arms. The backscatter, as it's called, has been around for a while but is now being used as a new tool in the fight on terror. This is what one may look like after going through the machine. This is obviously a picture of the back and the machine will allow screeners to see bombs or other threats while blurring the naughty parts. If one has body image issues, they can still get the traditional pat down. The machinery has also been tested at London's Heathrow Airport. Is that a weapon in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Indeed.

paul

dvd of the week

My spouse and I just watched Superman Returns (out on DVD this week) starring Brandon Routh as the new man of steel. The film returns Superman to earth and back into the heart of Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) who is newly engaged to Richard White (James Marsden from the X-Men movies) who happens to be the nephew of Perry White, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet. Lane also has a son, it should be noted, who also figures into the equation. Seems evil Lex Luthor is up to no good (surprise, surprise) and has a way to make a new world using crystals and kryptonite. The film is surprisingly good and moves along briskly. It also has Parker Posey and Eva Marie Saint-cool. The director is Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects) reinvigorates the franchise of the hero with the red "S" and does it deftly. Leave it to a gay guy to do so. The film is action packed and leaves the franchise wide open with the words of Jor-El echoing in our ears: "The son becomes the father and the father becomes the son." And this review is for anyone who may think I'm a film snob. I'm really really not.

peace,

paul

movie minute

Story of the Birth: If you know the story of the birth of Jesus, this film won't hold many surprises for you, if any at all. Keisha Castle-Hughes plays Mary, the young virgin who is visited by an angel to tell her she will deliver a son who will save his people. A son for all people; from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs, or something like that. The film, The Nativity Story (PG), follows her as she shares her pregnancy with Elizabeth, played here by the wonderful and ubiquitous Shohreh Aghdashloo to her travels to Bethlehem with her new husband Joseph and the subsequent deliverance of the above mentioned son. Throw in the witty three wise men and some evil men, one in particular named Herod, and you've got yourself an epic. Or so it would seem. This film, which is based on the writings in Luke and Matthew, is surprisingly ho-hum; especially the first 35mins. I did know the story, more or less, so that may have had something to do with it or maybe it was because Hughes plays Mary as slightly more alive than a zombie. Actually I think a zombie does show more life. Hughes was so exciting and moving in the terrific film Whale Rider, so why is she so catatonic here? Catherine Hardwicke (director of Thirteen) must have had Hughes direct herself. One nice surprise here is actor Oscar Isaac. His Joseph is a winsome, touching and tortured man. At first he cannot accept that he did not sire the baby and he must deal with how that will look but, ultimately, his honor and love for Mary lead him down the path of family man.

It's not a terrible film and it holds the attention much more than The DaVinci Code did earlier this year but for a film about a bible story one would think it would be much more captivating.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 2.5

possible Oscar noms

Best Actress
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay (or would that be Adapted?????)

paul

quote of the week

From Jim Hall, Director of the Boise, Idaho parks dept. after he fired two temporary employees after they took a midnight jaunt (1.5 miles) to a fast food drive thru while riding two Zambonis (top speed 5mph) from the city's ice skating rink: "I don't think they understood the seriousness of it." Oh really?!? They didn't think that taking two vehicles, each worth $75,000, to a fast food restaurant was serious? Next time they can take a ride down on their tractors from the farm.

paul

wicked wreath

This is a picture of a wreath that was hung by a resident in a Colorado subdivision in Pagosa Springs. Bob Kearns, president of the Loma Linda Homeowners Assn, said that some residents had complained and that some residents thought it was a "symbol of Satan." Kearns ordered the homeowners committee to require the homeowner, Lisa Jensen, to remove the wreath. When the committee refused, Kearns fired all five members. Kearns threatened to fine Jensen $25 a day for as long as the wreath is up. Apparently it was viewed as an anti-war wreath. Peace and goodwill toward men, indeed!!! The subdivision's rules say "no signs, billboards, or advertising is permitted without the consent of the architectural control committee."

The follow-up to this is that the homeowners association has decided that the wreath does not pose a threat to our national security and will let Jensen keep the wreath up. Merry Christmas. Next up: Santa is a threat because he looks like a member of al-Qaeda.

paul

movie minute

Consider It Not: Christopher Guest's (A Mighty Wind) new movie, For Your Consideration (PG13), is a film within a film in which the stars of the Jewish drama, Home For Purim, are chugging along on the independent film when one of the stars is alerted to an internet posting that has talk of an Oscar nomination. Catherine O'Hara plays Marilyn Hack, the dying matriarch in the film Purim and she is the one cited by a tv personality as a possible Oscar contender. Once that gets out then other cast members are mentioned as possible nominees. What happens to the film and the actors after Hollywood gets a hold of them is a makeover in which the director's vision and the actors' priorities are lost. The usual Guest players are in the film: Fred Willard, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Eugene Levy, and Jane Lynch who is hysterical as the hostess of an entertainment newsmagazine. The standout, however, is O'Hara and kudos to the makeup department for making her look botoxed after she is Hollywoodized. The film does not have the comedic punch and cleverness of Best In Show and Waiting For Guffman but there are a few laugh-out-loud moments. It's not a terrible film just not Guest at his best.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 2.5

paul

movie minute

Nation Of Choice: Another "important message" movie yet this one is quite up to par. Fast Food Nation (R) is a movie which is meant to show how shady, unsavory and cutthroat the fast food business really is. The movie is fiction but is loosely adapted from the book of the same name by Eric Schlosser (he was also a producer and writer on the film) which is actually a non-fiction book detailing the beginning and rise of fast food and how its made and the impact it has had on the country. The movie follows Raul (Wilmer Valderrama,the fey sounding Fez from That 70's Show) and Sylvia (the wonderful Catalina Sandino Moreno from Maria Full Of Grace) as they cross the border from Mexico and end up in Colorado and find jobs in a meat packing plant. Valderrama does his best laconic macho man impersonation complete with cowboy hat.

