January 4

olanda, Juli, Carol and Betty correctly identified "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends." coming from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Try this one:

"I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw. I'm scared of what I did, of who I am.... and most of all, I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you."

This will be a Lincoln week as Sy and I figured out how I could see Lincoln while he watched another film in the same movie house,but different theater.  He saw The Hobbit (which he liked) and I saw Lincoln.

In Theaters:

Lincoln:  I have to agree with most that this was a very good film. My only suggestions is that it could have been a bit shorter and a little less talky.  Having visited Lincoln's cottage recently (see below), the film meant even more.  Daniel Day Lewis is excellent as Lincoln.  I would put him a hairahead of Hugh Jackman in the race for best actor.  Tommy Lee Jones was wonderful; a much better fit than the last film I saw him in - Hope Springs.  Sally Field also will be in a neck and neck fight with Anne Hathaway for best supporting actress and in this race I give it to Hathaway.  Thefilm, though set 150 years ago, rings true with the issues we are facing today; especially how our government works.  Haven't seen the other contender for best picture - Zero Dark Thirty, but as of this writing, I give it to Lincoln.  See for yourself and decide. 

On Netflix::

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - Robert Downey, Jr. is Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law is Dr. Watson as they reprise their roles in this sequel to their previous Sherlock Holmes movie.  In this outing, they collaborate to defeat the plan of the evil Professor Moriarty.  It is far fetched, lots of shoot outs, but interesting and enjoyable to watch.   The filming is quite stylized and lets you see what Holmes sees.   Will there be yet another sequel, not sure, but if there is one, I am sure to put it on my Netflix list.

 

On Netflix and HBO:

Big Miracle - This film is based on a true story about three whales caught underwater  before hey could make their way to warmer waters. The action takes place in an Alaskan village near the Arctic Circle.     Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski star as a Greenpeace activist and the Alaskan Journalist who wrote about the trapped whales that sent the entire world into a tailspin.  Ted Danson, Kristen Bell and Dermot Mulroney co-star in this very family friendly movie. 

As a complement to the Lincoln Movie go to:

President Lincoln's Cottage in Northwest Washington DC - At the Winter Holiday Travelers Aid Luncheon I was fortunate to win as a door prize  two admissions to Lincoln's Cottage.  It is on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in the Petworth area of Washington.  It is not easy to get to to say the least.  We did get to drive through DC neighborhoods that I had only read about and that added to the trip in a positive way. (Not so much as our GPS had us go through M Street in Georgetown to get home!)  The house opened to the public in 2008.  Lincoln and his family lived there for over a quarter of his presidency from June-November of 1862, 63 and 64 to escape the hot sticky summers of downtown Washington.  Lincoln developed the Emancipation Proclamation and worked on wartime strategies there.   The house itself is modest and the rooms not furnished as the house went through many other uses after Lincoln used it; i.e. dormitory for residents, office space, etc, but the guide was wonderful as he told many stories about Lincoln as we entered each room.  You need reservations and the tour costs about $12 for adults.  The fee goes towards the maintenance of the house as it is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Parking is free, right on the premises.  A must see for history buffs.

At the Kennedy Center:

"White Christmas" - This week I received an email from the Kennedy Center with a deal I could not refuse.  Orchestra seats for White Christmas - $39.00.  Not only did I get orchestra seats, but I got two on the aisle.  This was not a top choice for me when I saw the season's playlist, but for $39.00 I thought I'd give it a try.  Both Sy and I were not disappointed.  The music is wonderful - "White Christmas", "Blue Skies", "Sisters". "I Love a Piano" to name a few, but the dancing was the show stopper.  The tap dancers in particular were excellent.  The story thin, but I knew going in I was going for the music.  A fun, unexpected afternoon.

I do have to vent just a bit.  Parking at the Kennedy Center has gone up to $22.  I told the ticket person that they will be pricing people out of going with the price of tickets and parking fee.  The response I got was they are in line with parking in the city.  I countered by saying I have choices when I go to the city plus if I was lucky could park on the street.  Taking metro even when they open in Reston is not a good option especially for the Kennedy Center.  You have to take their shuttle from the Metro and that will add an additional 90 minutes to the trip.  Like I said, I needed to vent!

Roberta