A Perfect Pairing

Oh lucky, lucky me! I got free tickets to a special advance screening of "Julie & Julia", the new film starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. It is based on the book "Julie & Julia" by Julie Powell (a good book), and also "My Life in France" by Julia Child (a great book).

I was so glad to see that an equal portion of the movie was devoted to Julia Child - she is, of course, talked about throughout Julie Powell's book, but the movie gave her a chance to really come to life. The contrast between the two time periods and places, 2002 in Queens and 1950's Paris, was very well done, both in set design and costume.

The food stylists for the movie deserve a great round of applause. All of the dishes looked either delightfully delicious, or delightfully disastrous, depending on the situation. It's over 12 hours after the movie ended, and I am still salivating over the Boeuf Bourgignon. Luckily for me, my ever-so-thoughtful friend Michael packed a picnic, and we had a nighttime tailgate party for two, right there in the cinema parking lot!

Of course, the biggest message of the movie is that it's never too late in life to get inspired. Julia Child did so when she was in her 40's, living in a foreign country, and Julie Powell followed suit when she had just turned 30, working in a lowly government job. Neither of these women had had remarkable lives up until they discovered a passion for food, cooking, and the desire to share their experiences with others. And most importantly, not to get discouraged by mistakes and setbacks...they are all a part of the experience, and make any victories that much sweeter. Bon appetit!

Popcorn's New Wave

I've been sick lately (sinusitis & bacterial infection - you don't want to know, trust me) which has forced me to be home more than usual. On this Thursday night, a night usually reserved for going to our favorite French restaurant Garcon, I stayed home by myself and had movie night. I have been thinking of France a lot lately, and realizing that it was Francois Truffaut's birthday, I thought that a night of New Wave cinema would be the perfect night in.

Determined to make my living room as much like a movie theater as possible, I turned off the lights and fired up the DVD player, setting the TV screen to "Cinema". What was missing was popcorn. Now, I am not a huge fan of microwave popcorn - the kernels taste like styrofoam coated in plastic to me. But I really hadn't considered any other methods. I knew I had some corn kernels, and oil, and a pan...and soon realized that home-style popcorn was right in front of me. I read the directions on the package, got out a nonstick pan with a lid, and started the process.


It was remarkably easy. 2 Tablespoons of Canola oil to 1/3 cup popcorn. Heat oil and popcorn on medium, with a lid on top, tilted to let steam escape. Shake pan occasionally. Stop cooking when the popping stops.

It worked perfectly. Not one burnt kernel and not one left unpopped. It tasted great right out of the pan, but my husband reminded me that we had recently gotten some truffle oil to use on pizzas, and he knows that I love truffle oil popcorn, ever since having it at Supperclub a few years ago. I drizzled a small amount on the warm popcorn, added sea salt, and gave it a good shake. I loved the idea because of the similarity of the words "Truffaut" and "truffle" - accidental little details like that make me so happy sometimes! (yes, yes, I realize that all of this hermit time has made me a little bit insane...)


It was delicious! I happily munched away through "The Last Metro" and didn't have that awful sick feeling that I normally have after eating microwave popcorn. In fact, I felt so good that I watched "Jules and Jim" right afterwards - a double feature.

I was so pleased with the simplicity of the process - no fancy equipment, a minimum of ingredients, and hardly any cleanup. I can't wait to try different toppings, too. You can bet that this popcorn will be served at our next party - I even have the red & white cardboard boxes that I bought on whim awhile back.

(I would LOVE to hear any suggestions for popcorn toppings. Tell me all of your favorites!!)

When you consider the cost of a movie and popcorn in the theater, versus a night in, I think this is yet another way to combat this nasty recession. In fact, my friend Lisa recently told me that two industries that are doing well right now are movie rentals and alcohol. Right after I get off of these antibiotics, I will add adult beverages to movie night and the new Thursday night may be born.

Never the Twain...

East is east, and west is west, and never the twain shall meet...or so I thought. When it comes to popcorn and candy at the movies, I thought it was like keeping a Kosher kitchen - the sweets bag shalt never mix with the savory bag.

Then Jude taught me that it's fun to put the candy in the popcorn, so that every now and then you get a little sweet bite among the salty bites, and it also slightly melts the chocolate, which makes it gooey-liscious. It works great with my favorite concession candy, Raisinettes.

It's kind of surprising that I like this combination, as I was the kid who couldn't stand to have her food touch on her plate - I would methodically eat around the gravy-soaked portion of the peas, leave bits of meat glued to mashed potatoes, etc. But for some reason, this works for me.