Don Anderson (Greg Kinnear) is a marketing manager at Mickey's (a not so veiled swipe at McDonald's) who is sent to Colorado to investigate the meat packing plant after too much feces is found in the meat used at the restaurant. More than a few jokes are made in reference to this which would be funny if it wasn't so gross.

Amber (Ashley Johnson from Growing Pains) plays Amber, a high school student who works at a Mickey's. The three stories are flimsily woven together and I kept thinking I was watching three separate movies. There were several scenes that were too long and one very disturbing scene at the meat packing plant; I'll never look at a cow the same way again. If there is a standout in this film, it would be Bobby Cannavale (Will & Grace) who steams up the screen as the lothario boss at the meat packing plant and plows his way through the pretty girls at the plant, including Sylvia. Nation is way too preachy and just didn't resonate with me. Stick with the book: It's an insightful, incisive and quite an eye-opening look at the fast food industry, how it got started and how it won't stop. The book is wayyyy better.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 1.5

paul

In sickness and in war: According to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, over 700 service members were discharged from service by the Pentagon because of homosexuality. Last June it was learned that the Pentagon still classified homosexuality as a mental disorder; they reclassified it in July. Now it is listed with other "defects" including dyslexsia, obesity, bedwetting, stammering or stuttering, sleepwalking, repeated infections of VD, fear of flying, and allergies to uniforms. Are we living in the middle ages? Even the American Psychiatric Association stopped classifying homosexuality as a disorder back in the 70's. We're 3 1/2 years into a war that is not stopping, our troops are continuing to die and be maimed and there's talk of sending more troops overseas. The Pentagon really cannot afford to turn anyone away regardless of which way they swing. The days of don't ask, don't tell are seriously outdated and ineffective.

paul

quote of the week

As stated by Essence County Sheriff Armando Fontoura in response to a body found in the lake at the Weequahic Park which is very notorious for its history of dead bodies being found: "The park is an oasis. It's a great place for jogging. We just need to figure out how to keep people from dumping bodies in it." Good luck with that!!!!

paul

The Race For The Big 'O' '06: Part I

This is the time of year I scramble to see all of the movies that are generating Oscar buzz or could generate Oscar buzz. Many are predictable (Helen Mirren in The Queen; Forrest Whitaker in The Last King Of Scotland). Others aren't so easy to predict (who, if anyone, will get an acting nod in Bobby?). This becomes somewhat of an obsession to me as I strive to see all of the movies that could get an Oscar nod in one of the big categories. I have until February 25 which is the date of the show. The nominations come out in January.

I know people say that the Academy Awards are just a political self-congratulatory orgy of Hollywood and, while I don't disagree, I also think that it is more than that. Most everything today has some politics behind it or in it. I don't always agree with the Academy's choice of winner; sometimes I get downright angry when the Academy gets it glaringly wrong (witness last year's win of Reese Witherspoon over Felicity Huffman; I'm still talking about it to anyone who'll listen). The Academy does still get it right, so right, sometimes. I continue with my optimism that as more and more young, daring, enlightened actors/actresses/writers/directors infiltrate the "boys club of the Academy" (as it's been known since they started handing out the awards) the Academy will get it right more and more and award people based on talent more than politics or mainstream acceptance.

The difficult part for me living in Rochester is coming to terms each year that Rochester is not considered a big city. Many independent and smaller movies that are not shown at the mainstream theaters will not open here until they've played in a bigger city for a number of weeks (opening in select theaters, indeed). Los Angeles, NYC, and Philadelphia are just a few of these select cities. I'm still waiting for the movie Little Children which was supposed to open on October 13. All the information I have on this movie is that it is "coming soon" to only one of the area theaters.

It's not always a given which movies will garner a nod in a major category and there is always at least one surprise. So it's no surprise that some of the movies that could get a nomination are no longer playing at the theaters and I'm anxiously awaiting their arrival on DVD (Sherrybaby and Hollywoodland are two such examples). I can only hope that they arrive before 2/25.

So each year I plug along at the movies and then await the announcement of the nominations to see how far ahead/behind of the game I am. And I always brighten when the subject comes up and, believe me, not many people are willing to discuss movies/Oscars with as much fervor as myself. I take it where I can get it.

Now if I could just figure out which dress to wear while watching the show (kidding!).

peace,

paul

movie minute

Bobby Boy: A history lesson-Emilio Estevez, director of the "new" Grand Hotel-like movie Bobby (R), was only 6 years old on the fateful day that Robert F. Kennedy was shot. I was not even born and my parents did not even know each other. Had Kennedy not been shot, chances are very good that Kennedy would either be at the beginning of his second term or been beaten after serving only one term. I liked this movie but then I'm a sucker for historical movies in which actual news footage is shown (not gratuitously) depicting the history that the movie's story is telling. Bobby shows different characters at the Ambassador hotel on the day of the California Primary on June 4, 1968. Senator Kennedy is shown in newsreel footage but all of the other characters are fictitious and their stories unfold around the primary.

