April 30

It has been a while since I posted as I was first in California and then didn't have time to watch any DVDs, but as they say, "I'm back!"

Florrie and Lucy correctly identified "Just how bad is it? ""It's a fire." "All fires are bad." coming from The Towering Inferno from the last postings.

See if you can identify this one: (I think it is very hard!)

"Stanley, see this? This is this. This ain't something else. This is this. From now on you're on your own."

On the plane ride to California they showed:

Me and Orson Wells - This film starring the tween star Zac Efron was so bad that even for free it wasn't worth my watching. I don't know if this is a fair review as the viewing was not the most optimal, but I wouldn't waste a Netflix pick or money to see it in the movies. It is about a youngster who secures a part in a play featuring Orson Wells and how they butt heads over his beautiful assistant.

The Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia is presenting its annual film festival and we have seen the following films which might be available on Netflix:

No. 4 Street of Our Lady - This documentary traces the story of Francisca Halamajowa a Polish-Catholic woman who hides 16 of her neighbors during the Holocaust. The director/producer Judy Maltz used her grandfather's diary to reenact this remarkable story. Since it is a documentary, it is not fair to rate it. If you are interested in this time of our history, reserve it on Netflix. At the showing, the producer Judy Maltz was in attendance and led a Q and A about making the film.

Brothers - This Israeli movie tells the story of two brothers; one a die hard Israeli who is an Israeli first and Jew second and his orthodox brother who arrives from New York to represent the orthodox community in a trial. The brothers have been apart for much of their lives and it is a tale of them discovering who they are; what makes them tick and how they can come to accept one another.

An interesting read:

Outliers by Malcomn Gladwell - This fascinating book gives insight as to why some people are fabulously successful. Although they may be intelligent, ingenious and enterprising, situations around them account for their success as well. Gladwell shares interesting stories about successful men like Bill Gates and others and how their environment allowed them to achieve the heights they did.

Wonderful read:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - For those of you who haven't read this novel you should put it on reserve at your local library or borrow it from a friend as many book groups have read this. It is the story of Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960's and the relationship between the white folks and their "help" black women. I don't want to give much away, but the story is engrossing and makes you think even if you are a Northerner like me who didn't have help and lived in the non-segregated North. It is a quick read and one you will enjoy.

A Word About TV:

If you haven't watched "Glee" this season, set your DVR and start taping it. I spend the entire hour just smiling. Each actor is so talented and has wonderful singing voices. Two weeks ago they devoted the entire show to Madonna songs and this week I sang along as they sang some hits from the 80's. Their guest stars are great too. Kristin Chenoweth of Wicked and Pushing Daises made her second appearance and once again wowed me with her voice. If you like the theater and musical comedy, you won't be disappointed.

DWTS Update:

Although I promised that I would not comment on this show this season, I can't help myself. At last the poorer dancers are almost all gone. I believe the days are numbered for Ochocinco, the football player and Niely, the comedian. As I see it the three finalists will be the ice skater, the pussy cat doll and the ESPN reporter. There are only a few more shows and I promise not to write about it until it is the finals with my predictions.

I hope to see a few movies this weekend, but with the Diabetes walk Sunday, I will have limited time to view. In the meantime, take time to enjoy the beautiful weather we are having around the country before it gets too hot in the east and too rainy on the west coast.

Roberta

April 10

Florrie, Estelle, Carla and David correctly identified "The wind opens the sea." "God opens the sea with a blast of his nostrils." coming from The Ten Commandments.

Try this one:

"Just how bad is it." "It's a fire. " "All fires are bad."


Betsy send along this information for the people on the east coast:

I'm just sending you some info about a show opening at the Signature Theater on April 6th and it runs through June, called Title of Show. Both Erin (her daughter) and James, her fiancee are in this 4 person show and it's directed by James's twin brother Matthew, you should check it out. Title of Show is about two writers who are writing a musical, and thus need to come up with a title. It's a show dedicated to the process of creating a new musical, and was on Broadway for a long time.

Estelle sent this along.