I looked around online and found nothing that spoke to the origins of this practice. I thought that it might be regional, like putting peanuts in Coke, or salting your beer. Nope, no evidence that anyone does this at all.

So, tell me, does anyone do this? Or are we the only ones with chocolate and salt covered fingers in the dark of the cinema?

Looking Down the Barrell

One of the things that people usually don't know about me is that I love surf movies. "The Endless Summer", "Step into Liquid", "Riding with Giants"...I love them all. While I live near the ocean, I have never surfed or attempted to surf - something that I plan to remedy in my adult life.

What is it then, that always mesmerizes me when I watch a surf movie? Well, the beautiful footage, certainly. Those impossibly big walls of water rushing forward and a guy on a board using all of his mental and physical skills just to stay with it. And the surfers themselves - graceful, strong, athletic, and something more...there is something in their faces that goes beyond simply being in "the Zone". They are at once fully engaged (you have to be to survive) but also...peaceful? Is that the right word? It's something transcendent, that is for sure. And it what draws them back to the ocean every single time, and me to them.

"The Endless Summer" is definitely my favorite surf movie of all time. I like it because it was made when surfing wasn't cool, and when so many of the beaches they visited were pristine and untouched. It is the ultimate adventure, and the men in it like lone gunmen staking their claim in the Wild West - but at the same time like little boys, playing all day in the sun and surf.

For all of their renegade attitude and bravado, I find surfers as a whole to be very simple, nice people. It's certainly true of the ones that I have known in my life - they are a little bit like Buddhists, with a different respect for nature than your average athlete. Maybe it is because their sport is entirely dependent on nature, and nature is constantly challenging them and threatening to beat them against the rocks, but at the same time allowing them to participate in its majesty in a way that not many people experience. So they are both humbled and enlightened every day. That has to have an effect on your soul.

Last Wednesday, I took my brother to see "Bustin Down the Door", a new documentary by Jeremy Gosch, about the summer of 1975 in Oahu, Hawaii. It was at the Bridge Theater, an old, single-screen, wonderful cinema in the Richmond. I had read a great review in San Francisco Magazine and then I learned that Shaun Tompson, one of the main surfers in the film (and featured in the photo above) and also the executive producer, was scheduled to be there, so I booked tickets for us online as soon as I could.


The theater, surprisingly, was only about 2/3 full. Still, you could feel the level of energy in the room when Shaun Tompson took the stage and did his introduction, looking amazingly young and fit for his 60 years. We watched the movie less like an audience, and more like a community - connected in some way by surfing, the lure of the ocean, and the human spirit that despite all odds, wants to go out there and be the best. The movie, narrated by Edward Norton, who was chosen out of respect for his work and also because he is a surfer himself, focuses on a group of Australians and South Africans, including Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholemew, Mark Richards, Ian Cairns, and Peter Townend, as well as Shaun and his cousin Michael Tomson. They are the young men responsible for making surfing into a pro sport, and did so at a time when it was thought to be just another past-time for hippies and stoners. The movie has a lot of original footage, which is beautiful to watch - and each surfer has a unique style that is still considered innovative by today's standards. The rest of the movie is done in present-day interviews, and the men are very forthcoming about what they were going through in their lives at the time, and how the events have affected them now. It's very touching and you feel like you get to know them. And you feel for them as they experience the rush of success and the real danger of overstepping their bounds.

Afterwards, Tomson came out and did a Q & A with the audience. That was a real treat, and he answered each question very thoroughly and honestly, in his soft Durban accent and self-depreciating manner. He was thoroughly charming and unaffected, which is surprising when you consider that he was thought of as the Kelly Slater of his time, with his brilliant blue eyes, amazing skill, and athletic build. It matched what I have read about him: that he still gets out there and surfs every day (in Santa Barbara), and he waits in line like anyone else, for his turn to come. You'd never know you were in the presence of a World Champion (until of course, you see his skill). He got choked up at the end of the night, when he was talking about how surfing has helped him to overcome difficulties in his life. He touched briefly on the death of his son Mathew, who the movie is dedicated to. I didn't know the story, but it turns out that he died tragically 2 years ago at age 15 as a victim of a schoolboy prank in Shaun's native Durban. The final quote of the movie is an excerpt from an essay called "Becoming a Man" written by Mathew shortly before he died. I think it conveys perfectly what surfers feel, and what I am drawn to - a kind of Zen of life that is achieved by going to the edge and back, again and again.

