bday68 trip to the jepson!

"Hooray! You've taken your sweet bippy time about that this year!"

 

I have, and it actually was a spur of the moment thing. I suggested it as a place to go and she said she hadn't been in over a decade. Off we went downtown! And when we got there, a parking spot magically emptied as we arrived!

 

"Fabulous! Right place, right time!"

 

I concur wholeheartedly! And we were able to cut through the shade of Telfair Square, avoiding the summer heat. I'm so glad I recently renewed my membership! That allowed me to treat her to admittance, just as she had treated me to our luncheon. I really loved that I was able to do that!

 

"Marvelous! And I could swear I've seen that painting before. Isn't it one of those from the Monet exhibit a few years back?"

 

Good memory, as that was back in 2015. And you are correct! That's "The Garden Umbrella", by Frederick Frieseke, an American who did most of his works in the first third of the 20th century. This time, the piece owned by the Telfair is part of the "Impressionism And Modernity: French And American Painting" exhibit. This one opened in May, for my birthday, but I've just not made it there until today.

 

"That means you missed the opening reception for it, didn't you?"

 

Sadly, yes. I'm just glad to have made it this afternoon! All total, we probably spent 40 minutes in this exhibit. And, of that time, we sat and talked about this one painting for at least fifteen minutes!!! I have to believe the bench in front of it was so placed to encourage discussion.

 

"This is definitely not an impressionism work. I take it that it was one of the 'modernity' pieces borrowed from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC? What a detailed look at life by a busy waterway! There's even the two ladies in the foreground, stopping while walking their dog so the little boy can play with it! Very nice!!!"

 

That's exactly why we sat and talked about it! Sadly, neither of us made note of the title or artist for the piece. I guess I'll have to make a follow-up trip for that information! 

 

"I guess you will. And what's this exhibit?"

 

It's the one that opened in March. "Off The Coast Of Paradise: Artists And Ossabaw Island, 1961-Now" has a wide variety of pieces. Some are metallic sculptures, many are photographs, and a few are paintings. I really liked this quartet of photographs by Ellen Lanyon.

 

"I bet I know why!!! Three of those photos taken at a beach bear a striking resemblance to the Raman spectroscopy images you obtained for linear polyethylenes during your doctoral studies at Florida State University."

You're absolutely right! I very much liked seeing these. We spent probably 25 minutes exploring the exhibit until we stumbled upon a film being shown in the last room. Guess what it was? "Venus of Ossabaw", that short movie that was part of the talk I went to back in January of 2025!

 

"How very cool! Wait, I thought this was being screened on the outside of the Jepson, in the evenings, so everyone could see it. Right? Wasn't the Jepson offering that as part of the Juneteenth celebration?"

 

That's right, but that stopped two weeks ago. I'm glad we happened to catch most of it. The short is a little over 18 minutes, and we saw 13 minutes of it. The historical fiction followed 'Venus' for over a month, as she travels from her home as a slave to the marshes of Florida, eventually being taken in by a group of Catholics. There was no sound, and no subtitles, either, other than those denoting the passage of time. Still, we both were captivated by the young woman's travels and struggles in the wilderness.

 

"You keep saying 'we'. You and the mouse in your pocket?"

 

Hahaha! I haven't used that phrase in so long! No, no mouse but Rhonda, an old friend that I've recently made new contact with. She and I had a luncheon today and then, as she had free time, we'd wandered to the museum. What a wonderful time!

 

"And I see you captured her in front of Joe Guy's "1000 Cranes"!"

 

Yes, it's one of my favorite places to photograph visitors to my house. It really came out very well, didn't it? We'd visited for a while, with me giving her the history of every piece on the walls. Then we went to Kayak Kafe Midtown, where she'd never been, and both greatly enjoyed our choices! She had the Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos, and I had the Tuna half-sandwich and the West Indies Trader half-salad. Good energy for our museum trip later as it turned out! (smile!)

 

"I'm so glad y'all had such a good time today!"

sometimes the wrong train will get you to the right station

(My thanks to this site for the above photograph.)

