Nora Ephron Quotes

“I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
― Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally

How great is that? 

The Roaring Twenties Lives On

So for the past 9 months or maybe longer, my head's been stuck in 1920's for a number of reasons. And, I don't want to leave.

F Scott Fitzgerald 
I randomly picked up a collection of F. Scott Fitzgerald short stories last year at the library. I was bored with the new books, and I crave classic literature. His writing is like a photograph, a snapshot of an era capturing its values and its mood.
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: I've seen the Brad Pitt movie a few times and really the only correlation to the original short story is the concept of reverse aging. The original story is funny, ridiculous and sad at the same time. The movie obviously draws it out and captures the emotional struggles. The short story has Benjamin's father forcing the old man to play toys while he's a cranky old man. I don't want to say any more about it because it's quite short and worth reading.

- Bernice Bobs Her Hair: This was the story I started reading while I was at the library and it pulled me into it.The story is regarding female relationships, how men perceived women and especially what it meant for a woman to cut her hair.

-Diamond Big as the Ritz: I was just amazed reading this story. Fitzgerald wrote this as a satirical fantasy, but it touches on class, race and gender issues.

-The Ice Palace: I liked this one because it emphasizes the Red vs Blue state divide. It's not a new division like the media pundits want you to believe. It's always been there. However, we're so homogenized today technological advancements, which is why it doesn't make sense. You can watch American Idol and have a Domino's pizza delivered pretty much anywhere in the country. Back then, southerners were different than northerners in terms of lifestyle and values. Think about the distance itself. Today, we're schlepping all over the country for 1 day meetings. Back then, one took the train it took days to get to the other side. I'm not saying we don't have cultural differences today -  you're not going to find fried okra in Brooklyn and you can't find a good bagel south of MD. "Ice Palace" is a story about a southern flower who ends up in the northern ice palace and can't breathe. It was a significant culture clash, and more animosity than it would be today. Her guy friends feel like she's betraying them for marrying a northerner.

By the way, just about every heroine in these stories is luscious rose of 17-19 years old and eager to get engaged, but supposedly, one is still able to flirt when engaged. Eventually, one gets married and she's pretty much done. Unless of course, her husband dies and the former love interest has an entree into her life again.  I don't know if this was representative of the era or if this was Fitzgerald's selling point for stories published in the Saturday Evening Post.

Midnight in Paris
So, this movie is absolutely lovely in so many ways - Owen Wilson, Woody Allen, Rachel McAdams, Paris, literary and art references, Marion Cotillard, Paris, Owen Wilson and Paris at midnight.

This movie is PG13 so if I were a high school teacher, I'd definitely encourage students to watch this. I've let my daughter watch certain parts of this, though I think a lot would still go over her head. I've always exposed her to art, so Van Gogh and Monet should be part of her vocabulary. I hadn't heard of Impressionism until a high school field trip to Princeton art museum.

When we were watching this, we pulled out the iPad and googled artists and books ("what was Hemingway's first book?" "Who was Luis Bunuel?"

Fortunately, the research was already done here with a list of the references.

This timing of this movie was perfect for me because I loved seeing my boy Scott Fitzgerald portrayed on screen. By the way, I have to learn more about Scott & Zelda. I've read his work, and now I need to understand more about the woman in his life. 

Speaking of Paris and Marion Cotillard, "La Vie En Rose" about Edith Piaf is a must see. She does an absolutely stunning portrayal of Edith Piaf. Actually, this woman could give a stunning portrayal of a shoebox, so it doesn't matter.

The Last Nude

I saw this book by Ellis Avery reviewed in "O" magazine and I wondered to myself why I never read the books suggested. So, at the library, I happened upon this book by Ellis and just picked it up. It's a story about a young American girl who becomes a model for an artist in pre-WWII Paris.  Until I saw the book's
website, I didn't realize Tamara De Lempicka was an actual art deco artist and really represented this style. The book dives into the relationship between artist and model, artist and partons, and how when you're surviving from the gut emotions get in the way. The story is definitely erotic and romantic, and feeds into the romanticism of that era. But, throwing in a kick of reality with political undertones.

I wasn't thrilled with the way the author had 75% of the book told from the point of view of the model, but then had the last 25% in the artist's voice 60 years later. That was disruptive. Her voice should've been used throughout the story, but then it may have interrupted Rafaela's story and how things were revealed to her in time. Also, I did get confused between some of the characters. Maybe that's just me, and I don't need additional art fans and friends inside the story unless they have a purpose.

By the way, Rafaela is 17 in the story. When did heroines start aging?

Media Games about "The Hunger Games"

So Annika and I have had some back and forth about "The Hunger Games."

The movie is out and media is all abuzz about the movie, the stars, the books, posters with Team Peeta. I saw a girl at the school wearing a t-shirt. So naturally, she wants to see the movie. No, it's PG-13.

"Ok, can I read the books? EVERYONE has read the books." I'm hesitant because this is a Young Adult series, and she's in 5th grade. Her argument was that this was Hollywood. Percy Jackson in the books is about 12, while in the movies, he's driving or something. I'm still not buying it. Just because you can read something, doesn't mean you need to read it. I haven't read these yet either. Now, is the time I have to put on my mom hat and stop the media from dictating what my child reads.

I checked online and the movie sites reviews for families frequently pointed out the violence; while it may not be graphic per se, it's still pretty violent theme and particular incidents. My sister said she was scared at certain times and the basic theme of children killing children is disturbing. I just saw a post somewhere else where the mom took a 10 year old and now has to have a discussion.

Definitely forget the movie.(Seriously, I'm not sure I want to watch this either!). I read the producers are worried because the 3rd book is extremely violent and they're not sure how to portray that. (Oh, curse you J K Rowlings for ending the biggest money making literary phenomena known to mankind!)