Deep inside the barrel, completely in tune with my inner self, nothing else matters, the hard wind and spit shooting past me from behind, my hand dragging along the wall, the light shines ahead. My long hair carried by the wind. My feet are in perfect placement on the board. As I lean forward I feel myself speeding up getting faster and faster as the barrel starts to close. I crouch down until my legs burn and I then pull out to the whole lineup cheering. My body tingles with joy and happiness.

The Next Dimension

Want to get away for a while? Need a little fun in your life, and don't have time to hit the amusement park? Go to a 3-D movie instead. Last night I went with Andy & Kristina to see "Journey to the Center of the Earth" staring Brendan Fraser (in 3-D, yes, indeed, mmmm), and I highly recommend it. For a mere $12.50 (it costs extra for the glasses), you will have things hurled at your face, disappear down a huge hole, and look straight into the mouth of evil creatures. It's like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride on steroids. You'll be thrilled, nauseated, but most of all, completely entertained.


Note the double-glasses effect, very cool and not nerdy at all.


This is what I looked like for the rest of the night:

Into the Depths

There are movies that entertain, and movies that get inside of you. "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Le scaphandre et le papillon) is one of the latter. Actually, it may be more acurate to say that the movie pulls you inside of it.

It is the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, the former Director of Elle magazine, who suffered a stroke at age 43. He woke up after a 3-week coma to find himself in almost complete paralysis, except for one eye. His condition, called "locked-in syndrome", meant that all of his mental faculties were intact, but he was mute and completely immobile, dependent on hospital care 24/7.

From the start of the movie, you are "inside" Jean-Do's psyche, through the excellent direction of Julian Schnabel. Just as in his wonderful movie "Basquiat", he demonstrates through different mediums how it feels to be in the mind of these men. In the case of "Diving Bell", the opening scenes in the movie are so uncomfortable that you wonder how you are going to be able to sit through the whole thing. It is this feeling of entrapment that allows you to relate to his situation. Then, as he learns to travel through his imagination and memories, the viewer is also allowed to become free of the body's prison. The imagery is stunning, and Schnabel uses his artist's eye to achieve maximum effect.

Bauby gave the world a wonderful gift - a book that he wrote on his condition, while he was in the hospital, painstakingly dictated through an eye-blink system created by one of his therapists. So the point of view is not imagined, and the words are his own. And thankfully, it is not overly sentimental - there were moments when I laughed out loud, as he found humor in the absurdity of his everyday life. But I cried, too - especially during the scenes with his father. Life is messy, as it is no matter what your situation, and he is forced to deal with loose ends and make the best of them. But what remains constant are the simple pleasures that he sees through his memory and his interaction with the people still in his life: family, love, food, sex, and France, beautiful France. At a time when he was primed for a classic mid-life crisis, he was forced into a real crisis that in the end showed him how beautiful his life really was - a modern-day existentialist lesson, to be sure.

The film left me feeling hopeful and inspired, reminded of the amazing strength of love and creativity, and thankful for all of the pleasures of life that we sometimes take for granted. There is so much inside each one of us, and that is beautiful in and of itself, and allows us to survive what we never imagine that we can.

When the Party's Over

9:30pm, Thursday night in the Balcony at the Sundance Kabuki Cinema, just after seeing the "Sex & the City" movie.

I don't know if this was the audience that Redford envisioned in his theater, but it sure was fun.

Everybody's All-American

I just finished watching "The Notorious Bettie Page", a movie starring Gretchen Moll as the infamous pin-up queen. While it was a well-done movie, the actress that was originally intended for the role, Liv Tyler, would have been a much better choice. Liv Tyler and Bettie share that all-American, Amazon quality paired with a show-stopping smile - they can be both the girl next door and the ultimate naughty fantasy simultaneously. It's like having both Betty and Veronica in one fabulous, spunky package.

One of the things that I have always loved about Bettie Page's photographs was how comfortable she was in her own skin. In a rare interview, she says that she never had a problem doing nude shots - after all, God made Adam and Eve naked, so how wrong could that be? Her body is beautiful and real, ample and soft, but also strong and powerful. That and her ability to work the camera makes these images a joy to look at. She said that she used to imagine that the camera was her boyfriend, and that she was posing for him. It's no wonder that the viewer feels so seduced and engaged.

Although she only modeled for 7 years, her image is everywhere today. What a feat of marketing - even Madonna must be envious of such a lasting presence. And even her bondage photographs, which seem tame by today's standards, have a clear element of theater and playfulness that tell the viewer, "I'm just dressing up - this is a costume! Come play with me!"