This is going to be more fun with movie quotes, so buckle up!
As before, I've pulled some random quotes from films viewed this week. It's up to YOU to match them with the correct films.
This time, however, the movies are not "kid" movies, per se. I certainly do not mean the films below cannot be viewed, and enjoyed, by children of various ages. No, not my meaning at all. I simply mean they are not part of my Summer Kid Film Festival.
Now that we have that straight, are you ready?
Get set!
GO!
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The movie choices are:

4) On Tuesday, at Spotlight, I fell in love with the "Guardians of the Galaxy"! , No, I lie - I fell in love with Groot. He/she/it is truly a magical being!
5) Also on Tuesday, at the home of friends, I was treated to "Bowfinger", along with Byrd Cookie Company's Black and Whites.
6) On Wednesday, at the Sentient Bean, I was reminded, once more, of the many charms of George Hamilton, in his dual star-turn in "Zorro: The Gay Blade"!
7) Last night, at JAVAFlix Savannah, I saw "The Lunchbox" with ten other folks, discussing the film's themes afterward.
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And here are the random quotes!

D) "Two bits, four bits, six bits, a peso!"

E) "I think sometimes we forget things if we have no one to tell them to."

F) "If I had a black light, this place would look like a Jackson Pollock painting."

G) "Would you be willing to cut your hair?"
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Okay, come on, I'm sure you were able to guess at least two of them right away. "Am I right or am I right or am I right?" (Quoting Ned, the insurance guy.)
But, of course!
So, let's see the correct answers!

4) F
Star-Lord, aka Peter Quill, is practically bragging about his many conquests, in this sexual innuendo. (Gamora has just complained about the surface filth of his spaceship.)
Consider the painting shown above, titled "Convergence", with said black light...
Oh, my!!!

5) G
Bowfinger's question as he interviews Jif, a bit of a doofus, but easily a double for the star (Kip) he cannot afford for his film.
Much hilarity ensued!

6) D
Okay, a peso is a mexican unit of money, so...
That's right!
Bunny Wigglesworth prances through the verse, finishing with "All for Zorro, stand up and say so!"
Thoroughly delightful swashbuckler!

7) E
Mr. Fernandes, a widower and lunchbox recipient, is relating the tale of his auto rickshaw ride through his childhood neighborhood to Ila, a young mother and lunchbox preparer. It's quite a poignant moment in the film, but may easily be overlooked.
It clearly speaks of this man's trip back from the edge of the deep, dark sadness of the world, thanks to her accidental kindness to him.
I know, only too well, about that edge.
I am fortunate to have so many who love me, so many to hear my tales.
But I am also fortunate to have this beach.
Sometimes, I find it reassuring to be able to review those times when I stray too close to that drop off.
When I need to be reminded of who I am.
When a moment in a film strikes too closely at the patched black hole in my heart.
When the rationale behind a special trip needs to be recalled.
When a kick to my damaged heart is needed to restore it to life.
It's good to be able to know I've been there and made it through to the other side.

In case you were wondering, the title of this post is also a quote from "The Lunchbox". This quote actually makes three appearances in the film, twice by the same character, a young man being trained as Mr. Fernandes' replacement at work.
Quite a nice line, isn't it?

well, i can't chain him, can i

"I brought you into this world and I can take you out."
Uttered by Bill Cosby, the line is hilarious! After all, he's recounting a conversation with his son, probably teen-aged, during a moment of extreme boorishness on the son's part. However, we all know it would be a cold day in July before he would ever ACT on that threat. That means, of course, that the boy's life is safe in his father's hands. Right? As long as he's in the Northern hemisphere, that is.
Now, consider a case of a parolee, just released from prison. In the movie, we're not told why he was incarcerated; that's not the point. Suffice it to say that's he's been gone at least two decades and the small boy he left on the other side of the bars is now a grown man.
But... in the father's mind, the mental image of his son is frozen at that young age, that preschool innocence shining from his face. The picture of the boy is front and center in the dad's memories. Time stood still for that aspect of the man's life.
Now, consider that the very day the father is released on parole, he is informed that his son is dead, killed while burgling an occupied home. Moreover, on the day of his release, the son is being buried. The father never actually sees the son's body, so the mental image he carries is preserved, carrying over into a need for vengeance against the homeowner who killed the son.
Things get complicated, though. The father becomes aware that the man buried was not his little boy, but some random guy. His son, his all grown up son, has mob affiliations and has been whisked into witness protection until his testimony against the mobsters.
The father wants to see his son, wants to have a new image of the boy who grew up without him. Only this image is nightmare fuel. The man he sees is a serial killer of young girls, a brutal animal who is the star of many snuff films.
And the father makes a hard decision, but the right one. The son must be put down, as he cannot be chained.
Great story.
If you get a chance, see "Cold In July". The ending is exactly right.