As for the books, I checked with one friend whose daughter is the same age, but an advanced reader. She said her teacher recommended it for her knowing her maturity level. I sent a note to Annika's teacher and school librarian. The teacher agreed with me and said it's not on the list of recommended books for the elementary school. The school librarian said she may recommend that book to 6th graders. However, she pointed out an alternative would be "Shadow Children" series.

I googled that and learned it's about a dystopia where children are in hiding because of population overgrowth and lack of resources. Apparently, it's a series and quite a fan favorite. That seemed just as depressing!

The only series I cared about in 5th and 6th grade was "Little House on the Prairie." However, I've learned quickly in the last few years that if I dare show her a book that I enjoyed as a child, she will invariably not be into it. The only exceptions being Judy Blume & Beverly Cleary books.I did like my share of depressed and struggling orphan stories, but also liked stories of girls with mousey brown hair. She likes her spies and secret powers.

So, we had a talk this evening about the books and her teacher and librarian feedback. My message was you have time for it. I remember when "Avatar" came out and people were taking kids to see it in 3D. Annika was about 8 or so, and I knew it would be too much for her. Wait another year, it came on video and we watched it together. I reminded her of that. Her only comment was "Oh, I didn't like that movie.. it was so blue." OK.

Therefore, if the books are worthwhile, they'll wait for her. She has years ahead of her to read those books. But right now, she should look for age-appropriate books. Next year at this time, she won't be interested and would miss out on something special. By the way, I was first feeling like I was censoring what she reads. But a friend succinctly pointed out that I was not censoring, but "monitoring." That's different.

Just for the record, I feel strongly about the under 10 crowd reading Harry Potter books as well. If they're interested, it's fine. However, they should plan to read it again in 10 years. That's when the beauty of the writing, the symbols and moral issues will "magically" appear to them and they'll truly be scared of Voldemort.

Must See TV We Saw

While flipping channels the other day, I stopped upon "Designing Women" rerun. It reminded me of the period in late 80's and early 90's, when I was in high school and college. At that time, there were some strong television shows that I think shaped a lot of my opinions and potentially, my lifestyle today. While we feel children are vulnerable audience to images on television, so are young 20-somethings.

Here are some shows that hold strong memories for me.Maybe there are shows like these out there today but they're drowned out by reality shows and vocal/dance competitions.

Designing Women: This show had funny and likeable characters, but also addressed big issues like sexism, racism, homophobia and AIDS. The episode I caught last week was about Mary Jo's significant other losing his job and she has to be sole supporter. It was a discussion on men and women's roles and how she couldn't handle that burden. Each of the characters voiced a different opinion on the issue, but with humor. You had Suzanne's "Southern old-fashioned" ideas parallel Julia's progressive ideas. I loved Dixie Carter! Elegant, composed, witty and charming. Actually, I liked all the women on the show.


Murphy Brown: Candace Bergen rocked! Murphy gave Republicans something to talk about when she had a baby as a single mother. She was strong, smart and fragile at the same time. I loved Faith Ford's character who played the optimistic, pretty young anchor and you could see her change over the 10 years.Murphy is a nod to Mary Tyler Moore - another show we loved in the 70's. Again, an independent female journalist facing a male dominated and opinionated forum. Murphy Brown was produced by the same team as Designing Women, so they weren't going to back down from controversial topics. Did I ever mention that journalism was my path not taken? I was grooming myself for it in high school, then cowed away from it in college. I have such admiration for all journalists.
 

Moonlighting: This was one of my favorite shows and probably the only time I really liked Bruce Willis (until "The Sixth Sense"). I wasn't that thrilled with Maddie Hayes as a role model nor with her shoulder pads. However, I liked her spunk. I remember it being really well-written and the dialogue was sharp. They were also one of the shows that addressed the camera directly, acknowledging the audience. That's always really cool writing style. Thanks to the age of Youtube, Maddie and David are still arguing. My all time favorite was their version of Taming of the Shrew where they wore Shakespearean costumes and paralleled their lives. Don't know why Bruce Willis went the path of action movies, when he could really act and we loved the quirky smirk.

Thirtysomething: This was on 1987 to 1991, and then played in reruns the years after I graduated from college. My friends and I loved this show and we were so upset when Gary died! I started watching this show when I heard that the two leads were in advertising. Did I ever mention that advertising was my other path not taken? I groomed myself for it in college with an internship, but never got a job in the industry. Anyway, they were a small circle of friends in the suburbs trying to raise kids, sustain relationships and career. Again, it was well-written and very realistic.I fell for the characters since I could identify with each of them - the moms, the single women, the artists, the career women, the friends. I'd love to watch this show now, 20 years later and see how my perspective has changed with this.

At the time I was watching all these shows, I was not sure where I wanted to be in my life. I could not think 20 years forward to where I am now -- juggling family with a demanding career and artistic pursuits. I definitely never imagined myself working in a predominantly male field of IT. My early paths were working side by side with strong females, so I know I have a right to be heard when I'm the only woman at the meeting table. Murphy Brown and Mary Tyler Moore did it, and Julia Sugarbaker taught me to remember to do with class. I learned from Hope Steadman and Nancy Weston that your children and family come first. I learned from Eliot and Michael that I don't really like what they're doing in advertising after all and I need to follow opportunities that reveal themselves to me.

It'd be great if there were shows like this today to show young people that you don't need people to judge or vote for you to be a success in your own life. We've redefined what success means (a viral youtube video seems to be the route to celebritydom).

Love Story-ies

I watched "Love Story" last night on TV; it's one of those movies that I never watched fully and even yesterday was partial. I got hooked into it, probably due to the music. The theme is alluring, and it wasn't until I met my husband did I know that there were lyrics to that tune.