The film is chockablock full of A- & B stars such as Lindsay Lohan, Demi Moore, Freddy Rodriguez, William H. Macy, Emilio Estevez, Helen Hunt, Sharon Stone, Martin Sheen, Elijah Wood, Nick Cannon, Shia LeBeouf, Ashton Kutcher, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Fishburne, Heather Graham, and Harry Belafonte to name a few. And each of them has their "moment" as I call it. It's hard to pick a standout in this film although Demi Moore, as an aging and boozy lounge singer, certainly has arguably the meatiest role.

The shooter of Kennedy was Sirhan B. Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian. He shot Kennedy because of Kennedy's support for Israel during the Six-Day War. What's interesting is there is no record of Kennedy supporting Israel during this period. What's more, Sirhan admitted in court that he shot Kennedy but later recanted and sought a new trial in 1998. A point of reference: Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated only two months prior to Kennedy's shooting. Why was it so easy to assassinate someone in the U.S. back then? (rhetorical question)

It's obvious that Estevez did his homework and it shows in the directing while the writing is mediocre. Some of the scenes were shot at the real Ambassador hotel. Sadly, the hotel was demolished during filming. Martin Sheen, Estevez's father, at the request of the Kennedy family, was instrumental in getting the hotel demolished so a school could be built. Small world, indeed. The best parts of the film are of Kennedy himself; those scenes really resonated with me. The highlight of the film is by far Kennedy's speech that plays at the close of the film. As he talks about violence and how it degrades our country and affects everyone around us, we see first hand in the film that he was right. This man, who lived in the shadow of his older brother for a long time, was a speaker who was filled with compassion and was open and challenging.

One problem I had with this film is the Ashton Kutcher sequence. Kutcher plays a hippie who hooks gives acid to two campaign workers; the resulting "high" scene in the hotel room is bizarre and seemingly out of place. The other problems with this film are its soap opera-y feel and the fact that the lives of these people don't connect enough with what's happening outside of the hotel. The moments in which Kennedy is shown or referenced are the best and most resounding. The shot of Moore after Kennedy is shot is one of the most visceral reactions of the characters to the news. A movie about a man who signified change for a country tired of war, tired of lies, tired of being held down and ready for a big change (sound familiar) certainly came out at the right time. Bobby is not a documentary or a biography yet it does depict a "once and future King" who was handsome, adulated, kindhearted and bold was taken from us the American people and we'll never know how different and how much more we could have been had he risen to the top.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 4

possible Oscar nominations:

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Original Screenplay

paul

update

In a previous post, I wrote about the upcoming OJ Simpson book. Rupert Murdoch & Fox News Corp have decided not to publish the book or air the special. Good news but OJ has already collected more than 3million dollars in advance of the book. Maybe the Brown/Goldman family will see some of that or maybe even his own children.

paul

movie minute

Mum's the word: A dissatisfied preacher's wife who looks to her golf coach for an affair; an absent-minded preacher who is more focused on God than his own family; a teenage daughter who has a new boyfriend almost everyday; a prepubescent male who is bullied each day at school. All of these combined make up the delightful and funny film, Keeping Mum (Rated R). Enter seemingly kind and gentle Grace Hawkins to bring the family together and get them on the right path. Once Grace appears, however, the population (57) of the town of English town of Little Wallop starts decreasing. Dame Maggie Smith plays Grace who becomes the housekeeper of the Goodfellow family and starts helping each family member rediscover themselves. Kristin Scott Thomas plays Gloria Goodfellow, the preacher's wife. Meanwhile, Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean himself) plays the Rev. Walter Goodfellow. This is a very nice and subdued role for Atkinson; it was refreshing to see him in this kind of role. Of course, there is a bit of Atkinson's comedic shtick thrown in for good measure as well as a bit of murder. I didn't expect the plot twist near the end (I should have seen it coming) but the film is well cast and while it is fairly predictable, it's a nice little movie to see on a rainy day.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3.50

paul

movie minute

Rated for some "mature" audiences: (NC-17) This documentary film deals with the very secret and very influential society known as the ratings board. They are (or were, before this film) more shrouded in secrecy than the CIA. The ratings board are the "everyday, normal Americans" who decide which rating a film should get which ends up either benefiting the film or hurting the film. The more independent filmmakers usually end up getting short changed but not for the reasons you may think.

Director Kirby Dick, who made the truly compelling documentary Twist Of Faith, goes all investigative journalist, with the help of a couple of real private eyes, to expose (literally) the secret ratings board and how their system is really a form of censorship; an updated version of the Hayes Code. Many movies today that get the rating NC-17, as this film is rated, end up being seen by a much smaller market which is too bad because many of those films are edgy and provocative and deserve to be seen by a much wider audience. The film details which elements earn a film its rating and how recutting a film can earn a film a more "family friendly" rating.

Several filmmakers, including Kimberly Peirce (director of Boys Don't Cry) and John "provocative" Waters are interviewed and discuss how their films ended up getting NC-17 ratings and why they got those ratings. According to the system of the ratings board, violence is okay but sex is bad. The worse the sex act, the "worse" the rating; the worse the violent act, rating could remain unchanged or unaffected. The filmmakers also discuss the appeals process, as does Kirby who appealed the board's decision to give his own film an NC-17 rating. The only person who introduces himself during the appeal is the attorney, the appeals board does NOT and their are two clergy members on the appeals board (who don't seem to get a vote) just to make sure the process is a "moral" one. Also, the filmmaker cannot cite former movies as examples in the appeals process. For example, a movie in 1978 (Coming Home) showing a woman enjoying an orgasm earns an R rating. A movie in 1999 (Boy's Don't Cry) showing a woman enjoying an orgasm earns an NC-17 rating. The fact that the main character gets a bullet through their head doesn't seem to matter.