I am not sure how much longer this play is running. Today, we went to the Round House Theatre to see "My Name is Asher Lev'"-Chaim Potak. We were lucky enough to go to a performance where the cast had a session with the audiences after the performance. It was a wonderful production and a very very good story.

On Netflix:

Post Grad - I must admit I ordered this film as I was a great fan of "Gillmore Girls" and Alexis Bledel played Rory. The movie is not worth seeing. You have seen it many times. Girl graduates from college with bright future and things don't quite work out and when they do she realizes she has been following the wrong dream all along. It is sad to see actors like Michael Keaton and Carol Burnett reduced to roles like these supporting ones.

On Netflix and Instantly on your Computer:

Summer Hours - This French foreign film tells the story of three siblings as they decide how to distribute their mother's extraordinary art collection and estate after her death. It stars Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling and Jérémie Renier. It is interesting to see how each of them deals with the task before them. Although beautifully shot, it was slow at times, predictable and an unsatisfying ending.

DWTS Recap:

I am glad that Buzz Aldrin was booted off last week. Kate has to go next! At this point in the competition I believe that Evan, Nicolle and Erin are the front runners. I am not as attached to the show and don't particularly think that Brooke Burke adds much to the show, but neither did Samantha Harris.

I am off to California on Wednesday so am not sure if I will get a chance to post any reviews until I return on April 22. Perhaps I'll catch some films on the flight out and back unless they start to charge ridiculous fees for that services as well.

The pickings are pretty slim at the movies, so take time to catch up on some of those movies you missed via Netflix.

Roberta

April 4

Gil, Edna , Florrie and Carol Frank correctly identified David's quote, "“Don’t be stupid,be a smarty, come and join the Nazi party” coming from The Producers.

Try this one:

"The wind opens the sea." "God opens the sea with his nostrils."

On Netflix:

Everybody's Fine - This film starring Robert De Niro is a bit depressing, but in the end does make you feel good. In an all star cast, De Niro tries to reconnect with his adult children after his wife dies. It is heart breaking and heart warming at the same time. De Niro gives a wonderful performance. It was touching and hit home especially if you are approaching this age.

My friend Robert Finkelstein was amazed that I had never seen his all time favorite movie: The Maltese Falcon. To remedy this omission, he lent me his copy and I viewed it. I know most of you have seen this classic, but I'd like to give you my take on it.

The Maltese Falcon - This noir classic movie starring Humphrey Bogart as private eye Sam Spade created by Dashiell Hammett features Mary Aston as a woman looking for protection from a man. The film has twists and turns as they search for a priceless statue known as the Maltese Falcon. It is extremely stylized and held my attention. As it was filmed in 1941, the story, not any special effects, carries the movie. Although it is dated, it did hold my attention and I found engaging. Would it be a hit today, not sure.

A note about the term "noir":

Often times you see this term and to be honest I wasn't exactly sure what it meant, so I googled it and found the following definition. (What did we do before google??)

Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography. Many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression.

The term film noir (French for "black film"),^[1] first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most American film industry professionals of the classic era.^[2] Cinema historians and critics defined the noir canon in retrospect; before the notion was widely adopted in the 1970s, many of the classic film noirs were referred to as melodramas.^[a] The question of whether film noir qualifies as a distinct genre is a matter of ongoing debate among scholars.

Film noirs encompass a range of plots—the central figure may be a private eye (The Big Sleep), a plainclothes policeman (The Big Heat), an aging boxer (The Set-Up), a hapless grifter (Night and the City), a law-abiding citizen lured into a life of crime (Gun Crazy), or simply a victim of circumstance (D.O.A.). Though the noir mode was originally identified among American productions, films now customarily described as noir have been made around the world. From the 1960s onward, many pictures have come out that share attributes with film noirs of the classic period, often treating noir conventions in a self-reflexive manner. Such latter-day works in a noir mode are often referred to as neo-noirs. The tropes of film noir have inspired parody since the mid-1940s.

Enjoy the fine weather and the movies.

Roberta