I first read the book in 7th grade and didn't really get it, though I had friends who loved it. My father told me that was ok. I tried it again later when I was in high school or college, and didn't really get it. It'sa good story, but I wanted something more with it. I read Love Story 2 and 3, looking for more and not finding it. I actually became a bigger Erich Segal fan out of this quest.

So, I watch it now and I do like the sharp dialogue between Jenny & Oliver. I don't understand Ali McGraw's accent in the movie, since it sounds "upper crust". Yet, it grows on you. I do like movies with smart women because I cannot stand it when the guy falls for the girl who just stood there..by the flowers.. enraptured by her beauty..violins playing in the back. It doesn't happen like that. I was disappointed in "Four Weddings & a Funeral" when Hugh Grant falls for Andie McDowell before she even talks. On the flip side, you have "After Sunset" and "Before Sunrise" that show the couple falling into love with the dialogue and revealing their personalities. That's what makes more sense.

The part that always stumped me was the "love means never having to say you're sorry." What does that mean? Does it mean that when you love someone you won't do anything that will require you to say sorry? (Ahem, certain congressmen and governors!) Does it mean that when you love someone you will automatically forgive them and they don't need to say sorry? You already accept them with their flaws.

Compared to today's standards, the movie just glossed over Jenny's illness. Think of "StepMom" where Susan Sarandon has cancer and it becomes a stronger part of the story. I once read a book about young girls with cancer and they had criticized Ali McGraw for looking so glamorous in the movie.

Lastly, Ryan O'Neal. Wow. His acting was flawless. I need to go dig up more 70's movies with him.

"Where the Wild Things Are" Review

Spoiler Alert.


When I first heard about this movie, I was intrigued and blogged about it. My daughter and I watched it last night and I think I want to watch it again. Just to make sure I understand this movie.

Stylistically, I liked the way it was shot. Very casual, handheld camera movements, light hits seemingly arbritarily, but it's intentional. The beginning of the movie had a 70's feel to it, so it instantly reminded me of my childhood. I actually questioned the timeline until we see the mother working on a computer. Actually, it was an older desktop she had. So, now it could appeal more to someone who grew up in 90's.

It opens up with a day in Max's life. He's wrestling the dog and seems more animal than boy. You see everything from his point of view and can empathize with him. Watching him argue with his mother in the famous scene, he seems like a lost and frustrated boy. You understand his situation from his point of view, as well as his family's.

When he escapes to "where the wild things are," his adventures begin. The Wild Things are essentially large muppets with excellent facial expressions. I loved how they all had normal voices and names - Carrol, KW, Judith. Nobody had a fanciful name or funny voices. They sounded and acted like average humans. They just had the impulse to eat Max, every now and then.

At home, Max has no control over his circumstances. With the Wild Things, he does. Yet, with power comes great responsibilities. They have their adventures and there's no sense of time in this new world. There's no sense of baths either as his costume gets dirtier. When problems rise and he's forced to be the "grownup", he quietly reflects. There are lots of power dynamics between the other creatures and their own relationships with each other, as well as what it takes to make an ideal society. The whole movie is rather quiet and low.

So, the book is written for young readers - 5-7 years old. It's perfect for kids. There's a bit of rebellion, lots of dreams. When I was young, I didn't like Max because he was a rude boy. I loved the Wild Things with their fun spirit.

I watched this movie with my 9-year-old, and I think that's a good age to really absorb this movie. Anyone younger will quickly be turned off by the quiet nature of this movie. Also, I'm intrigued by my daughter's reaction to this movie. When I was young, I was offended by "I'll eat you up" threat from Max. My daughter was shocked when Max bit his mother in anger. That stayed with her all evening as his most brazen act - you don't attack your mother. She was also upset by the way he had wrestled the dog and was surprised the dog took it. She and I talked about Max and his handling of anger, since I don't want her to imitate him and think she could get away with it. By the way, she asked me what would I do if she ran away. I told her I'd go find her and she could never go away from me. I have to laugh thinking of my sister and I threatening my mom that we'd run away. She'd laugh at us and say, "Oh yeah, go right ahead. The world is ready for you, right? Come here, we've been waiting for you!"

The end was surprisingly quite moving. Max's farewell to his friends and his reunion home.

I definitely want to see it again and understand it better. And turn up the volume more so I could hear it.

Eloise Today

My daughter is an Eloise fan and loves the books, animated stories and movie; a live action film was done in 2003 with Julie Andrews as, of course, the Nanny. The stories take place in the 1950's Plaza Hotel and the central character is the rambuctious and precocious Eloise who lives there. What a dream, isn't it? To have the run of a hotel - order room service, have adults wait upon you - How awesome! Eloise's self importance and sense of adventure go beyond her 6 years. And the energy she has to climb stairs and elevators is remarkable.

We were watching the film on the Disney Channel the other night and a couple of things struck me. This story could only take place in 1950's. Mom is in Paris (we're not sure where Eloise's father is), but she's quite glamorous as she was once a debutante. She leaves her with Nanny, who is obviously not doing a good job if Eloise is running amuck in the hotel. Nanny relaxes in the evening by smoking and watching boxing and horse races, while enjoying her scotch.

Could there be a real life Eloise in 2009?

- Nanny would not have passed the background check --she must have some betting circuit going on the way she's so enthusiastic about races. The smoking and drinking while on duty would have also eliminated her.

- The new licensed Nanny would be driving Eloise to various lessons and classes everyday. That child has so much energy she should be channeling into dance, gymnastics, acrobatics and acting, since she has a flair for melodrama.

- Don't forget playdates to keep up her social interaction with her peers.

- In one way, I have to wonder if renting a room at the Plaza is cheaper than paying rent, maid service and take out in NYC?