The film is quite controversial because it gives the names of all 9 members on the ratings board (at least those that were on the board as of 2005; the board may have changed since this film) and the stats of 8 of those members. The 8 whose stats they give are all over the age of 40; none of them younger than 44 and only two or three of them have children 16 or younger. As one lesbian filmmaker comments, "Are there any parents on the board who are like me?" That answer is a disappointing and resounding, no. Yet, these people are the voice of what the country deems "acceptable" and "family friendly." What happened to parents policing their own kids?

As a result of this film each film that I review, starting with this one, I will give the rating of so that anyone can go back and compare films and ratings. And lest one think that only a few filmmakers have either gotten NC-17 ratings or been threatened with that rating if they didn't recut their film, there have been more than a few who have dealt with it. Some of the biggest filmmakers, Scorsese, Spielberg, Kubrick (and many, many more) have had that "headache."

This film was much better and more insightful than I thought it would be. Critics and studio heads are also interviewed giving their take and insight on the ratings board.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 4.50

paul

Here's a winner for you: A 23-year-old man in South Wichita, Kansas attempted to kidnap someone and then went and shot at the victim. The man missed and instead of shooting again decided to put the gun inside of his pants (no doubt to look cool). After he jammed the gun inside the waist of his pants, the gun discharged and hit him in the left testicle (ouch, that smarts...no, that's stupid) at which point the man doubled over in pain (natch) and the gun went off again and hit him in the left calf.

Let that be a lesson to all the would be kidnappers out there. Just walk away, walk away.

paul

If you are planning on visiting outer space anytime soon then you might want to make sure you check out the image of Col. Harland Sanders. Mr. Kentucky Fried Chicken himself can now be seen from space as you can see from this picture. Workers assembled 65,000 colored tiles over 6 days to create an "all new" Col. Sanders with a red apron. The image is 87,000 square feet of tiles and is located in the Nevada desert. I wonder if the martians prefer the original recipe or extra crispy.

paul

Rant(s) of the week

OJ Simpson has a new book coming out on November 30. The book, called "If I Did It", details how Simpson would have committed the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. This is a hypothetical book and not a confession by Simpson. My question is, Why? After 12 years he has decided to open the wounds of the still unsolved murders of these two people. And I know many people are saying that he should just take the word 'if' out of the title. This is very poor taste and very arrogant and heartless of Simpson to write such a book. I will not buy this book or read it and I feel sorry for his children and for the families of Goldman and Brown-Simpson. I'm not judging Simpson; what I am saying is that he should have had the sense to realize that a book like this would not be well received and not put him in a flattering light. I wonder if his friends or family knew about this and if they gave him their thoughts or opinions. If they did, he obviously ignored it and went ahead with this terrible tome.

peace,

paul

Keisha Castle-Hughes plays a pregnant woman and she is also one in real life. The 16-year-old Australian born Hughes, who starred in the movie Whale Rider (and became the youngest woman ever nominated for a Best Actress Oscar), is getting criticized for being pregnant with her boyfriend, yes boyfriend, not husband. In her upcoming movie she plays Mary (yes, Mary from the Bible) in The Nativity Story. The film follows Mary and Joseph as they travel to Jerusalem before the birth of Jesus. By the way, the film will be screened at the Vatican's Aulo Paolo VI on November 26. It's the first Hollywood film to have the honor to be screened at the capital of the Catholic Church. So, will Castle-Hughes's unwed pregnancy turn me off from seeing the film? Not a chance! I just hope she can fit into that Oscar dress come Academy Award time as her name is already being bandied about for a nomination.

peace,

paul

weekly post from November 12, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

It's a cold, wet and raw morning here in Western, NY. It rained yesterday too and while I wish it would stop raining, at least it's not snow. I keep asking, "Is it summer yet?"

We had regional conference last weekend and coming back to "normal" life and going back to work is difficult after such a high at conference. It was nice with so much good news this past week. Not only did the Democrats gain control of both houses but that yelping noise you hear is the Pentagon door hitting Rummy on his way out of the building. Yes, Rummy is out and Robert Gates is the nominee to takes Rumsfeld's place. Some other good news (in the gay world): 51% of Arizona voters decided to smack down a proposed state ban on same sex marriage. How shocking and wonderful is that? Not only that but Mexico City will recognize gay civil unions. While it's not marriage, it does mean that same sex couples will have the same inheritance and pension rights that heterosexual couples have. It approved 43-17 with 5 abstentions. Now if we could just get rid of Karl Rove.

If you aren't watching Countdown With Keith Olbermann, I'll make a case for it again. It's on 5 nights a week at 8pm and midnight and features the days top 5 stories with the sarcastic Olbermann. Journalists and political figures make their appearance and the oddball segment (it features some strange news stories from around the world) are often jaw dropping and the daily worst persons in the world are often downright unbelievable. Check it out. It's informative and entertaining.