he's just on morphine now

I was sitting in the cinema, with a large group of fellow cinemaphiles, intently watching "Dallas Buyers Club". When that line was uttered in the hospital setting, I was not the only one who drew a sharp intake of breath just before the wave of sadness washed over us.
Far too many times have I heard that phrase for those I love.
There's a reason I had not seen this film a month or so ago when it was over the river and through the woods away from me. I had resolved to not deliberately go to those movies which would - notice, I did not say might - make me sob. I did quite well at maintaining that resolve, too.
There are quite a few films with Oscar potential which debuted on the screen this fall. The only one that I attended, "Gravity", I had postponed seeing, concerned that it might adversely affect my mental state. I need not have been concerned. Those who have been saddened by that film must not have lost six family and friends since July. I thought the film was beautifully done and did not shed a single tear.
"Captain Phillips"? Not yet seen the death on the high seas.
"The Wolf of Wall Street"? Sadness from the money-mad? Not interested.
"Nebraska"? A bit too cold for me, I fear.
"12 Years A Slave"? Old sadness, rehashed? No, thank you.
"August: Osage County"? The only reason I might is for Meryl Streep.
"Philomena"? So much sadness, even with Dame Judith Dench as a draw.
"Before Midnight"? Love gone wrong for two pretty people. No.
And then there are those which have not yet, or only recently, graced the big screens here in town: "American Hustle", "Inside Llewelyn Davis", "Her". And one critical choice, the all-Redford, all the time, "All is Lost" has yet to appear in Savannah.
That's not to say I haven't seen some contenders. "Blue Jasmine", in particular, was very, very good and I just loved the ending! Two young men in the audience with me didn't "get it", but hopefully they'll get more life experience to better appreciate the wry twist.
"Saving Mr. Banks" was a spur of the moment, post New Year's Day dinner, option which I might not have taken if my first niece hadn't been so eager to go see the backstory on Mary Poppins. But it made me miss my Daddy and made me cry, just as it did Emma Thompson's character.
"Lee Daniels' The Butler" is this year's "Forrest Gump". You know what I mean? A film that serves well as a history primer, mostly. Forest Whitaker does a fine job with his character, but I would have liked more of the volatile patriarch and less of the stoic-faced political servant. Then again, don't we all have at least two faces we use as we traverse the plain between private and public personae?

it's so tragic that i, in the prime of my life, cannot love someone living instead

Speaking of coincidences, here's another one.
Earlier this month (on the 9th), the peace Guy and I were both home on a Saturday afternoon, not doing anything in particular. I had popped my "Happy Songs" cd into the player and was listening to it while doing stuff on the computer.
Well, of course I'm singing along, since that is what I do.
At one point, the peace Guy comes into the room and says to me, "What on Earth are you listening to?"
You see, the line above had just been enthusiastically sung by me.
He apparently was not familiar with that Fossil tune. "Josephine Baker" is a quasi-mournful, cheeky song that always brings a smile to my face! Hence, it is one of my "Happy Songs"!
So, I explain that to him and he tells me about her - Josephine Baker - being featured in an animated French film.
Say what?!
Super cool!
He brings up the film segment featuring her and we both watch it together.
Super cool!
Then, four days ago, Cercle Francais is showing that film as their free monthly movie.
And I found out about it via an email.
And it was the first I had ever heard about them having free monthly movies, which they apparently do on a regular basis.
Like, monthly, during the school year.
And the movie was being shown on a Thursday, an open night for me.
You better believe I was there!
When the heavens throw a party for you, you have to go!

lady in red

This post has been relocated to my other blog.

Please visit it, and others of its ilk, at that site.

Thank you!

losing my religion

I've done it again! Having contributed to the delinquency of adults this past summer in the 24-Hour Playfest, I'm now doing so for a film. One of the best things about doing so? I'll have a film that I can share with others who may, in turn, help fund other creative efforts. That's a win-win for everyone!

perspective blogathon!