- To keep Eloise in isolation at the Plaza, her tutors came to her. She might be taking some online tutorials if she needed to today.

- The Plaza would have put a stop to Eloise's antics on day 1 because she created risky situations that may result in potential legal ramifications against the hotel.

- Not to mention, there is probably stepped up security so unauthorized people couldn't enter the laundry rooms and kitchens.

- Mom would be emailing and IM'ing and texting the child constantly. She would want to make sure she had an active presence, if she couldn't physically be there.

I understand good heroes and heroines need to have absent parents in order to come forward and have adventures (e.g., killed by Valdemort, mysteriously disappear, tragically die). Also, kids like seeing other kids be bad. Eloise set the foundation for Junie B. Jones and probably Zack & Cody.

Max at Sea

I can imagine how much fun it was to write this one!
Max at Sea: newyorker.com is David Eggers' short story, which colors in the pictures drawn by Maurice Sendak in "Where the Wild Things Are." And, he colors outside the lines, which makes this more delightful to read.

By the way, I had mixed emotions about WTWTA when I was in kindergarten. I loved the creatures, the island, the boat.. I hated Max. I thought he was an obnoxious boy, who didn't listen and he talked back to his mother! How rude! When I was in my 20's I sought out the book to find that line that was so offensive. He had said to his mother "I'll eat you up!" That was it. In my mind, you never said something like that to an adult. And, I was sure that animal suit was smelly too.

So, now there's a film adaptation of the story. I just watched the trailer to this, and I'll have to say I'm intrigued because Max does not seem like the angry boy I described above, and as designed in Eggers' story. He seems like the lost dreamer who finds acceptance. The film looks beautiful and creatures are warm and cuddly, so my daughter will definitely enjoy this.

More Henry V

All things are ready, if our minds be so.


The night before the battle, Henry roams through the camp in disguise to talk to his men. He then prays.
O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts;Possess them not with fear; take from them nowThe sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbersPluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O Lord,O, not to-day, think not upon the faultMy father made in compassing the crown!

After the English are declared the victors, Henry leads his men.
Come, go we in procession to the village.
And be it death proclaimed through our host
To boast of this or take the praise from God
Which is his only.

Love In the Time of Cholera

I read this book when I graduated from college and I loved it. I raved about the beautiful language and remembered the opening scene referring to the smell of cyanide and death to bitter almonds. I remember not understanding the title so much and taking it at face value. A few years ago, I read "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and became a true Gabriel Garcia Marquez fan. I was so relieved that Oprah had an interactive site for that book, explaining characters, symbolism and even a Q&A with a Marquez scholar. It was a difficult book and frustrating at times, but oh so worth it! Just beautiful.

When the LITC movie came out the end of last year, I decided to reread this book first. I'm thrilled I did because I got more out of this book today than I did 15 years ago. When I read the snapshot of Fermina and Juvenal's daily married life, I understood it so keenly. I looked at Florentino through his mother Transita's eyes and felt her heartbreak knowing his heart was broken. Also, I did find something annoying and alluring about Florentino himself. There are times you want to shake him and say "Wake up, man! Live your life!" But you know that's not how it is. This is his life.

I saw the movie on DVD and it moved exactly like the book. We are always the first to complain when the movie steers away from the book. However, when the movie is this close to a book, it becomes predictable and tiresome. My husband walked out the first 30 minutes, complaining Florentino was a schmuck for waiting 53 years for this man to die. I stayed with the movie until the end (albeit fast forwarding) and I did like the ending. I felt the relationship between Fermina and Florentino in the end was illustrated better in the book -- you could see it grow through the letters. Javier Bardem in this movie was.. well.. whew! I felt he brought the sadness and awkwardness of Florentino alive, and maintained it while the character aged. I wasn't impressed with Fermina as a character, even in the book because I felt she was complex, but never fully matured.

As for the title, the symptoms of love and cholera are similar, which leads to the confusion and the alliances. Yet, the beauty of is it is that to experience love in the time of cholera means that love will survive. Take the ending, when they feign cholera so they can be in love.

In short, read the book.

Little Women

Last night, I watched 1949 "Little Women" on cable. It has June Allyson as Jo, Janet Leigh as Meg, blonde Elizabeth Taylor as Amy and Margaret O'Brien as Beth. At that time, these were huge stars, even Margaret O'Brien was known child actress. The 1994 version with Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, and Christian Bale is also a fabulous movie.

I loved Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" series when I was young. I remember hunting for "Little Men" and "Jo's Boys" at the library.

To those who are not familiar with the story, it's about a family of four sisters in New England in 1860's. The father has gone to fight in the Civil War and the mother, Marmie, holds the family together.

The central character is Jo, whom Louisa May Alcott based on herself. Jo is a self-assured tomboy and a creative writer. Meg softer and longs for pretty things, but bears the weight of being the eldest in the family. Beth is kind, generous and musically inclined. And, Amy is the youngest, free spirit and self-absorbed.

This is a great story of relationships within a family and outside. Yes, things are rosy sometimes and more often than not, they aren't. Also, the sibling relationship is so unique where brothers/sisters are close to each other to hurt them, but then also forgive and move on.

When I read these books I identified with Jo's passion for writing and storytelling. In the movie, June Allyson's Jo is telling Laurie why it's important for her to write and he doesn't get it. She writes in the garrett of their house, seeking her private space.

I also identified with Meg since I was the oldest in my family and you forever have to be "responsible" for others and set an example.

As for Amy, she makes me so mad. If anyone in literature deserved a slapping it would be Amy March for throwing Jo's manuscripts into the fire in a spoiled tantrum. Actually, there are many moments when selfish Amy should've been disciplined. (Come on, Marmee, wake up!)