In some ways, she reminds me of another female who was popular in the 1950's, Barbie. These days, Barbie gets a bad rap about her unrealistic body. But Barbie is fantasy - a Jessica Rabbit-like symbol of a confident young woman who is entirely comfortable in her own skin, and not afraid to do anything in the world. In fact, the first Barbie outfit that I ever received was a go-go dancer costume, complete with gold boots! My Barbie could have any job she wanted, and she wanted to dance! Barbie was everything - young, beautiful, fun, and in control of her life. Ken was just another accessory that stood in the background as she persued her various careers and interests.

I celebrate these two icons - they are a great reminder of how fun it can be to be a member of the fairer sex!

Dinner & a Show

Our experience at the Sundance Kabuki Cinema last night proves once again that we do things differently out here.

The first thing that you notice is that the price of a ticket is more expensive - $12.50. $2 of that is a "amenities fee", and it varies depending on what day & time you are seeing the movie. While I support that, the best part of the ticket purchase for me was that you get to choose your seats, in a similar manner to how you choose them for a flight. What a stress-reliever! Knowing that you have a reserved spot no matter what time you arrive is BRILLIANT.


So the theater looks pretty much the same from the outside.


But the inside is 100% Sundance.


Inside, there are 3 places to get your eat & drink on before the show: the Balcony Bar, the Kabuki Kitchen, and the Bistro. We chose the Bistro, where we enjoyed a Meze platter, a Green Goddess salad, and a glass of pinot noir. The dim lighting makes it very date-appropriate, and in fact the place makes a good statement about you if you are out to impress: Independent Film Goer + Green Living Supporter + Organic Foodie + Wine Conoisseur = Winner! (see "Stuff White People Like" blog). Depending on the movie's subject, you could easlily knock out a few more of these criteria.





While we were waiting for the lights to dim, there was this cool Monty Python-esque short. Some of the figures moved, and it was very funny and original. So different than animated popcorn and soda marching around or those irritating Fandango puppets.


In a city with as many parking challenges as ours, having a one stop plan for the evening is great. Drawing a customer base that doesn't include obnoxious teenagers travelling in packs is super. Having a wine buzz when you go to to see a movie is fabulous. Thanks, Robert Redford!

Back in Black

Hello, my lovelies.

This is, of course, Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, in a wonderfullly goth/cabaret spread in this month's W Magazine. I can't wait to see them in "the Other Boleyn Girl" tomorrow night! Lace up your corsets and let's go!

I have always loved black, but it seems to have taken on a new edgy freshness this season, starting with Christian Siriano's beautifully constructed garments for his Bryant Park collection on "Project Runway" (with a special nod to Chris March, who I think presented an innovative line using saftety pins and human hair before getting eliminated last week).

W also showed some new shoe styles, that were, in no uncertain terms, fierce.



I think a dark and stormy Spring is on the horizon. And I can't wait.

Best Diner Scene

Predates my 2nd favorite diner scene (John Cusack and Dan Akroyd in "Grosse Pointe Blank") by 27 years. Nicholson is at his best in this quirky and well-written movie. What does a guy have to do to get a piece of toast?

Top Flicks 2007

1. "Paris, Je T'Aime" (2006) - in a year where good TV seems to have usurped movies ("Weeds", "Californication", "Project Runway"), this movie wins my vote both on the quality and quantity level. In the 20-odd movies-within-a-movie, about 10 are outstanding, 5 are very good, and the rest are fair to good. But all are entertaining, and with different points of view in the City of Lights. I went to see this movie by myself one afternoon, in the lovely Clay Theater in Pacific Heights, and it was wonderful to disappear into for a few hours. I really felt like an armchair traveler. A great DVD rental, as you can watch it over several nights and really have time to process and all of the stories. Star-and-director studded.
   
2. "Marie Antoinette" (2006) - I'm so mad that I didn't see this movie in the theater when it first came out. I watched all of the trailers with anticipation, then was put off by the negative critics' reviews. Ugh. I love this movie. Based on Antonia Fraser's biography, the film strives to give the viewer a close-up look at the life of a very young Dauphine, who later became Queen of France. Instead of portraying her as merely a vain spendthrift, you come away realizing how young she was, and how poorly equipped to rule a country. She was a teenager with a disposable income who liked to have fun, and found herself married to a dull, cold and awkward young man. But after 7 years of trying to consummate their marriage (!), the relationship matures as both young people grow out of their childhoods. The colors and attention to detail in this film are stunning! Like a beautiful Laudree confection or a pair of handmade Manolo Blahnik shoes, every piece of fabric and accessory is more beautiful than the next, showcasing director Sophia Coppola's wonderful taste. I think the modern soundtrack, much of it from the equally excessive '80's, works very well.
   