And one final thought: Is there something in the air that is causing animals to run amok? Last week a 600lb bull was captured (after 10hrs) in a NJ parking lot and this past week an 8 point buck entered a Targay, oops, I mean Target and ran around the store for about 20mins. Let's watch out for our 4 legged friends.

paul

G-Man: Another "young'un" has come out of the closet. Earlier this year Lance Bass, formerly of 'Nsync, came out and announced he was also in a relationship with Reichen Lehmkuhl (a former winner on The Amazing Race). Now comes news that former Doogie Howser, Neil Patrick Harris, is out of the closet (officially). And it appears to have happened as a non-issue. It wasn't front page news or breaking news, nor should it be. I've heard rumors before that he was gay but now he's claiming (and I'm summarizing) that he is content living as a gay man. Harris (the same age as me) is currently playing a womanizer on How I Met Your Mother, the CBS comedy. I have to say after having seen this show a few times, he's good and sometimes funny. I was saying earlier this year that we need more young people coming out of the closet so let's hope this is a trend that is here to stay. And let's hope there continues to be a collective yawn as new people come out of the closet. I don't mean that in a negative way, I mean that it won't matter if more and more people come out. It will certainly be exciting to a gay man like me and I'll be right there with a thumbs up but anything more than that that makes a big deal of it is not needed.

peace,

paul

#1 again

The tv journalist from Kazakhstan is #1 at the box office again with a greater total this weekend than last. Borat, the man played by Jewish British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, made $29 million this weekend upping the gross from last weekend which was $26.4. Borat knocked The Santa Clause down to #2 last weekend and that's where it stays again this weekend. The Will Ferrell-Emma Thompson comedy Stranger Than Fiction posed no threat to the foreigner as it landed at #4.

paul

movie minute

Want to see a shocking and hilarious film? Hmmmm...., what could your choices be? How about one that's creating a lot of controversy and is certain to be polarizing. Check out Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan. Yes, that's the whole title of the film. It's the story of Kazakhstanian tv reporter Borat Sagdiyev (fictional) who decides to travel to the U.S. and A. with his sidekick Azamat (Ken Davitian) for to get some ideas on how to be more welcoming and accepting. Along the way he encounters "everyday" people in America; shocking and hilarious encounters. This movie is hysterical but I honestly did not know whether to be shocked (that I was laughing) or offended (that such demeaning stuff was being shown). In the end, both my spouse and I laughed. I'm glad he laughed with me because the undertone of the movie is just plain mean. Most of the scenes are of real people who are being, in essence, set up by an observant Jewish man who is pretending to be from a foreign country and trying to broaden his mind while they come off looking like jerks and bigots. Two people in the theater walked out during one shockingly gross yet funny scene. What did they expect? This movie offends just about everyone. Apparently Sacha Baron Cohen (the British comedian who doesn't really have a mustache who plays Borat) got everyone to sign documents permitting them to be on film but much of it was probably under false pretenses. I hope Cohen and director Larry Charles (Seinfeld) made sure all of their i's were dotted and t's were crossed. Two S.C. college students (yes, they are in the film) are suing the filmmakers because the producers plied them with alcohol and got them to say the racist and offensive things they said on camera. Methinks they did that all on their own. You'll either laugh or be offended but if you're laughing you won't have time to be offended; but your jaw may be dropped for most of the movie. Not all of the scenes are real, some are obviously staged and while those are still funny it's the ones that are truly duping people that will elicit the most laughs (or people being offended). The rodeo scene and the hotel scene where Azamat finds Borat's magazine are two of the highlights. It's always interesting seeing movies with my spouse because in the movie when Azamat speaks the Kazakh language. Borat was speaking certain words in Armenian and Hebrew and Yiddish. Also Kazakhstan was actually Romania (yes, they filmed the Kazakhstan scenes there). What I want to know is how Cohen's family is reacting to his treatment of Jews. Borat actually came from Baron's variety show Da Ali G Show in which he had three different characters and duped people on a smaller scale. He also managed to dupe former U.S. Congressman Bob Barr and former Presidential contender Alan Keyes (who himself is controversial). This movie was #1 last weekend (Nov. 3-5) which is surprising since it was only showing on 800 some odd screens. This weekend it will be on over 2,000 screens and will rival the Will Ferrell movie, Stranger Than Fiction, for the #1 spot. See this movie at your own risk just don't say I didn't warn you.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 4.5

paul

Ed Bradley, one of the greatest and most honored newscasters, has passed away of leukemia. Bradley, who scored numerous interviews with some of the biggest names in the world, was a consummate professional who broke ranks in the barrier of race. He received 19 Emmys (3 at the 2003 awards show) and joined 60minutes as a newscaster in 1981. Bradley will be missed by many in the industry and he credited Liza Minnelli with convincing him to get his ear pierced. Bradley was 65.

Also passing is actor Jack Palance. The 87-year-old passed away of natural causes and had been acting since 1950 when he played a murderer in the film Panic In The Streets. When he won the Academy Award in 1992, he got down on the floor and started doing one-handed push-ups to show that he was still a physical powerhouse. He won the award for his role as Curly Washburn in the film City Slickers. The role was a self-parody of the many cowboy/western roles that Palance starred in. He once said, "Most of the stuff I do is garbage." And of the directors he worked with, he said this: "Most of them shouldn't even be directing traffic."

