November 25

Happy Thanksgiving

I guess that everyone is busy or didn't know that "Well, Denham, the airplanes got him. Oh, no. It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast." came from King Kong. Someone did answer correctly, but said to let someone else have the honor.

See if you know where this one came from:

"The fact that you're not answering leads me to believe that a. You're not home. b. You're home but you don't want to talk to me or c. You're home,
desperately want to talk to me, but you're trapped under something heavy. If it's either a or c, give me a call."

On Netflix:

My Life In Ruins - This movie stars Nia Vardalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding and many reviews said she was simply playing the same role this time in Greece. Although it is a lightweight movie, I enjoyed it. Having been to Greece, it was lovely to see the sights once again. Also having been a tour participant many times, it struck a funny chord seeing her manage a variety of different personalities. RichardDreyfuss plays one of the tourists and he is quite touching. The plot is predictable, but still I shed a tear and laughed out loud. So if you want to just enjoy a movie and not think about its hidden meaning, rent this one. Also the leading actor who I did not know, looked a lot like GillesMarini of DWTS last season.

A Must Read:

World Without End by Ken Follett - This is a sequel to his novel The Pillars of the Earth. I did not read that one and you don't have to read them in order. They take place in the same town, but 300 years later. The book of over 1000 pages is a page turner. Follett weaves the story of four children and their lives as they grow up during the 1300's. As adults they are brought together by ambition, love, greed andrevenge. You learn so much about this time in history as you read the novel. Follett is a wonderful storyteller and you won't be disappointed. Don't let its size deter you from reading this book.

DWTS Update

Well the finals were broadcast last night and Maya and Donny were the finalists. It did not surprise me that Donny was the winner. Although I thought Maya deserved it as she was the better dancer, Donny did an admirable job and has a bigger fan base. I hope with their next season they go back to a smaller cast of characters and focus more on dancing.

Roberta

November 21

Congratulations to Lucy Cannon who correctly identified "He says the sun came out last night. He says it sang to him." coming from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

This one is easy, but every now and again I like to throw these in to give people like me a chance.
"Well, Denham, the airplanes got him. Oh, no. It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast."

On Netflix:

Revolutionary Road - This was a strong contender for a possible Academy Award and many were surprised when it wasn't even nominated. Kate Winslet and Leonardo di Capria give memorable performances as the Wheelers. They are a young idealistic couple living in the 50's and living the American Dream. Unfortunately that dream is not enough and the story goes from there. It is powerful and a bit surprising, but a highly charged film. I believe Winslet won the Academy Award for her performance in The Reader and this role combined.

On Netflix and HBO:

Bride Wars - As I was surfing the channels, I noticed that this film was being shown on HBO and decided to tape it and watch it at my leisure. I am glad I didn't pay to see it in the movie or waste a Netflix choice for it. That being said, it was a predictable movie starring two actresses who have done much better work. I like Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson so that was an asset and Candice Bergen played a similar role as the one in Miss Congeniality. As the trailers revealed, two best friends are booked accidentally to have their weddings at their dream venue, The Plaza, on the same day. When neither one of them refuses to change their date, the mayhem begins. Predictable and not really funny.

DWTS Update:

The finals are now upon us and I am disappointed that the three most talented couples are not in it. As I predicted, Joanna Krupa was eliminated, although I thought she would be in the finals. For some reason, the judges like Kelly Osbourne, but looking at her dancing she doesn't dance anywhere near to the level of the other three. Donny Osmond really bombed his tango last week, but came back strong. I feel Maya deserves to win, but with half of the votes belonging to the public, anything is possible. Stay tuned.

Enjoy the holidays and if you have time there are lots of good movies that have come out this week and probably for the four day weekend.

Roberta

November 15

I need to acknowledge three people who correctly identified the quote this week within just a few minutes of each other. "The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball" came from Field of Dreams starring Kevin Cosner. Congratulations to Kathy Luke who was first, Eric Sherman second and Martha Furniss third. This is the first time for both Kathy and Martha although Eric has been first west coaster before.