3. "300" (2006) - Graphic novel cum epic, with more washboard stomachs than at Gold's Gym in the Castro before Pride weekend. Mmmmm mmmm. The story is that of the classic hero, sacrificing himself for his principles and his people. The cinematography is beautiful, staying well within the fantasy realm but not going so far as to be confused with a video game. I appreciated the strong female characters, especially the king's wife. A great ride, will make you want to be a Spartan.
   
4. "The Golden Compass" (2007) - this was a great follow-up to "Narnia" for me - i.e. a children's fantasy done right. I have not read the books, but was immediately drawn in to the story and Lyra's journey. I watched this movie with a class of 5th graders who were so engrossed that they didn't utter a peep during the entire thing. The adult roles were well played by Daniel Craig (yummers) and Nicole Kidman (less Botox, please!), and the little girl was cast perfectly. The Armored Bear stole my heart. Looking forward to future sequels.
   
5. "Factory Girl" (2006) - again, a lot of hype and then panned by the critics, so I waited a while before seeing it, thinking that I was going to be disappointed. Wrong again! "Factory Girl" was a great movie, with Edie Sedgewick exquisitely played by Sienna Miller. They captured the time period and New York perfectly. Guy Pearce seemed such an unlikely choice for Andy Warhol, but I think that he's the best I have seen so far.
   
6. "Waitress" (2007) - I saw this on a plane, and really enjoyed it. One thing that they should really warn against, though - after seeing this movie, you must have access to a pie or a restaurant that serves pie. There was no pie on the plane and I had to resort to my imagination. Imagination does not taste like pie. Anyway, I thought that this film was cute and heartwarming, but not as overt in its quirkiness as "Little Miss Sunshine". Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion (you will always be captain to me, Nathan!) have good chemistry and are enjoyable to watch. The supporting actors are very good and add the comedic touch - it was sad watching writer/director Adrienne Shelly's wonderful performance, knowing that she was killed during the making of the movie. It's a nice legacy to her talent, which hopefully will not be soon forgotten.
   
7. "Black Snake Moan" (2007) - total sleeper of a movie, similar to "Freeway" with a character not unlike Reece Witherspoon's, played by Christina Ricci. I think that the marketing for this movie confused a lot of people, wondering if they should be going to see it for a chance sighting of Ricci's tits or some good freaky outbursts by Samuel L. Jackson. It has both, but also a good story, which is the part that they forgot to mention. I really liked the characters, and even though it was a little predictable, it was fun to watch. Justin Timberlake is good in a supporting role.
   
8. "Sherrybaby" (2006) - I have to thank Virgin Atlantic Airlines for bringing this movie to my attention - I never would have heard of it otherwise. Maggie Gyllenhal is wonderful in a very gritty role of an young ex-convict trying to put her life back together. She looks the part - strung-out, selfish and ready to manipulate anyone to get what she wants. Her growth is very realistic, with more than a few painful setbacks before she finds a reasonable path to follow. Sherry is one of those characters that you are at first hesitant to like, but in the end find yourself rooting for her. And the age-old lesson that drugs and addiction are very, very ugly is laid bare here.
   
9. "Green Street Hooligans" (2005) - Very interesting view into British football clubs and hooligans. Elijah Woods is an American who becomes reluctant recruit into the gang-like violence of the local community, through the football clubs (a modern-day Frodo in modern-day London, with no ring to help him). It's well-played, and un-sentimental, however with a good message of fighting for what you believe in. Adrenaline-pumping.
   
10. "Easy Rider" (1969) - it's true, I had never seen this movie until last week. How un-American of me! It was the perfect thing to watch on Christmas Day. I can see why it caused so much of a sensation at the time that it was made - all of those notions of freedom and such. I don't know that we've really come all that far in the almost 40 years since then (yes, we are that old) - our tolerance for appearances may have improved, but alternative lifestyles? Not so sure. Young Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, and Peter Fonda fit their roles perfectly, and the fact that they didn't fully compose a screenplay makes the dialog so much more natural. Plus the fact that they were actually getting high during the campfire scenes - you can almost feel it. The restlessness of life and its journey rings true today, and the movie, while definitely a product of its generation, is meaningful to watch today. Fonda's chopper and American flag jacket are film icons for good reason - Wyatt is a worthy poster-boy for counter culture and all that it stands for.
    

