paramount +1 film festival for rainy days (but not mondays)

 

This has been the usual for us ever since Wednesday.

Pouring down rain in the middle of the afternoon, sometimes accompanied by thunder and lightning.

By 6 PM, it's dark enough outside that I have to turn on a light to be able to see what I'm doing.

The roof is just fine, thanks.

(smile!)

Fortunately for me, Comcast gave me a week of free viewing of the movies on the Paramount + SHO streaming channel.

I found out on Tuesday morning and that's when I watched "Monster Summer", partly because it had Mel Gibson as a retired cop.

As I soon discovered it also had a special treat for me: Patrick Renna, the kid who had been The Great Hambino in "The Sandlot"!!!

He was again playing baseball, this time as the umpire for the little league team in Martha's Vineyard.

Very good mystery movie!

Oh, it had Mason Thames, too, which prompted me to see "How To Train Your Dragon" again at AMC - sweet!

I have a new appreciation of his acting skills.

"The Nice Guys" was viewed on Wednesday.

Ryan Gosling plays the worst PI ever 

(so says his daughter, 'Holly', whose most def more astute), while Russell Crowe is a hitman whose been reduced to settling squabbles between kids.

For hire, of course.

They pair up when it turns out they're both looking for Amelia, the last one still alive who was associated with a porn movie.

"Confess, Fletch" was an homage to Chevy Chase's character,  performed with exactly the right touch by Jon Hamm.

No longer an investigative journalist, he's all about the art now, except this time the paintings are missing.

Loved the scenes of Rome!

All of those had been new to me, but I followed them with two I'd seen years ago.

"Chocolat" from 2000 was chosen because Rev. Billy Hester recently finished a four-week ZOOM study that used it as the base of discussion.

I keep hoping those taped studies will show up on youTube. 

Then there's "The Naked Gun: Files From Police Squad!" from 1988, chosen solely because the remake with Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin, Leslie Nielsen's bumbling cop.

I have to wonder if the name similarity between 'Neeson' and 'Nielsen' is meant to be an inside joke... I think I'll take it as one!!!

Speaking of inside jokes... three of these movies had tropical fish tanks!!!

Right place, right time, for me!

Those movies were: "The Nice Guys", "Confess, Fletch", and "The Naked Gun".

Very nice!!!

On to the last four movies.

"Gasoline Alley" was made in 2022 and is almost a one-man movie - and neither Bruce Willis nor Luke Wilson are that man.

Devon Sawa is the lead, a tattoo artist accused of killing "The Four Beauties", a quartet of call girls given that moniker by the media.

Bruce Willis mostly is called upon to just be in a few scenes, with a few lines to give his aging detective a bit of life. 

I was sad watching him, as I've loved him ever since "Moonlighting"...

but aphasia has made him seem more than just 3 years older than me.

It's still a good movie with a good story.

After that, I wanted something completely different and "Extra Ordinary" was that.

I knew no one in this quirky Irish film about a driving tutor whose side hustle is helping to exorcise ghosts for folks in the township.

Well, I thought I knew no one until Will Forte showed up as a former rock star in need of a virgin sacrifice to jump start his career again.

This was definitely good for a few laughs!

Today, I watched "A Walk On The Moon" and "The Courier", both set in the 1960's.

I didn't choose them for that reason, but there they were, a gift on a rainy day.

(smile!)

Diane Lane and Liev Schreiber were a Jewish couple in the summer of 1969, vacationing with their family in the Catskills, as they have in years past. 

Their daughter, born when they were both teens, is now 14 and the mother is starting to feel like she's missed out on life.

So when 'the blouse man', a traveling salesman, innocently flirts with her, she takes him seriously and they have an affair that begins on the night of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing and runs right on past the Woodstock music and art fair several weeks later.

Viggo Mortensen is appropriately dreamy in the 1999 film as the counterpoint to the staid working man that her husband had become.

I recommended that one to Sandy!

(smile!)

"The Courier", set in the early 1960's, turned out to be one that I'd seen before.

With a similar vibe to "The Bridge Of Spies", this one has Benedict Cumberbatch as a salesman called to duty by MI-6 to go to Moscow and interact with a colonel there who is trying to prevent a war.