R.I.P.

paul

paul

movie minute

Year of the wine: Once again Russell Crowe proves what a solid actor he is in the new film A Good Year. The alluring Aussie is back as Max Skinner, an overworked and underrelaxed stock trader who finds out his uncle Henry has died and left him a chateau in France. As we see in flashbacks, Max has fond memories of growing up with Uncle Henry and the chateau. Now Max must decide if he wants to continue his workaholic ways or live the relaxing life. It does help that he meets a very attractive woman by the name of Fanny (played by Marion Cotillard). It is wonderful seeing Freddie Highmore (Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Peter in Finding Neverland) back on the big screen. This young lad promises to be an actor to be reckoned with if he continues acting as he gets older. Albert Finney is back as well (another fine actor) in flashbacks; he plays Uncle Henry. The movie is based on the book by Peter Mayle and is much better than the book. Having said that, the story the book tells is not a particularly interesting one and that would explain why most of the scenes in the movie are not in the book. Director Ridley Scott (Gladiator, GI Jane) and screenwriter Marc Klein (Serendipity) do a great job of keeping the film moving and interesting. One of the rare occasions when the film supercedes the book.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3

possible Oscar nods

Best Adapted Screenplay

Babel-ling stories: Babel, the new movie by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, is another one of those movies that feature seemingly disparate stories but all of the stories and characters are brought together by something they all have in common. In this case it is a rifle and the characters all end up speaking the same language but in different parts of the world which means it's quite difficult for them to communicate with each other. A Moroccan villager is given a powerful rifle and his two sons are more than eager to try it out. When they tire of trying to hit jackals, they aim for a tour bus (full of people, needless to say). After seeing that the rifle is not as powerful and does not shoot as far as they believed, the gun is suddenly able to hit a bus and smash one of the windows and hit one of the passengers on the bus. The passenger hit is Susan (Cate Blanchett), husband to Richard (Brad Pitt who is going the "George Clooney in Syriana route" with the graying hair and facial hair. Hey, Clooney ended up with an Oscar, so whatever works.). Richard is suddenly faced with the daunting task of getting his wife to a hospital before she bleeds to death. The film also features a storyline with a nanny (Adriana Barraza, who gained 30lbs to play Amelia) and the two young kids she carts off to Mexico to attend her son's wedding. She attends the wedding with her thug-like nephew (Gael Garcia Bernal, once again proving that, yes, he can play bad to the bone). The other story is of a deaf-mute girl Chieko (real life deaf actress Rinko Kikuchi) and her determination to act out her sexual urges. I won't tell you how she or her father or Amelia and the kids figure into the equation but I will tell that this is the kind of movie that Academy Award voters love to honor with the Best Picture prize. Witness last year's winner, Crash, a movie that also featured intersecting story lines and characters. Crash, however, told a more compelling story and the characters were more layered. Babel suffers in that the stories are stretched to fit together and yes, it's meant to be global but it is crushed by the weight of its own grandiosity. Inarritu also directed Amores Perros and 21 Grams (two other films that are quite similar to this film but much much better; probably because the story lines are more believable and not as global). The acting is just fine, however, the film (which will probably be the front runner in the best picture race) is just too thin.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 2.75

possible Oscar nods

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt
Best Supporting Actress: Adriana Barraza
Best Original Screenplay

peace out,

paul

movie minute

Scissor Story: The movie version of Running With Scissors, Augusten Burroughs's best-selling book has come to the big screen and while the film deals with some serious themes, it lacks some things in the translation from page to film. Relative newcomer Joseph Cross plays 13-year-old Burroughs who struggles to deal with the strained relations of his parents. His parents are played by Annette Bening and Alec Baldwin (yes, him again) and as their relationship deteriorates, the presence of Dr. Marion Finch promises to help things get better. Soon, however, Burroughs's mom, along with Finch, are deciding that Burroughs would be better off living with the Finch family. Soon bible dipping, dog kibble, and poop prophecies are figuring prominently in his life. The family includes Gwyneth Paltrow (Hope), Evan Rachel Wood (Natalie) and matriarch Agnes, played by Jill Clayburgh. Dr. Finch is played by Scottish actor Brian Cox and as Burroughs is forced to deal with their dysfunction, he soon becomes friends with younger sister Natalie. I want to say that Evan Rachel Wood is a talented actress, however, she needs a new role; the role of tortured-too-much-eyeliner-wearing teenager who smokes is wearing thin. Cross does a very nice job as Burroughs who loves his mother so much but has to deal with the fact that she doesn't want him; she's too self-absorbed in her own drama and psychosis. Clayburgh, whose role as a second mother figure is really written in more than what the book described (in the book she was more passive and didn't figure heavily as a mother figure), is heartwarming and she may be the second person from the film to score an Oscar nod. Bening, of course, would be the main one and while this role is not greatly nuanced or even Bening's best role, she does a good enough job that she should get noticed come nominating time. Another actor worthy of mentioning is Joseph Fiennes who plays Neil Bookman, Augusten's first relationship. He is tender and volatile sometimes in the same scene. The film doesn't capture the true craziness or even the humor (often laugh out loud funny) that the book describes and a couple of the scenes are just a titch too long but gay director Ryan Murphy did give it his all and as far as adaptations go, it could have been worse.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 3

possible Oscar nods

Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Actress-Bening
Best Supporting Actress-Clayburgh

humor 2

Subject: Grocery store setting the mood

The new supermarket near our house has an automatic water mister to keep the produce fresh. Just before it goes on, you hear the sound of distant thunder and the smell of fresh rain. When you approach the milk cases, you hear cows mooing and witness the> scent of fresh hay. When you approach the egg case, you hear hens cluck and cackle and the air is filled with the pleasing aroma of bacon and eggs frying. The veggie department features the smell of fresh buttered corn. I don't buy toilet paper there any more.

paul

humor 1

HARVARD READING TEST

This was developed as an age test by an R&D department at Harvard University.
Take your time and see if you can read each line aloud without a mistake. The average person over 50 years of age can't do it!
Good Luck!