Honorable Mention:

1. "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007)
2. "I am Legend" (2007)
3. "Lady in the Water" (2006)
   

You're the Tops!

2007 is drawing to a close. So often, we are so anxious to look forward that we forget to look back. But now is the time for reflection on the year that is about to pass, and in honoring it, we can turn to that age-old tradition: the Top [5 or 10] List.

No movie/book has used this concept better than "High Fidelity", which is rife with Top 5 Lists, ranging from the general to the specific, and always followed by some kind of argument or discussion. So in preparation of the onslaught of my personal Top 10 Lists that will be coming your way over the next several days, here is a quote from that great film:


Barry: Top 5 songs about death. A Laura's Dad tribute list, okay? Okay. Leader of the Pack. The guy fuckin' beefs it on his motorcycle and dies, right? Dead Man's Curve. Jan & Dean.
Dick: Do you know that right after they recorded that song Jan himself crashed his car...
Barry: It was Dean you fuckin' idiot...
Rob: It was Jan. It was a long time after the song.
Barry: Okay, whatever. Tell Laura I Love Her. That would bring the house down - Laura's Mom could sing it. You know what I'd want? One Step Beyond by Madness. And, uh, You Can't Always Get What You Want.
Dick: No. Immediate disqualification because of its involvement with The Big Chill.
Barry: Oh God. You're right!
Dick: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot.
Barry: You bastard! That's so good - that should have been mine... The night Laura's daddy died. Sha na na na na na na na na! Brother what a night it really was. Mother what a night it really... angina's tough! Glory be!

One is the Lonliest Number

It's hard to upstage an actor like Will Smith - whether or not you think he's got the dramatic chops, you can't deny his screen presence. However, in the movie "I am Legend", what really blew me away were the scenes of post-Apocalyptic New York.

Manhattan is too familiar to too many people to be able to use substitute cites in its place. When films use Vancouver or other cities, it's painfully obvious. "Legend" was filmed on location in New York, and all of the familiar landmarks, large and small, are there. At first I thought that they had shot the street scenes and then added the details later - the abandoned cars, trees, grass growing through the concrete. After reading the production notes, I saw that they actually closed down the streets and added the elements of nature specifically for the film. Wow. Dealing with the logistics of that would take an army of people, and making it happen would seem a task more daunting than fighting off the Infected.

I remember being in the New York City in the winter of '94, when there was a snowstorm that brought the city to its feet. I was trying to get home from work, and set out from my office to walk the 15 blocks to the train station. The streets were completely empty, all vehicles immobilized by the heavy blanket of snow covering the ground. I walked down 5th Avenue, right down the middle, marvelling at the complete silence. I had never heard this sound, or rather the absence of sound, in the city before. There was not a soul in sight, and as I listened to the rhythmic crunch of my boots on the snow, I felt completely alone in the world. It was both magical and eerie - I wanted to lie down and make a snow angel, right then and there! But without anyone to share that with, it seemed kind of pointless. Instead, I focused on getting home, to our apartment in Hoboken, where it was warm and where my husband and kitties were waiting for me.

In this way, I could relate to the main character of Robert Neville as he navigated around the deserted urban landscape. New York is familiar as much for its physical attributes as it is for the unique energy that is the pulse of the city. You can feel it immediately whenever you are there - it sweeps you into the flow and carries you through its streets at a pace all of its own. Without that, it is just a shell, a faded and tattered photograph of the people that make the city one of the greatest in the world.

Worlds Beyond

On Friday I went with Kristina and her 5th Grade class to see The Golden Compass. I was excited because I love fantasy, and curious because of the controversy I had heard about in the news - that the movie was anti-religion and encouraged atheism.

What a wonderful film. It's got everything that you want as a far as entertainment: a compelling storyline, a plucky heroine, some sneaky baddies, talking animals, and excellent special effects. And can I just say, armored bears??? As if bears weren't already the coolest animal ever.

A well-written children's story will never underestimate the sophistication of a child's mind. Without having to result to gags and gore, what will have a child on the edge of their seat is a hero faced with difficulty, a real and threatening world, and a bit of magic. A tale of good struggling against evil is nothing new, but it always works. Just look at the success of the Harry Potter books and movies - bad stuff happens, and sometimes it happens to good people for no reason. But like any real hero, the secret lies in the ability to know himself and to persevere, and Lyra is a heroine in a similar vein.