The timeline runs from the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961 to the Cuban missile crisis in late 1962, then beyond.

Nice to end this film festival with two history lessons!

(smile!)

birthday celebrations once more!!!

Most of the Kameron crew missed out on this rainy Friday.

I almost did, but Tony called to make sure I was coming!

That's because Smitty and Mary were there after all!

Smitty's eye doctor is so pleased with his progress that she has freed him up to drive again!

When she saw him this morning, she found the retina had reattached itself and is healing nicely, even though he still cannot really focus with that left eye.

That's going to take at least six to eight weeks, as long as all goes well.

The good news is, she's so confident of his healing that she doesn't need to see him again until August!!!

Hallelujah!!!

Hence, the Friday Fiesta at Jalapenos of Sandfly was on!!!

That meant time for the donning of the sombrero!!!

That meant the singing by Claudia and the other waitstaff!!!

That meant the shot of birthday tequila for Smitty!!!

What a celebration... I'm so glad I was there!

Thanks, Tony, for the call!

Thanks, Mark, for walking me to my car in the muddy back lot!

i thank You, God, we were all together!!!

pizza luncheon with 2 little girls!

 

Here is that sassy duo!

We were waiting for Christina to step away from the register at NCG Cinema and, when I asked them to pose, that sassiness came bursting out in full force!

Glad to know they take after me through nurture, since they cannot by nature.

We are linked forever by love!

(smile!)

And we were linked together at this viewing of "Clifford, The Big Red Dog", with the four of us sitting in the front row and laughing at the antics of the 12-year-old girl and the pet she received from Mr. Bridwell!

 

Yes, I had just seen it yesterday, but I had not seen it with them... and that makes all the difference!

Getting to laugh at the dog playing 'fetch' it in their company -

getting concerned when the corporation tries to take the puppy away -  

getting misty-eyed when the girl has to say goodbye at the ship -

yes, much better with Miyah and Chloe there with me!

As for Christina, she had a little nap in between scenes.

Hahahaha!

Then, off to Cici's Pizza for our luncheon!

I must say, this summer has really shown how much the girls have grown emotionally - they will be so much more ready for school this fall!

They both listen better, for starters.

My first niece even says they do well at entertaining themselves on rainy afternoons or hot evenings when the weather prompts them to stay indoors.

Good for them!!!

I am so proud of how much they have matured!

That's not to say they don't have their silly moments...

but so do I.

Good for them!!!

(smile!)

movie here, movie there, mileage in between

First thing this morning, I was off to see John Cleese!

I do so love that man with the twinkling eyes!!!

NCG had "Clifford The Big Red Dog" as their Summer Camp movie this week and so I knew the Brit would be there!

Surprisingly, Peyton's clone was in that movie, too!

Long curly red hair, pale skin, 6th grade - well, I guess Darby Camp is a year older than her.

I'm so glad the screening room was full of others who enjoyed the movie!

Although being the sole audience member doesn't detract from my enjoyment of a movie, I admit to getting an extra hit of merriment when others are there who are as actively engaged as I am.

Right place, right time, as confirmed by my odometer when home.

I was striving for a palindrome, but didn't quite make it.

Still, that mileage of 242042 was good enough to make me smile!

Encouraged, I checked Georgia Gateway about my Medicaid application.

It still lists mine as awaiting the caseworker's determination of my eligibility for those Medical Benefits that I had until April.

While the caseworker works on this, I have to pay the Medicare Part B premium, which means my Social Security check has been $185.00 short for three months.

That's a pretty hard hit to my budget.

Hopefully, that will be straightened out soon.

Thankfully, I had free entertainment tonight... and with my brothers!

When I called Smitty earlier to sing to him, he mentioned that he and Mary were going to Compassion Christian East for the "At The Movies" kickoff.

Most excellent!

Tony and Laura had spoken of that on Sunday, telling me that the movie selected to be sermonized was "The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring".

I knew that story well, as I once owned that trilogy in paperback form.

So, I made a plan to show up and surprise my brothers and their wives!

That worked out perfectly, as Laura spotted me at the door and waved me over to where they sat - hooray!