Beth.. yes, dear kind Beth. My favorite scene about Beth is on "Friends" believe it or not.
Joey is reading "Little Women." He's enjoying the book and Rachel asks, "Did you get to the part where Beth dies yet?" He stops. He chokes, "Beth dies? How could Beth die!?" Then Rachel comforts him and takes the book and puts it in the freezer. Everyone loves Beth.

By the way, I tried to read "Little Women" again about 6-7 years ago. Somehow, I couldn't get through it. It didn't flow and seemed forced. However, it's probably because these characters are already embedded in my consciousness, I couldn't reintroduce myself to them if I tried.

We're all like Laurie - watching the March family from a window and wanting to be part of them.

Cinematic Potpourri for $200

We've seen a bunch of movies recently and I don't have enough comments to dedicate a whole post to each one.

The Producers: Great movie, lots of fun. Just wish we had seen this on Broadway. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are so talented and funny, that I can imagine live would have been wonderful experience. However, they pointed out in the Behind-The-Scenes interviews that they took advantage of the cinematic aspects versus the limitations on stage. Therefore, they were able to create the feel of those old Hollywood dance numbers. I liked Uma Thurman too ("Ulla dance now.")

Munich: I'm mixed about this movie. While the setting is 1970's, the theme is current. The idea of eliminating the terrorist masterminds to seek avengence for a horrible event, a task which is unending as there will always be successors. More deaths are incurred and the battle continues without an end in sight. Sadly 30 years later, the Israel and Palestinian arguments are still relevant. There's a lot of suspense, explosions and gun violence. Being the wimp that I am, I had my laptop and was doing some other things at those moments. It was actually quite long, which surprised us and then the ending is just there in its ambivalence.

By the way, I was reading other reviews about this, and most are giving this movie a positive rating; it was nominated for Best Picture. However, I found this succinct quote: You cannot make a convincing case against terrorism by showing one graphic scene after another of cold-blooded murder. (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)

Maybe that's the real hesitation on my part to warm up to this movie. Violence breeds more violence.

Matchpoint and Melinda, Melinda: We've always snatched up every Woody Allen movie we can find. With his new movies, I guess we think like a lot of people do - we are trying to look for the old Woody Allen in an updated overcoat. The only reason I'm putting these two movies together is because they have the same director and they both have a one-line thesis.

The thesis for "Matchpoint" is one must be lucky in life, everything else will fall into place. It's a serious movie, much like "Crimes & Misdemeanors." However, it turns eerie and unbelievable, yet very believable. The acting is excellent, and there are two pairs of the most sensual lips in the world - Scarlett Johannson & Jonathan Rhys Meyers. When Jonathon is on screen, he owns it. Not so much his character, but him. (Remember him as the coach in "Bend It Like Beckham"?)

The thesis for "Melinda, Melinda" is that one incident in life can be interpreted as a tragedy or a comedy. Allen took this concept and ran with it. A group of intellectual artists discuss this at a restaurant. They throw out a scenario of a woman appearing at the door and interrupting a dinner party. So, the story plays out simultaneously with brief introductions from the artists/chorus. (Actually - it just hit me they were like the Chorus! Remember the Chorus "Mighty Aphrodite"? Nice tool to have in films). So, there are back-to-back scenes of the stories and it is pretty consistent. I liked how certain elements would show up in each depiction (i.e., a certain dark French restaurant, a rusty genie lamp).

Anyway, who would have thought Will Farrell would be in a Woody Allen movie? We were shocked. However, his character was in the comedic interpretation of the scenario and he becomes the neurotic, quick-witted Woody Allen archetype that's always present. He follows the steps of Jason Biggs and Kenneth Branagh who had similar roles in Allen's movies. I saw Amanda Peet as more of the Diane Keaton type of his movies - sexy, charming and slightly insecure.

Water and 15 Park Avenue

Deepa Mehta's Water and Aparna Sen's "15 Park Avenue" are two brilliant movies directed by Indian women that approach taboo topics. The topics are delicate and the directors handle them with love and sensitivity. These topics are glass. If handled roughly, they would shatter. When handled properly, they could be a prism, reflecting the colors and the lights that we don't see.

"Water" is Mehta's third movie in her trilogy with "Fire" and "Earth." This movie has been fraught with controversy and was ultimately filmed in Sri Lanka.

For many Indians, the treatment of widows is a hurtful and embarrassing scar from the past. Most of the anger in the Indian community is "Why do you need to show that to western audiences?" I personally think it is important to know and remember your history as you build your future. While widows may not live in the same harsh conditions depicted in the movie, widows are still regarded differently to a degree and the biases are more subtle.

In an interview, Deepa Mehta stated: "Water can flow or water can be stagnant. I set the film in the 1930s, but the people in the film live their lives as it was prescribed by a religious text more than 2,000 years old. Even today, people follow these texts, which is one reason why there continue to be millions of widows. To me, that is a kind of stagnant water. I think traditions shouldn't be that rigid. They should flow like the replenishing kind of water."

Cinema is a powerful medium transforming faceless widows into real and recognizable people. There was an elderly widow who craved laddoos and sweets. Don't we all? How would your needs for small pleasures in life disappear suddenly? The confidence and esteem of these women is beaten down. And, they beat down on each other, knowing they cannot rise.

John Abraham's role is wonderful in its symbolism. A flute-playing, Gandhian named Narayan (another name for Lord Vishnu) becomes an image of Krishna, a savior to the women. Lisa Ray is exquisite as the beautiful widow who is forced to prostitute by the ashram matriarch. I've seen Lisa and John in Bollywood movies, so it was refreshing to see them in such serious roles, which they fulfilled beautifully.