Try this one (I think it is hard, but what do I know!):

"He says the sun came out last night. He says it sang to him."

National Theater:

Jersey Boys - "Oh What A Night....." That is how to describe the night we had as we watched this show. Run don't walk to the theater to see this production. I could hardly contain myself during the performance as I sang each song quietly to myself. The actors are marvelous. They all had wonderful voices and if you closed your eyes you thought the original Four Seasons were singing. Whenever I see something like this, I realize how many talented people there are and it is simply the toss of the dice as to who gets the breaks. The show is not just their music, but how they got together, their lives then and now. If you live in a city where the road company stops, get tickets and if you live in NY or in DC get tickets today before it's too late.

Instant on Netflix

Seven Pounds - Someone spoiled the ending for me so I won't. There was lots of buzz about this film and people were surprised that Will Smith was not nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of the main character. It is a moving story and once you get into it is quite engaging. I warn you you won't be singing and dancing after viewing this film, but it gives you lots to think about.

Community Theater:

The Musical of Musicals The Musical! - Once again we ventured to our local community theater the Elden Street Players. They are known for putting on less known works and this one is no different. The premise of the show is that the same plot: girl can't pay the rent, sinister landlord demands the rent, boyfriend comes to the rescue is performed in the style of Rogers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Kander and Ebb. It is so clever! The only one I didn't care for is the Stephen Sondheim version since I don't care for his brand of music. This play recently was performed at the Signature Theater in DC and I can't imagine the cast was any better then these five actors.

DWTS Update:

Well we are down to the semi finals and the only surprise contestant left, in my opinion, is Kelly Osborne. I believe she will be eliminated this week leaving Donnie Osmond, Maya and the model whose name I always forget. That being said, if I forget her name so often, I think the two remaining stars will be Donnie and Maya. We shall see.

Today was such a beautiful day, I spent most of it outdoors, but the weather will be changing and with the holiday season just around the corner many great movies are in store!

Roberta

November 1

Yolanda was the first to correctly identify "Don't cry at the beginning of a date." "Cry at the end, like I do." coming from Jerry Maguire, and I thought this was a hard one!

Try this one:

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball.

On Netflix:

The International - This film stars Clive Owens and Naomi Watts in a thriller that takes place all over Europe and New York. It keeps you interested, but the story is one you've seen time and again. There really are no twists to the plot and there is quite a bit of violence. Owens is saving the world from bad bankers. Unless you are into these types of movies and have to see them all, there are better movies and ways to spend your time (see below).

Community Theater:

"Curtains" - The Reston Players is staging "Curtains" the Tony award winning play through November 8. It is an extremely ambitious play for a community theater. The dance numbers were well choreographed and some of the actors had beautiful voices. That being said, I found the play tired and uninteresting. I guess I would say it was a good performance, but poor story. It is a play within a play where a wannabe actor/detective solves the murder while falling in love with the leading lady. Been there, done that. On Broadway it starred David Hyde Pierce of Fraiser. It is very long - running more than three hours.

Places to go of interest:

Westminister Hall and Burying Ground - If you have a few hours this is an interesting place to go to. It is right in the middle of Baltimore and it's most famous "resident" is Edgar Allan Poe. It is one of Baltimore's oldest cemeteries. In addition to Poe it contains many prominent political and military figures of Maryland's early history. Below the building are the catacombs which is quite unique. Our tour guide was full of lots of stories about Poe, Frank the grave robber and of course ghosts. It was fun to be there on a rainy day which added to the ambiance. For more information you can call: 410-706-2072.

Sometimes it is the movies that allows us to escape from the realities of life. I know many of you are trying to figure out why bad things happen to good people especially when a young person dies. This week many of us are mourning the loss of a colleague's child and a colleague to others. The movies are diversions that take us away from our grief for just a brief period of time.

Roberta