Oh, yeah, THIS sounds like just my cup of tea! A Juxtaposition Blogathon! I don't consider myself a film connoiseur, but I am assuredly an aficionado and, as such, have been known to enjoy a movie or two on many an occasion. In fact, if you add the word "festival" after "film", I am ALL OVER IT. I just can't help myself and I blame Mama for my love of movies. I tell you, if she had the chance to move us to Los Angeles or New York to be closer to filmdom, she would have.
I've not yet had the pleasure of participating in a blogathon, so this will be another NEW experience. Yeah! Who knows, maybe I might host a blogathon on my own someday - doubtful, that - and this will gain me some modicum of knowledge about such an event. Barring that, it's a great opportunity to share my reviews on TWO OR MORE movies with other fans of cinematic offerings. Also, I very much look forward to reading the offerings of others to see what direction THEY will take the topic.
Perspective, as I have said many times, IS everything. I was recently at the opening talk for this year's Common Read. The speaker opened the topic, providing background on the selected book for those who might have not yet read it. She then brought forth on the stage a panel of twelve and allowed each to state which aspect of the book was the most meaningful (and each gave discourse on why they chose that aspect). Then, when all had a turn and the floor was opened to questions, a member of the audience with yet another viewpoint was invited to join the panel onstage. At the end, including the speaker, there were fourteen members of society who had spoken of the very same book. EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAD A DIFFERENT MESSAGE THEY HAD GARNERED. Every single person, with their different knowledge bases, their different life experiences, had read the same words and yet focused on a different central idea. I found the discussion to be extremely interesting and an awesome example of how unique the mind of each person truly is.

heartbreak

Tonight, I came away from a film sobbing. I had cried several times during the film, but as soon as I hit the safe anonymity of my car, I was reduced to open-mouthed sobs.
The troubles just kept piling on and yet you knew this moment in time had been building for quite a while.
The man was married to a woman he loved very much, but could no longer live with. She was bipolar and had not taken medication since her pregnancy with their second child, their son. He wanted to believe her when she said she was better, she was using light therapy and it had changed her life over the last few months, she loved him and wanted the family back together. He wanted to believe, but was scared to be hurt again, was afraid of having the children hurt again.
The man was having problems with his job. He was a middle man between people needing work and people needing to sell a product. The people needing work were illegal immigrants. So, one group of illegal immigrants were making the products being sold by the other group of illegal immigrants. The cops were being paid, he was being paid, the person in charge of one group of immigrants was being paid. The man was trying to do right for everyone, but he was in the middle when one of the groups was arrested and deported and again when the others died of gas inhalation in a locked, airless warehouse room.
The cemetery where his father was buried had been bought and was to be destroyed so a shopping center could be erected. His father's remains are to be removed and he and his older brother have to decide what to do. The man never knew his father, as his father had died in another country before the man's birth. The brothers must decide whether to cremate their father's body and what to do with the ashes.
The man had been having health problems, but delayed going to a doctor until far too late. His prostate cancer had already spread and was in his very bones. The doctor told him he had only a few months left to live. Now, the man must prepare for his own death.
What would YOU do? Your life is literally falling to pieces before your eyes and you have children who will need care, a brother who is sleeping with your unstable wife and supplying her with cocaine, a job that has vanished into thin air, and your own mortality staring hard at you every minute of every day.
Heartbreaking.