1. This is this cat
2. This is is cat
3. This is how cat
4. This is to cat
5. This is keep cat
6. This is an cat
7. This is old cat
8. This is fart cat
9. This is busy cat
10. This is for cat
11. This is forty cat
12. This is seconds cat

Now go back and read aloud the third word in each line from the top down and I betcha you can't resist passing it on.

weekly post from November 5, 2006

Hey my friends & loved ones,

We've just returned from 3 1/2 days in Pittsburgh (actually we were in Monroeville, just outside of Pittsburgh) for the regional conference of our denomination. It's always a thrilling and spiritual experience but it was especially so this time because we had 15 people (my spouse and me included) and 9 of those people had never been to a conference before. The two regions that were there included people from the Northeast, Bahamas, Jamaica, Virgin Islands, Croatia, Eastern Canada, Turkey, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Kentucky, and Indiana (just to name a few). The messages were powerful, the music uplifting and the fellowship was priceless. Another plus to the event was that my spouse got to preach and (biases aside; yes, I can be objective) he was spot on and set the bar for other preachers. He didn't use the podium (the only non-elder preacher who preached to not use the podium) and he didn't preach with a script (he never does) and there was only one other preacher that didn't use a script (an elder) and people really responded to his message. I think everyone had a great time and will each bring something back to our church.

In other news, driving back from PA, we saw a substantial amount of snow on the ground and Jim and I both moaned that we just aren't ready. However, it is November and the white will be flying fast and furious fairly soon (poor Buffalo has already been socked once).

paul

weekly post from October 29, 2006

Hello my friends & loved ones,

Last week at church we had a wonderful and lively service with an all time high in attendance. We had 92 people (high for us) and the service included liturgical dance. I'm sure some people were put off by it (but I don't know of them, yet) but it was good for the church and the community. Being stretched and pulled out of our comfort zone may not be the most pleasing thing, however, it certainly helps us grow and become better people in the long run. One would think that our church was a new church from the way we've been growing and prospering lately but it's actually been around for 25 years. It's definitely in a renaissance phase and hopefully there's more growing and thriving to come.

I don't remember seeing or hearing political ads while growing up in Texas but I'm certainly aware of them now. Either they have become nastier than ever or I'm just more in tune to them. These ads are disgusting and way below the belt; I'm almost embarrassed to be living in the same country as these people who put on these ads. Having said that, I've never been one to tell people how to vote but I do tell people to vote. I recently read a poll citing the reasons why people don't vote and the biggest percentage was "didn't have time." I know we have busy lives and we sometimes think about being cloned (I do anyway) but, please, make time to vote. No, it's not a major election but it does still count. I have a rule that I tell people who complain to me about who's in office; they cannot complain in my presence if they didn't vote. I won't even hear their moaning about it. Please vote. And remember that when watching those political ads on tv, make sure you know the truth because, let's face it, many (if not all) of those ads are filled with lies, half-truths, and sleaze to get you to vote one way or another. Be real and know if what you're hearing is true or not.

paul

weekly post from October 22, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

Time and time again we hear that history repeats itself. Why don't we heed this message? Why must history actually repeat itself (again) before we realize how true the statement is? Here's a little repeat history for you: In 1798 under John Adams the Alien and Sedition Acts was passed. This said that anyone opposing or resisting any law of the US could be imprisoned. Also it was deemed illegal to write, print, utter, or publish anything that was critical of the President or Congress; The Espionage Act was passed under Woodrow Wilson in 1917. This said that anyone who conveys information to interfere with the success of the armed forces could be imprisoned. Also the publication of anything the President thought violated the act could be found guilty; Under Franklin D. Roosevelt with executive order 9066, over 100,000 Japanese-Americans were imprisoned in internment camps for the remainder of WWII. 62% were American born; And just this past week with the Military Commissions Act was passed under George W. Bush. This gives Bush the power to basically imprison anyone deemed to be hostile toward the US. The following is taken from wikipedia (I've included a link to the site so you can read more about it). "The Act changes pre-existing law to explicitly disallow the invocation of the Geneva Conventions when executing the writ of habeas corpus or in other civil actions [Act sec. 5(a)]. This provision applies to all cases pending at the time the Act is enacted, as well as to all such future cases." Here is a link to read about the act. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Commissions_Act_of_2006

Why aren't more people talking about this? Why is there a collective yawn across the country? People should be marching in the streets to protest this. This is akin to having a king, an uber-President. We as American citizens should be afraid of what this could potentially mean for any one of us. I despise the use of fear to get people to do something, however, we need to have a vigilance to ensure that our rights are maintained and not taken out from underneath us.