One of my favorite concepts in the Golden Compass is that of each character having a personal daemon.

In Lyra's world, a person's soul lives on the outside of their body, in the form of a daemon - an animal spirit that accompanies them through life.
A child's deamon can change shape, assuming all the forms that a child's potential inspires, but as a person ages, their daemon gradually settles into one form, according to their character and nature.

How great would it be to have your own soul as your constant and steady companion? One that is visible to you and to others, something tangible that represents who you are inside. I think if you would ask people today, they would have no idea what their soul would look like or where it resides, and may never meet it at all. How sad and lonely for all of us!

The question of the controversy remains - and will not be fully realized until the 2nd or 3rd books, in which the heroes fight against the Magisterium (aka the Catholic church?), are made into movies. But I don't think that just because a movie questions our concept of organized religion today that anyone's spirituality should be threatened. If that is the case, should non-Christians have objected to Narnia's Aslan rising from the dead on the stone slab as a direct representation of Jesus, and boycotted it? To prevent children, or adults for that matter, from enjoying such a wonderful story is ridiculous. If God had wanted censorship, He wouldn't have given us the ability to question and think.

Baddies We Love to Hate

English movies have some of the best/worst bad guys in film today. Think of Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels, Trainspotting, Layer Cake - the modern English gangster is a force to be reckoned with.

On the flight to London, we watched a movie called Sugarhouse, a story about a crack addict, a drug lord, and a desperate man in the wrong place at the wrong time. Who is the hero in this story, and who is the villain? That is unclear - certainly, all of them have unscrupulous motives. But each character has enough humanity that you care what is going to happen to them, and from one action-packed moment to the next, the outcome is uncertain.

The film shows a gritty and desperate side of London - a world that tourists would never know existed. Most people would probably identify with Tom - an upper-middle class man suddenly finding himself trapped in a world where there is no such thing as a fair fight, and where retribution is immediate and bloody. But he has a purpose there, too, as the film reveals.

The character of Hoodwink, the baddest baddie, is very well done. Played by Andy Serkis (most famous for playing Gollum in "Lord of the Rings"), he mixes rage with enough humanity to make him more of a person and less of a caricature. The opening scenes of him getting ready for his day are beautifully filmed and poetic.

I have to thank Virgin Atlantic for not editing their films. The violence and language are essential to the story. I read recently that American Airlines is following this trend, and I think it's good.

Women on the Verge

As some sort of final day of vacation (I returned over a week ago but it has been non-stop ever since), I stayed home today and watched movies. And by some coincidence, the common theme was women of questionable behavior on a downward spiral in New York City.

I started my day with "Factory Girl" starring Sienna Miller as Edie Sedgwick, the darling of Andy Warhol's heyday and his muse. She was the original It-Girl, named by Vogue magazine as a "youthquaker" of her time. This is a photo of the real Edie, before drugs overtook her life and her relationship with Andy fell apart.


I was fascinated with Edie when I was in college, after reading Jean Stein's biography "Edie" - she was young, stylish, original, and fearless. She was inseparable from Andy, famous for being famous, the poor little rich girl with the great legs and cool hair. Her disintegration was tragic, as was her death from an overdose at age 28, when she had moved back to her birthplace of Santa Barbara and was trying to rebuild her life. She made one last movie called "Ciao Manhattan" before she died, which she starred in and basically told the story of her life. It's so sad to watch. Even though "Factory Girl" was not a critical or box-office success, I thought that Sienna Miller did a great job of capturing her spirit.

As an interesting note, Sienna Miller was taken off of the project originally, because she was not known enough at the time, but was brought back because of her controversial relationship with Jude Law. She definitely shows her chops in this role, as if to prove her worthiness for the part.

I spent my afternoon with "Butterfield 8", which is one of the few Elizabeth Taylor movies that I have never seen. And now, one of my favorites. She is just wonderful in this role. And, as a bit of trivia - she only played this part to finish off her contract with MGM, and hated the film. Somehow she channeled this resentment into a powerful performance, and won an Oscar for it.


The story line is a little melodramatic - wild girl Gloria falls for a rich, married man and sees the error of her ways, while her pureness of heart awakens him and saves his life...and tragedy ensues. What is riveting is how Taylor plays the part - she really sinks her teeth into it, and you are able to see the layers being peeled back to reveal the woman within, which she does without sentimentality.

