A long time educator now retired. Wife, Mother of two; Mother-in-Law to two, Grandmother of three and lover of all entertainment including but not exclusive to movies, TV, theater and music.
Yolanda was the only person to attempt a guess at last week's quote and she was indeed correct. "Then one day I hear "Reach for it mister." I spun around, and there I was standing face to face with a six year old kid. Well, I just laid down my guns and walked away. Little bastard shot me in the ass!" came from the hilarious Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles.
This is a real hard one:
"Your car is uglier than I am. Oops, that didn't come out right."
On Netflix:
New In Town - Sometimes you just want to watch a movie that you can predict everything about it before it even starts and this is one of them. Why Renee Zellweger decided to star in this movie is beyond me, but maybe sometimes she too wants something that is just fun. Harry Connick Jr. plays the love interest in this light hearted comedy. Will it win any awards, not even close, but it a movie to forget your worries and cares and just relax and watch. It is a chick flick so a word to the gentlemen reading this.
So Far on DWTS:
There have been no surprised on DWTS. Ashley Hamilton and Macy Gray were the correct choices to be eliminated. I don't think it will be hard this coming week as well. Kathy Ireland has absolutely no rhythm. On the male side, I would probably choose the wrestler. Tom Delay won't be on long, but there are a few less talented dancers who will go before him.
New Shows:
Although I haven't watch many of the new offerings, "The Good Wife" with Julianna Margulies was excellent. I have been fond of her since "ER" and she has finally landed a role that highlights her talents. I am partial to lawyer shows and this one fits the void left since "Raising the Bar" has gone off until January. Also if you didn't catch the season premiere of "House" look for it on Hulu or Fox online. It is one of the best. It is no wonder Hugh Laurie is nominated year after year for his portrayal of Gregory House.
Between movies the new TV season, reading Dan Brown's new book, there doesn't seem to be enough time to do it all, but I try. So go out there and enjoy everything there is to offer.
Yolanda was the first with Lucy Cannon hot on her heels correctly identifying the line "Money is the world's curse." "May the Lord smite me with it!" "And may I never recover!" coming from Fiddler on the Roof starring Topol in 1971
An oldie but goodie:
"Then one day I hear "Reach for it mister." I spun around, and there I was standing face to face with a six year old kid. Well, I just laid down my guns and walked away. Little bastard shot me in the ass!"
On Netflix:
Taken - This was an action packed movie that kept Sy and me glued to the screen for the entire 93 minutes. Liam Nielsen plays a retired spy who uses all his skills to track down a kidnapping ring. I don't want to give too much of the story away so that's all I'll say. You need to take a vacation from reality as you watch this film, but it is exciting, engaging and a story of good versus evil. There is a lot of violence, so a word of caution if you don't like those types of films.
At National Theater in Washington DC
700 Sundays - This is Billy Crystal's love letter to his family especially his Dad who he lost when he was only 15 years old. The title refers to how many Sundays he spent with his Dad. The first half was hilarious. Crystal is a master of timing and his delivery is spot on. Many of you will relate to his relatives as they are identical to some of yours. When he talked about the Catskills, I could picture it as the Rubins were frequent visitors there. The second half took a more serious tone as he talked about his life after losing his Dad. Although many patrons, who I overheard as we were leaving the theater, liked the first half better, the second certainly showed his versatility as a comedian, storyteller and actor. We certainly got our money's worth as he ran almost three hours. We were impressed with his stamina as this was a matinee and he had another show to do that evening. If you have the opportunity to see it, go - you won't be disappointed.
Recent Books I've Read:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by MaryAnn Shaffer and Annie Barrows - this is a story about life on Guernsey (one of the islands between England and France) during and right after World War II. The cast of characters are engaging and the information you learn about life on this island and the hardships these people had to endure is interesting. It is written in letter form which is a bit unusual, but makes you feel privy to the intimate details of the lives of these people. I enjoyed the book and learned quite a bit. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - this novel has recently been made into a movie and I am anxious to see how well the screen writers held to the basic story. Although it is about a man who time travels, not by choice but by a genetic mutation, it is not science fiction, but a love story. It is told through a first person narrative by both the time traveler Henry DeTamble and his wife Clare Abshire. It can be confusing at times since Henry goes from present to past and even the future. I have mixed feelings about the book. Although it held my interest and the love story is touching, the format was not to my liking. Give it a try and make up your own mind.
Save the Date:
Next Saturday, September 26 from 10-5 on the National Mall is the Library of Congress' National Book Festival. If you live anywhere near DC, this is a must. Wonderful authors present their novels and tell great stories about how they write, who influences them and take questions from the audience. This year David Balducci, Judy Blume, Ken Burns, Paula Dean and host of others will present. Tip: If you really want to see a particular author, go to that tent the author before so you can secure a seat. For more information go to loc.gov/bookfest/
Next week is a week of premieres on TV. Just a head's up to "House" fans. The two hour premiere is Monday of course conflicting with day one of Dancing With The Stars so warm up your DVR, DVD and any other taping devices you have. I have a class Monday night so I will be spending Tuesday morning catching up on DWTS then.
So much to do, so little time so make the most of it - read, see a movie, go to a museum, but do something!