Very well done, the sermon was, inferring a comparison of the mysticism of the Ring (in the movie) to the mysticism of the Holy Grail (in the Christian Bible), though the inference was not direct.

Afterward, I was able to give Smitty a birthday hug and talk about his left eye.

Then I got big hugs from Mary, Tony, Laura, and Peyton - fabulous!

And after a bit of a chat about the movie and life, more hugs!

(smile!)

Bonus points to me for coming out on a rainy night, too.

i Thank You, God.

welcome to medicare, my biggest little brother!

 

I have flowers for you, Smitty!

This is the gorgeous bouquet that graced the right side of the stage Sunday.

Perhaps I should have brought them to you?

You are still recovering from surgery to your left eye for a torn retina.

As you know, I had the flowers given away to folks in recovery or grief.

I know how much that can mean to have a gift like that.

Hmm... maybe I'll surprise you with a floral spray after your doctor appointment on Friday to check the progress of the healing.

Isn't it a hoot that the eye surgeon in Hilton Head is the same one that treated Daddy when he had eye issues?

That sounds like some great joke from the Universe!

I'm glad Bonnie said it wasn't a torn retina that he had; at least it wasn't a genetic problem that you might have passed on to Zach or Kobe.

Such a relief!

Happy 65th birthday, my dear brother!

I love you so!

third place! twice!

Ah, yes!!!

Just after 1 AM today, I was in the top ten for "Family Feud"!

That was with AARP Games, not the TV show.

I caught my score by chance.

Perhaps I could get on the leader board for a different game?

Holy cow, I did it, too!

At 2 AM, I made the top ten for "Right Again! Trivia"!!!

Content with those bragging rights, off I toddled to dream.

After breakfast, I checked in to AARP.

Did I still have third place for the trivia game?

Not only did I not have third place, I was not even in the top ten.

In fact, none of the folks who had been on that early morning list were still there at 10:40 AM.

Might the same be true for "Family Feud"?

Almost so.

None of the early morning leaders were still on board, save one.

That was MichelleP3257, who had slipped from first place to 4th, but was still there.

Did I try to win my way back on either list?

I did not, as I had an appointment at Savannah VA.

I'll be seeing my PCP, Susan Barker, on Friday and she had ordered blood and urine tests from the lab.

That worked out fine for me to catch the new movie, "Jurassic Park: Rebirth", timing my arrival perfectly for as it began.

Very good summer-fare flick with lots of jump scares!

I had just enough time when I got home to watch "The Princess Bride", which I'd taped from ABC last night.

As I told everyone at Music Bingo tonight, it was wonderful to be able to zip right past all the 'mercials!!!

I was able to watch it in very nearly its 98-minute running time!

As for the Music Bingo at Midtown Sports, Sandy was the only one of six of us to win any of the five games.

She took both the first game ('Songs that start with A', requiring a single Bingo line) as well as the third game ('TV Themes', requiring two lines of Bingo).

She gave the first win to a guy named Mark, who had tied with her.

Elyssa usually wins one, as does Marcia, but they didn't this time.

Marcia's daughter, Amanda, was there, as was Sandy's longtime friend Kelly.

My favorite game was the second one: 'BEERS'. 

That acronym stood for 'Beatles, Eagles, Elvis, Rolling Stones' - very nice and quite location appropriate!

I was treated to hearing six by Elvis Presley!!!

Heartbreak hotel, don't be cruel! Suspicious minds, return to sender! Jailhouse rock, hound dog! 

Oh, yeah, right place, right time!

My odometer confirmed that when I got home.

The mileage read: 242020.

I had to read it three times to make sure that was correct!

Very nice!

Just in time for "The Quiz With Balls"!

(smile!)

happy bday63 to my middle brother

"Happy birthday to you,

happy birthday to you,

happy birthday, dear Ronnie,

happy birthday to you!"

I admit, I was a little lost when I came to sing to you.

A young man was sitting on your pier and I hadn't wanted to disturb him.

He was obviously enjoying the sunny day and the sweet breeze as he fished there.

I hope you steered a fish to his line!

Such a lovely day this has been...

I was so busy looking at the water that I almost missed the heart-shaped cloud.

By the time I snapped the photo, the heart was missing part of the right side.

Mine, too.

I miss you.