I read a book this past week that gives credence to the above statement. The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice In A Small Town is a NON-FICTION John Grisham book that tells the TRUE story of Ron Williamson who was on death row for 11 years for a crime he did not commit. He is not the only tale in the book; several others were placed in prison for crimes they did not commit. False evidence, hasty prosecutors, sloppy investigating, coerced confessions and other outrageous crimes within the justice system detail how it all happened. This did not happen in another country but right here in the USA. It's time to wake up from our slumber and demand to be treated the way the Constitution says we should be treated.

paul

weekly post from October 15, 2006

Hello my friends & loved ones,

Another week behind us and another week before us. Pretty soon it will be getting into the single digits and the fireplaces and woodstoves will be going full steam. Oh, wait, that's already happened and at our house we've been using the electric blanket for a couple of weeks already. We missed the freak snowstorm this past week but Buffalo got socked and then some. More than 2 feet of snow and the snow causing trees to down power lines in a number of places. Our Northern friends also got socked pretty heavily. We just got back from the New York Wine & Culinary Center. We had some nice NY State wine and Jim had a really dark and heavy beer. For dinner Jim had pork, tomatoes, cheese and some other stuff on ciabatta bread and I had herb crusted filet mignon. I've become really spoiled by Jim's cooking; the food at the Center was decent but I really like Jim's cooking.

I don't know if you've been getting updated on Jennifer "the runaway bride" Wilbanks but I heard this past week about how she's suing her ex-fiancée and how she wants her bridal shower gifts back. Hello!!!!??? Not only was there no wedding but she decided to skip town to ensure there would be no wedding. Why can't we just quit while we're ahead. It seems in our society we want more, more, more. More stuff, more money, more clothes, more food, more this, more that. At one point do we realize that, no, we don't have to have more; we don't need more; we've got plenty as it is. We become so focused on the next thing that we lose sight of what we already have and then we lose it and wonder why. It really is a vicious cycle that continues and continues and continues. When do we stop and really take stock of what we've got right in front of us and say, "Yes, that's plenty, that's all I need." Let's face it, wants and needs are two different things but those two words have become so interchangeable in our world that it's become sad.

paul

movie minute

President intrigue: First of all, needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), it's very bad taste to make a movie about the assassination of a sitting president. Having said that, the film Death Of A President isn't all bad but it's not good either. First the bad news: On October 19, 2007, while speaking in Chicago, President George W. Bush is assassinated. The film, a mockumentary, features "people in Bush's detail" speaking to the camera about Bush and the speaking engagement and the protesters in Chicago. The film leading up to the assassination is somber and eerie and the dreadful sense of foreboding is palpable right up to the point of the actual shooting. The film uses archived footage of Bush (that would be real footage in the public domain) and while we never actually see the real Bush get shot, we do hear the shots. There is also a close-up of Dick Cheney at the funeral (it's supposed to be Bush's funeral but the actual footage is taken from Ronald Reagan's funeral). While delivering the eulogy, however, Bush's name is interjected in the footage. The second part of the film deals with the aftermath and how the government pieces together evidence linking a foreigner to the shooting. Unfortunately the evidence is flimsy and when more damning evidence comes forward proving who the actual shooter was, the reaction of the government is shocking; but only if you don't live in the U.S. Or maybe it will be shocking to those who do live here. In the here and now, 2006, with all of the evidence we've seen of wrongful convictions and false evidence, anyone who is still shocked should be in the minority. It reminded me of "The Innocent Man," John Grisham's recent non-fiction book about wrongfully convicted Oklahoman Ron Williamson. Death isn't a pretty picture, death never is and while it still remains in poor taste, it does have some gruesome yet relevant information for the present day U.S.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 2.25

The Queen Cometh: In Stephen Frears's (Dangerous Liaisons, Mrs. Henderson Presnts) film, The Queen, the winds of change are brewing up a storm. The film starts prior to the fatal car accident involving Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana, who would be come to known as the people's princess. As Tony Blair, played here by Michael Sheen (Bright Young Things, Kingdom Of Heaven), comes to power as prime minister with the promise of change, the monarchy struggles to keep up with the times. After Diana's death, the Queen refuses to make a spectacle of her death even as the number of mourners and flowers and tributes pour in and cause the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace to be temporarily displaced. As the Queen (Helen Mirren playing the Queen without begging us to like her) says, "We will handle this quietly and dignified." She is convinced the people want dignity in their Queen and it's the only way she's ever known. While she tries to grasp the fixation of people on Diana, even after her death, the Queen becomes vilified by the press and the people. The film relies on actual footage of people at Buckingham Palace in the days after Diana's death, as well as actual footage of Diana and footage of mourners coming in before her funeral. The characters nail the roles; specifically Sheen as Blair who soon has the press convinced the Queen is bowing to him as he tries to get her to see that while the regime has changed so have the needs of the people in her country. I couldn't just single out Sheen; Mirren as the Queen only cries once and her back is to the camera and we briefly get to see the tears before she wipes them away; much like she wanted to wipe Diana away. While we may never know if this is exactly as it happened, we become certain of one thing; no one is infallible. Even HRH can be out of step with the people. The actual footage used in the film really adds to the film's depth; Frears was smart to include footage of Diana's brother and the common people outside Buckingham Palace. We really get a sense of how the whole world, not just England, was affected by this. When the Queen does finally take the advice that has been handed to her, when she really begins to see how her silence is tarnishing her crown, the result is deftly handled by Mirren. She's an actress who knows how to react and contour her face just enough so that we don't ever entirely dislike her character; a lesser actress would not have been able to pull it off, nor would they have been able to distance themselves from sympathy and still get our sympathy.

Bags of popcorn (out of 5): 4.50

Happy Viewing!!!

peace,

paul