pecha kucha and suaf

Tonight was definitely a little something different! Actually, it was a LOT different. I've been trying out some new things this month - hey, it's April and I need the distraction, you know? - and there's been plenty vying for my attention. Oddly enough, much has been free. Incredible!
As I said earlier, the SUAF is in town this week, here in the C-Port, as they say. last night I saw P.A.T.H.: A Hip-Hop Documentary at a venue that is fast becoming one of my favorites. Honestly, Indigo Arts has SOMETHING going on EVERY NIGHT. Anyone who says they can't find anything to do here isn't looking, apparently, because I find so much that it's difficult to choose.
Anywho, the film was a documentary about a school dedicated to preserving, archiving, and teaching hip-hop history. Shot in Miami, it followed four instructors as they impressed upon a class the value and rationale behind rapping, break dancing, graffiti writing, and emceeing. What was the most phenomenal aspect of the film was the fact that TWO of the four teachers were WOMEN. Wow.
So, as I'm walking out to my car, I'm looking up into the night sky and thinking, man, Sam, would have really liked that! And into my head I hear "two turntables and a microphooone", that standard tagline, and I just lost my mind for a while. But that's not what I'm talking about right now, so don't bother trying to change my mind.
This morning, on my way to work after my GYN appointment - nope, not gonna talk 'bout THAT right now, either - I grabbed a day-old copy of the entertainment paper to see what was up in this fair city these next seven days. Lo and behold, it had three events for me! All were about the same start time, so I would have to choose carefully how to arrange my evening. I decided The OFFICIAL Savannah Urban Arts Festival LAUNCH PARTY JAM SESSION, slated to begin at 9pm, would be the place to finish up, narrowing my choices for 8pm down to two. Well, I've seen "Back To The Future" several times, and, as much fun as it would have been to see it on a big screen again.. well, that was the key word. "Again". Yeah, let's opt for something DIFFERENT.
So I went to Indigo Arts for show and tell for grown-ups. Truly, that was how the event was billed. It's actually called Savannah Pecha Kucha Night, and this is the fifth time the ever-unique event has been held. Here's the premise: You get roughly seven minutes to tell an audience about something, anything, then it's someone else's turn. No Q&A, no drawn-out explanations. You provide up to twenty slides about your topic and you get twenty seconds to say your piece about each - then you're off the stage and someone else goes on.
I had initially thought it would be a meeting of would-be entrepreneurs and angels, but that was decidedly not the case. Instead, I saw presentations by nine people, all different, all interesting. Briefly, here's the line-up: Chalk drawings of chairs in empty rooms; The wards (squares) of Savannah (a 1985 thesis); How-to write a picture book about a little dog; Amorphous prints on wood; Bringing the 16-foot Elvis head to Los Angeles from Mississippi (in a blue 1953 pick-up truck named Maybelle, no less!); Listerine and the use of "halitosis" in marketing; Teaching block printing in India; Bits of Georgia history; and Photographs shot locally. Wow! Almost two hours, including intermission, of fun, for free. You better believe I'll keep my eyes looking for news of the next PKN!
The off I went to the American Legion, host site of OFFICIAL SUAF launch Party Jam Session. Featuring local hip-hop masters Dope Sandwich and the release of their new CD, I was amazed the place wasn't packed. Seriously! Where were all the students and young folk? Here was a party event, a FREE party event, with not one but several live performers, in a hall for 300. They truly missed out. The party went on until almost midnight, y'all!
There were at least six performers, I think. Let me see if I can name all of them. Daniel Coleman, smooth and lyrical, also a film maker. Brandywine, the official house band for the party, proud to be the support group for MC's. The Chatham County Bosses, a trio of young guys running fast toward the top, especially with their song "Savannah". KidSyc, a fabulous wordsman with a LIVE BAND. WOW!!! And, playing some songs from their latest compact disk, "The Union of Sacred Monsters", the inimitable Dope Sandwich. Hey, I got mine at the show and it was only $5. What a deal!

suaf'ed

I feel like I stepped into a time capsule tonight. Tonight was the second evening of events for the Savannah Urban Arts Festival. Since a film was to be shown, I, of course, was in attendance. Even though this was a "school night", I managed to find a quick route from AASU (far southside)to Indigo Arts (downtown and north). To my surprise and delight, I had missed NONE of the film! A workshop on graffiti writing had run long, due to the enthusiastic crowd participation, so I was able to enjoy the last of that event as well as decompress from my mad rush to get there.
I was also able to enjoy the works of Roosevelt Watson III, before and after the film. Vibrant canvases, of all sizes, were splashed on the dark walls of Indigo Arts! Nice. The artist's bio was mounted to the wall, so, of course, I read it and was quite impressed with his mission statement. To wit: “My paintings are representative of the spirit of us all. I use the Abstract/Surrealism styles to get my point across... that we are so different but yet the same, shown with many colors and textures, and shapes, yet coming from one thought source. My colors are vibrant, just as our spirits used to be as children. The textures are the physical aspect of our world which makes the paintings life like. The shapes are every where and just plain enjoyable; hence, we are all very colorful, physical, and shapely which I convey in an abstract/surreal fashion." What an incredible world view!
Now, on to the film! A 1983 winner at the Sundance Film Festival, "Style Wars" chronicled both sides of the dispute between graffiti artists and the New York Metro Transit Authority. My opinion mirrored that of the young visitor from France, who stated that the graffiti-drenched subway trains were to be enjoyed, not washed bland. (Well, I paraphrase, but you get my drift.)
I'm glad I was able to be there, even though I felt dipped in past time. I'm sure Sam Johnson would have, and perhaps has, enjoyed it very much. What a fitting thing for me to do on this day. I feel so much better than I did this morning!