The character of Chuyia, the child widow, is so important. Mehta shows how her youthfulness is oppressed by the burden of widowhood. I just read that young Sarala, who plays Chuyia the child widow, does not speak Hindi and learnt her lines phonetically. Right there is one challenge as an actor.

The other movie that slipped in quietly was "15 Park Avenue." I enjoyed Aparna Sen's "Mr. & Mrs. Iyer" so I knew this would be as stimulating. I thought this was well-developed story, though it used some cliched story-telling techniques. Overall it was done well. The actors - Shabana Azmi & Konkana Sen - are absolutely talented. People were thrilled with Rani Mukherjee in "Black." However, Sen captures the true spirit and complexity required to play a schizophrenic girl. She wasn't afraid to 'get ugly' and work hard to play this role without resorting to stereotypes.

What I liked about the movie as a whole as that each character has a story and they reveal themselves in their own way. For example, Joydeep's wife is a peripheral character, but the audience sees she is just as complicated and brings in her own feelings as a main character.

The ending was interesting -- abrupt & dreamlike. It didn't flow with the rest of the movie, which seemed realistic. This could be a turn-off for some audiences.

I'm really happy we're able to see these movies now, either on DVD or in the theater.

My Own Elizabethtown

I remember there were a lot previews for this movie, but it simply disappeared. It was a good movie with a lot of soul, but no body. There was something missing and I’m still not sure what. Kirsten Dunst is always good, and there’s Orlando. Orlando, Orlando.

As usual, there are movies reviews elsewhere online, but I write about what hits me.

After his father’s sudden death, Orlando’s character, Drew, comes to his father’s Kentucky hometown. Drew is a “citified” kind of guy with a hotshot lifestyle and only his sister and mother in Oregon. When he enters Elizabethtown, he’s amazed that strangers know who he is and why he’s there. He enters a house and everyone jumps on top of him with hugs and recognition as “Mitch’s boy.” Drew is amazed at the lack of formality and openness. There’s an aunt (Paula Dean) who holds the family history with words, photographs, and food. Traditions and beliefs have long roots in their home.

I recognized myself in Drew at that moment. I’ve felt that way visiting India. My first trip was when I was eleven and we had gone to my father’s small town Rajpipla. People came out of everywhere to introduce themselves as an aunt, uncle, cousin, or a neighbor who held my father on his knee. First cousins I didn’t know I had jumped to greet us at the bus depot. I didn’t have to prove myself or earn their hugs and affection. They knew who I was and we were family.

I remember going to a community event with a friend, and we were talking to a woman. She needed to identify me and asked whose daughter I was. My parents’ names did not ring a bell for her, since we didn’t live there. I mentioned my aunt’s name and our address (“opposite the post office”). She said, “Oh, are you the America-walli?” She had heard.

One line out of the movie that echoed for me was when a random cousin says to Drew, “Everyone says we look alike. Wow. It’s like looking in a mirror.” Bit of a joke, since he does not look like Orlando (no one looks like Orlando). When I went to India a few years ago, people kept telling my cousin Sheetal and I that we looked alike now. The comparisons were a bit tiresome. When Sheetal and I were reunited, we faced each other, holding the other’s shoulders. We studied each other’s face, and I said, “Wow. We look alike.” She said, “I feel like I’m looking in a mirror.” We laughed hysterically because we didn’t.

Since our visits have been few and far between, it is more of an introduction than a reunion. We don’t have too many memories together and need to find links and common grounds. For example, it was exciting to learn first cousins on my father’s side also have creative talents. We knew we got our artistic talents from father, but we didn’t think beyond our immediate family. It was amazing to have an innate connection to others.

The openness and lack of formality in India is like being wrapped up in a warm fleece blanket. Definitely feels wonderful when you’ve been in the cold. Of course, even if it’s 100-degrees outside, that blanket is still there. Indian relations believe they have the right to interrogate you about your weight, pimples, eyebrows, eyeglass prescription, etc. Not only will they ask, they will offer unsolicited advice and solutions to things you didn’t know were a problem. It’s not just immediate relations, but anyone who feels they have a connection. So, it’ll be that neighbor’s sister-in-law’s friend who will make recommendations about your complexion. That’s when the American in me needs to shake off that blanket and retreat into a world of privacy.

"Elizabethtown" invoked these memories of being an outsider who actually belongs. (Here's one more picture of Orlando for the road!)

Review: The Squid and the Whale

I had heard a lot about this movie through NPR interviews with writer/director Noah Baumbach. I thought it was going to be an intense, serious movie about a breakup of a marriage and family. It was definitely serious, but it had something else that made it so realistic and familiar.

Laura Linney is absolutely fabulous as an actress. There's one scene where she's talking to Jeff Daniels and her face runs a gamut of emotions - first cold and hard talking to her estranged husband, then her face is lit up talking about her son's achievement and suddenly she's on the brink of tears as she realizes what is happening to their family. All within a few minutes on a doorstep conversation.

By the way, seeing Jeff Daniels as a professor in a relationship with a student reminded me of his role in "Terms of Endearment."

There are plenty of reviews on line, so I wanted to pull out another interesting point in this movie. The oldest son plagiarizes in order to win his father's approval. He has no problem reiterating what his father says without having the substance to back it up. Anna Paquin's character also confesses to plagiarizing.

Now, this brings me back to our enfant terrible, Kaavya Vishwanathan. I said in my previous blog that she was an example of an overachiever for whom success was more important than substance. I think at 17 you feel like you know more than everyone else and can do anything you want. I thought it was interesting that a similar plot line developed in this movie. So, Kaavya is probably not the first and definitely not the last.

By the way, at the end of the movie, I was left a bit exhausted by the enormity of parenting. It's a phenomenal task to guide and build a human being. Every action and expression from the parents registers in the children and it affects them in many ways. If there's one takeaway from it, it was the need to create memories because who knows what the future holds.