Emily Cope was the first one to correctly identify "Four dollars/" "You know what four dollars buys today?" "It don't even buy three dollars!" coming from Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta in this 1977 flick.
Try this one:
"Money is the world's curse." "May the Lord smite me with it!" "And may I never recover!"
On Netflix:
The Wrestler - Mickey Rourke was nominated for his role as Randy "The Ram" Robinson a washed up boxer in this come-back movie for him. Sy liked this movie more than I did. The wrestling scenes are quite violent, although staged. In my opinion, Mickey Rourke played Mickey Rourke. I thought I would feel about this movie as I did the original Rocky, but I never really got into feeling for the character. You do feel sorry for him and all the other athletes who make money, lose it and then have no where to go. Marisa Tomei playing a stripper was also nominated for an Oscar in her supporting role. It is definitely not a movie for children with the violence and nudity, but an interesting study in the human condition. Last Chance Harvey - Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson were nominated for golden globes this year for their work in this film. It is a breathe of fresh air to see a romantic dramedy directed towards the older set. It is just a lovely story about loneliness and how two unlikely souls come together. Kathy Baker and James Brolin have supporting roles. Rent it for a film that will bring a smile to your face.
On TV:
If you haven't already seen the pilot or the first episode, please try out "Glee" the new Fox series. It will make you smile. Although not as intense as Fame, the music and the talented actors make it a joy to watch. Some of the subplots are silly to the point of campy. They do portray the administrator as a boob which of course would offend me, but I can overlook that. It is a fine way to spend an hour. It airs Wednesday nights at 9:00 p.m.
This week we are off to the National Theater for see Billy Crystal in 700 Sundays. Will let you know how we like it.
Even when I choose hard quotes from old movies that could be easily confused with others, Yolanda comes through as she did last time identifying the quote :"Cosmo call me a cab." "OK you're a cab." coming from Singing in the Rain, 1952 starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor. They don't make movies that those today.
Try this one:
"Four dollars/" "You know what four dollars buys today?" "It don't even buy three dollars!"
In theaters and soon to DVD: Night At the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian:
During the last week before school started, I watched Sarah and Amanda and wanted to find a movie we all would enjoy and this one really fit the bill. It is a sequel to Night At The Museum starring Ben Stiller reprising his role as Larry Daley. A few of the former actors return in their previous roles; Robin Williams, Owen Wilson to name a few. But the delightful addition to this film is Amy Adams as AmeliaEarhart . It is a fun movie, similar to the first, with lots of action and chuckles for all. It was shown in an independent theater that shows movies that are about to go to DVD, but seeing a film in a theater adds to the enjoyment. Add to that we went to $2 Tuesdays where admission, popcorn and soda were all $2 a piece. Where else could you go for a fun afternoon for those prices?
As noted above, I did watch my granddaughters last week and in addition to the movie we did some interesting things:
Mount Vernon - I don't remember the last time I was there, but since then they have added a visitor's center with two galleries, museum and movies. It is very interesting. The house, grounds and the guides are first rate. Make sure to visit Washington's tomb at either 11 or 2 as they have a very nice wreath laying ceremony. You don't need to go on a guided tour as as you go through the home docents are in each area telling you about the house. All of us got a kick out of Lady Washington as she stayed in character throughout our visit to her house. Although there is an admission fee, it is well worth it. We were there for about four hours and could have stayed at least an additional hour as well.
DC Ducks - This is a tour bus that goes around downtown Washington leaving from Union Station and then turns into a boat and sails on the Potomac. Although the girls liked it, especially the duck horns they got, it is 90 minutes and quite costly. Adults are $32.00 while children are about $15. Although I could have saved $9.00 on two adult and two child tickets, I opted not to after reading the fine print. Although you are guaranteed a seat, it might not be for the day you go if the tours are sold out. Save your money and go to a museum.
Postal Museum - After the Ducks we went to the Postal Museum which is part of the Smithsonian and right next door to Union Station. It is a very kid's friendly museum with lots of interactive activities. It is small and can me done in an hour.
This past weekend we went to a Bar Mitzvah in Baltimore and had some free time to explore Baltimore Inner Harbor. Once again it has been quite some time since we were there so it was pleasant to revisit it on such a beautiful weekend.
Dragon Paddle Boats - This was a fun ride in the harbor. Wendy and Eric were the paddlers while Amanda and I were the passengers. It was hard paddling especially in the hot sun, but we all enjoyed our trip. While we went there, Sarah and Howard went to the Railroad Museum which they found interesting,
Baltimore Aquarium - This is a great aquarium. We spent about about three hours there seeing all the exhibits. The sharks, stingrays and jellyfish were favorites. A note of caution. You need to get there early. The tickets are timed and even though we got there by 10:15, we were shut out of the dolphin show for the time we wanted. By noon, everything was sold out. They also have an IMAX movie that was vetoed by the majority, so we skipped that as well. There are no online discounts, but you can purchase your tickets online.
Camden Yards - Sy, Eric and Howard took in the Baltimore Orioles game. This ballfield as described by them is cozy and family friendly. The pulled pork (bar b que) sandwiches were also a hit.
There is so much to do in the Washington DC area so get out and see some of it while the weather is good. Those of you not living here are invited to come and explore.