The story was based on a true story, adapted from a book by John O'Hara, about a call girl who was found dead on the highway. The movie elevates her status to model (although even that job is sort of dubious as well), and adds her real-life husband Eddie Fischer as her lifelong friend and the only man with whom she has a healthy relationship.

Both Gloria and Edie have in common that their fathers are physically or emotionally absent, and their fierce fight for attention and independence stems from a little girl's desire to have the comfort of a loving father to fall back on. Men are drawn to them and enamored with them, but both women are ultimately alone. They use New York as their stage, feeding upon its energy and lighting up its nights with their presence, but end up escaping New York when their dreams are shattered. Both of them do find real, true love - but the nature of their lifestyles gets in the way and they are only able to experience this love in a fleeting, although life-altering, way.

Live fast, die young - it's a train wreck that you can't look away from.

Black. Snake. Moan.

Rent. This. Now.

"Black Snake Moan" is one of those movies that fell victim to bad marketing. Just look at the poster and tell me, what in the world is this movie about? Who is it for, and what the hell does the title mean? "Everything is hotter down South" - uhhh, is this porn?


While it almost got lost in the shuffle, I loved this little gem of a movie. The story centers around two lost souls - the character of Rae, played by Christina Ricci, and the character of Lazarus, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Both of them have "fallen" in their own way, and somehow land in each other's paths, which leads to the possibility of redemption. There is a third character that is equally important to the movie (totally absent from the poster), and that is the music - the haunting, passionate, heartbreaking blues that guide us through the story and move us as much as the events that unfold. I actually think that this photo is a better depiction of the movie.


The acting is great, and both characters pull you in immediately. Rae's downward spiral and loud cries for help are equally matched by Lazarus's ticking time-bomb outbursts. These characters are surrounded by people, but so alone. Lazarus's outrageous gesture of trying to "fix" Rae and her wickedness, by chaining her to the radiator in his house, eventually gets overshadowed by the humanity that emerges. And as their relationship develops, the blues curl around them like a warm blanket and pulls them back in to the passion and energy that is life.

There are not many surprises in the story - you've heard this one before, it's a Southern fable told again and again, set in a steamy, gritty, country location. Insects buzz, sweat glistens, honey drips, and there is nothing like the taste of sweet summer corn. What makes it good is the players, and they are very good.

Christina Ricci's performance reminded me a lot of Reece Witherspoon in "Freeway", down to her accent. Her character is tougher than nails on the outside, but with a vulnerable interior. Her sexuality has a rawness about it that makes it almost non-sexual - it's hard, aggressive, and sharp-edged - almost a weapon, against others and ultimately against herself.

Samuel L. Jackson plays the tortured Lazarus very well, with perfect timing and a performance as unwavering as his character's willpower. The softer side of his character emerges when he plays his music, and through his cooking.

Craig Brewer, who wrote and directed this movie, does a great job of telling this story without making it too cliche (this is no modern day "Driving Miss Daisy"). He entertains us, with a un-apologetic dose of in-your-face reality, but at the same time with a sympathetic view of the characters, much like in his other movie "Hustle & Flow". John Singleton produced both of these movies as well, so they share a similar style. These characters certainly live in more extreme circumstances that we see in our lives, but their truths are universal and can be found in all of us who are just trying to find our way in this world.

Summertime, and the Livin' is Easy

...easy on the eyes, that is! Especially when we are talking about early Paul Newman movies.

I am watching "The Long Hot Summer", the 1958 movie starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, based on the short story by William Faulkner. My favorite movies of his from this time period are:

• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
• Sweet Bird of Youth
• The Long, Hot Summer
• Paris Blues

He is so young and intense, charming but with a somewhat troubled edge. His deep blue eyes seem to see right through people, finding either their falseness (or "mendacity") or the true nature of their souls. When his character sets his sights on a woman, she does not stand a chance. But he always seems to remain a loner - which is like nectar to women, who just want to posess him. Watching him in a scene, undressing a woman verbally, is something to behold. Hotter than a gratuitous sex scene, any day.

And just look at him! He defines handsome. All-American good looks, with a healthy dose of talent. Even in his advanced years, he puts Hollywood's finest leading men to shame. There is a humble spirit about him that I love, as well as his obvious love for his wife Joanne Woodward. What a great couple.

"The world belongs to the meat eaters, Miss Clara, and if you have to take it raw, take it raw. "
- as Ben Quick in "The Long Hot Summer"

It's a cool San Francisco night, but that man makes me melt.