The ending was good as we saw the older boy learning to reject his father's life, which he had adopted and start building his.

The DVD has a nice interview with Noah Baumbach and he talks about the themes of the story (e.g., the boys have different reactions to acknowledging their parents as sexual beings, parents need to know where boundaries). Also, this movie was born from his own experiences going through his parents' divorce, so the details are there. For example, how do you have joint custody of a cat?

Definitely think we will see the two boys in more movies in the future, and hope to see more from Noah Baumbach too.

Casablanca

"Casablanca" was playing on Turner Classics tonight and I paused. That's about it. The first time I saw the movie, I was in college. My roommate Ellen & I had gone to the student center one Friday night to see it. It was ok. We both walked out of it confused, not sure what the hype was about.

In the meantime, I watch people cry, quote, misquote and praise this movie ad nauseam, and I've been declaring it was overrated.

A few years ago, it was on TV and my husband told me I had to watch this from the beginning. Fair enough. Let's do it. I pretty much forced myself to watch it after a certain point. I don't really like Bogart, but I told myself, "Just finish it." I was so into it that I got up to do the dishes at one point.

Then, came the final scene:
Ilsa: You're saying this only to make me go.
Rick: I'm saying it because it's true. Inside of us, we both know you belong with Victor. You're part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.
Ilsa: But what about us?
Rick: We'll always have Paris. We didn't have, we, we lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.
Ilsa: When I said I would never leave you.
Rick: And you never will. But I've got a job to do, too. Where I'm going, you can't follow. What I've got to do, you can't be any part of. Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Now, now... Here's looking at you kid.

All of a sudden, I got it! Tears started flowing. I've heard this speech over and over, and I finally understood the context and what it meant for Rick to say that to her. She felt caught between the past and the present, and he was letting her go. Now I get that "here's looking at you kid."

They say a classic is something that endures time by remaining fresh and real. Something that always lets you see something you missed before. So, this is what a classic is? This is how a story, script and actors blend together to create timeless event.

With that said, I've seen it once and had an emotional rapturous experience. However, I don't think I can sit through the whole movie again though. Sorry Rick & Ilsa.

By the way, I love old Hollywood. When I was young, I used to get library books about child actors, Hollywood of the 30-50's. I used to borrow the same books over and over. I loved looking at my father's Life magazine collection of 50 years of Hollywood. I feel intimate with many of the actors and stars, though I may not have seen their movies. I think I'll have to do separate blogs for some of my favorite stars like Katherine, Cary and Audrey.

Getting Out of Bollywood: Being Cyrus & Iqbal Reviews

Indian cinema is truly taking off with force now. When you let the filmmakers loose, it’s amazing what they can do.

Iqbal
I know nothing about cricket. When the movie was three-quarters completed, I asked my husband "When the little thing falls off the sticks, is it a strike?" (Yes).

We really enjoyed this movie for all the other elements it offers. Iqbal is a boy with a talent for cricket, who faces many challenges to achieve his dream – his deafness, his father’s intolerance toward the sport, social prejudices, and unethical dealings in the sport.

Having worked with the deaf community years ago, I am drawn toward such stories. I was impressed with the sign language skills of the actors; it’s often easily faked in movies. On the DVD interviews, Director Nagesh Kukunoor mentions that this was important to him. His challenge was to find an actor who could act, play cricket and sign, which he did.

By the way, I’m a fan of Kukunoor’s “Teen Dewaar” (Three Walls). The story was tight, the film moved quickly and we didn’t expect the outcome. No one seemed to have seen “Bollywood Calling,” a movie that I enjoyed a lot for it's peek into the "filmy" world.

His stories are real and very well-written.

Being Cyrus

Was this movie made in India? Did Saif Ali Khan go through an entire movie without a song? This was a well-written and directed movie, but definitely not a movie for everyone.

The first point where it stands out is that the film is in English, focusing on Parsi characters. The film follows a narrative led by Cyrus, recapping recent events. The audience believes what he says, but there are many things that he doesn’t say. There are continuous flashbacks and hallucinations. These can be disturbing and confusing, to say the least.

There is a twist at the end – actually, it’s more than a twist, it’s a braid. So at the end, I wanted to watch it again and look for all the clues that I missed. Cyrus has a lot of angst and it is at the end it all makes sense. It’s a dark movie, and there is violence – though thankfully not as graphic as it could be.

I though Saif did a great job, but I think the director Homi Adajania was outstanding.

Naseerudin Shah gives a wonderful performance as a stoned sculptor. He was in “Iqbal” as well, as an ex-cricketer turned coach and supporter for Iqbal. And, Dimple is so exciting to watch these days, playing real people.

The one line repeated three times was at the end of a chess game, “the king and pawn go back into the same box.” Yes, that’s a nice line. There was another line that was powerful. Dinshaw (Shah) points to white flowers that are growing inside a well. He said “God is in the details.” Katy (Dimple) responds, “If God is in the details, who is looking at the big picture.” (Not exact quote, apologies to Adajania)

That’s what this movie is about – the details. Follow the details and only at the end can you see the big picture.

Another thought about this movie is the name. “Being Cyrus”has an obvious echo to "Being John Malkovitch,” which I loved. "Being John Malkovitch" was about puppetry, controlling another person’s thoughts and actions. At the highest level, "Being Cyrus" has the same theme.

Movie Review: Rang De Basanti

Wow.

What an amazing movie.

I heard a lot of positive things about this movie, and actually tried to see it in the theater. (I haven’t seen a Hindi film in a theater since 1997 "DDLJ"; I’m quite fine with DVD and the power to fast forward).

Here's a link to the story (please come back and finish my review though!)

I thought the filmmaking by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra was impressive. I liked the juxtaposition of the present day characters with their freedom fighter counterparts. The editing was crisp and flawless. I don’t think I’ve seen any Hollywood movies with that kind of hip and sharp music and video editing.

You have to look at it in two parts and I think he went over the top at times. However, I think you may have to for an audience, which may not be accustomed to cinematic subtleties. So, sometimes it felt a bit forced, but I think the director needed that. The biggest complaint against this movie is the last part not being realistic. Agree, perhaps it would happen in China or in a repressive society, and not in India. However, it's the idea of it happening in India being more shocking. You have to think of 1970 shootings at Kent State Univ in OH, where student protestors were shot and killed by the National Guard. That shocked the country, and the film shows a similiar shake-up.

The AR Rahman music is good as always - slamming down on the perfect balance of hip western and classical Indian styles. Unlike other Bollywood movies, the music is tied to the movie, so it must be seen *with* the movie to be appreciated more.

The first part of the movie was fun, though I had to wonder how long the care-free depiction would go on. I was wondering, “Why are you guys sleeping in the sun? You haven’t been doing anything, but lounging around anyway.”

They really showed the beauty of India through historic sites and landscape. It would have created a richer depiction if they had presented the more common people of India as well. In a way, that’s the life the characters led – isolation from India and life.

However, the beauty of the friendship was the blending of religions and cultures, especially the way Sue was enveloped into their group. Maybe it was Aamir Khan, but it reminded me of the comradery portrayed in "1947 Earth" before the Partition, where they were friends and Indians before they were Hindu, Muslim, Sikh.

Watching the scenes of the freedom fighters was powerful and you cannot watch without being moved by it. I couldn’t help but think about the war in Iraq. Is it a matter of semantics - what do we call those that want to shake the occupation - freedom fighters, rebels, insurgents? Watching the torture scenes and prisoners who are not afraid to die reminded me of what is happening now. I don’t want this movie review to become politically entwined, but if the purpose is to show the story of freedom fighters lives on, then it would live on in different forms and countries. People always fighting for what they believe.

Anyway, I found it a bit disheartening that Blondie spoke better Hindi than I can with her two weeks of night classes. The Indian directors now are really talented. Once they are given permission to step away from the Bollywood formula, it's really exciting to see what they can do.

Movie Review: Just Like Heaven

Did I need to put a "Chick Flick" warning label on this blog?

I watched it last night and it was a sweet movie. Has a nice mix of true love goes beyond our bodies and is a meeting of the souls, fate, destiny, whatever. In case you don't know the story, as I did not until it started, it's about two souls bringing each other back from the dead. I'll leave it at that.

Reese Witherspoon's character Elizabeth is very well developed in comparison to Mark Ruffalo's David. He's got that average guy cuteness about it, which makes him fetching - "Thirteen Going on Thirty" and "View From the Top". However, you need to have more than that.

It got a little annoying in the last scene in the hospital, but I thought it was fun. Reminiscent of "Ghost" though a lot lighter, and less confusing than "Chances Are" (remember Cybil Shepard's husband comes back in Robert Downey's body?).

I would've given David a career in the first scene. At least make him a writer who has a nagging agent or something. Then you would be able to see his "avoidance" issues.

Anyway, I'm sure this movie will make the TNT/TBS circuit. I think Reese Witherspoon is stepping into the heels of Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan for the romantic comedy genre. I did think she did a fabulous job in "Vanity Fair" though.

In case my friend Dr. Manisha is reading this, I thought of you a lot since Elizabeth is a doctor running around a hospital on no sleep! It looked very realistic to me, but I've never worked in a hospital so I buy whatever portrayals the pop culture/media feeds me. I mean, don't your colleagues look like George Clooney and Goran Visnjic?

Grease 2 is the Word

Allow me to push aside all my poetry, and make some room for teenage..um..thirty-something cheese.
I was flipping channels, trying to decide between three reality shows and Fashion Police, I stopped on the movie "Grease 2."

Summer of freshman year of high school, "Grease 2" was on HBO every six hours. We were obsessed with the original "Grease" when we were in elementary school. And, now we were ready for the next group of Rydell friends. Stephanie Zinone and Michael Carrington.

So, here I am.. fairly well-adjusted woman, wife, mother, professional, etc. Here comes Maxwell Caulfield with his pouty lips, and I start squealing. Where did that come from?

I thought he was absolutely dreamy and ten times better than John Travolta (well, you can't compare him to the John Travolta of today though. No one can touch The Man today.).

Anyway, I was trying to see what the big attraction is to this movie. Maybe as a thirteen year old, we identified with Stephanie's desires for something new, someone new..Remember 'Cool Rider'?

If he's cool enough,
He can burn me through and through.
Whhoa ohhhh
If it takes forever, Then I'll wait forever.
No ordinary boy, no ordinary boy is gonna do.
I want a rider that's cool.

I had Maxwell's pictures all over my locker; if only there was a guy like him in my school. He had that James Dean brood, but a real spark to him.

Anyway, so not only do I love cable tv for playing 20 year old movies for the heck of it, I love the internet. I found Grease2, a site officially dedicated to this movie. (I have trouble finding time to dedicate to a site for myself - I don't know how people do it!).

So, it seems they've had some reunions and our man Maxwell has aged quite nicely. :-) Anyway, will leave you with more lyrics..

Stephanie: You were the one, the one in my dreams, but I never knew it.

Michael: I wanted to tell you time and again, but I couldn't do it.

Stephanie: All that you are is all that I need, no more pretending.

Michael: Now I can be me, and you can be you,

Stephanie & Michael: And we're never-ending, whoa oh oh...We'll be together, always together. Like birds of a feather, forever and ever, We'll be together.