random quote

"Is it better to live as a monster or to die as a good man?" So says Teddy Daniels in "Shutter Island," a movie that had me in tears well before its end. I seriously doubt that was the intention of the writer, but perhaps 'twas so, and I am one those so affected by this work.
It's truly a wonder I even saw the film. The previews I had seen left the distinct impression that this might be one of those films for me to avoid, a horror film designed to leave nightmares in its wake. Accordingly, I avoid such films as I prefer my dreams to be of a more peaceful nature. And yet, on a rainy Friday afternoon, I found myself buying a ticket for that very film, as well as one to distract me from its aftermath should it be nightmare-inspiring material.
So, just in case any readers might have stumbled upon these writings, one who has not seen the movie and might yet, perhaps such reader should now retreat to prevent knowing too much. N'est-ce pas?
As I was saying, the film had quite an emotional impact on me. "Shutter Island" is a thriller, of the psychological variety, and dealt with a man who had lost sight of the thin line which sometimes exists between truth and fiction. Sometimes the truth is exceptionally hard to accept, overwhelming all of the senses at once. Under such circumstances, the mind might bend and break, creating a more preferable explanation of the current circumstances. Especially if those circumstances involve the sudden death of someone loved, the sudden violent death at one's own hand of someone loved.
A person forced to confront such a hard truth might find their mind twisted such that the truth becomes part of a conundrum, a puzzle to be solved, with oneself as the hero of the day, setting out to right a wrong done by... someone else. An intelligent mind may well recognize the doer of the misdeed, but fashion a code to disguise the identity of the criminal from itself, to create a hero from the heart of the killer. Eventually, the hero would discover the truth, the oh-so-hard truth and be forced to accept it or to retreat into the fabrication once more.
As hard as that truth may be on the criminal, the fabrication affects all around them, especially those who recognize that person as having a good heart. They are forced to watch him re-enact his myth, hoping that this time he will accept the truth at the end of this play, that he will stay in one character, his true self. They have seen him go through this pain before and they try with all their might to help him work through the story one more time, hoping this will be the last time.
The incredibly sad part of this film lies in the recognition by the good man of the monster he has become, the monster he cannot escape and cannot accept. Does he continue to live the lie his mind has proffered, growing increasingly aware that the two personae are one and the same, or does he seek to end the lives of both the good man and the monster?

love, love, love, love

Since last week, I've been having my own little film festival. For Christmas, my singing bird gave me one of those gifts that keep on giving: The Entertainment 2010 for Charleston, SC. Yes, it was my idea, but I considered it a gift for both of us, as we both are on fixed incomes (no, we haven't won the lottery yet!) and it would stretch our entertainment and dining dollars quite nicely. Savannah isn't large enough to rate such a book yet, but there's good news. Since the book is part of a national group, quite a few of the discounts can be used everywhere in these United States. Nice!
Regal Cinemas has quite a few coupons in said book, a generous SIXTEEN of them, in fact. All but two offer a savings of $5 on admission for two tickets. Now, you know me: I love my movies!!! And, as I generally attend them solo, at first glance it seems those coupons might be difficult to use up during the course of a year. Not so! As I have found this week, the coupon requires the purchase of two tickets, BUT the tickets can be for TWO DIFFERENT MOVIES! Ah, what a perfect gift for a cinemaphile like moi!
Friday night, I found myself in Savannah with - incredible as it sounds - no specific plans. No dinner engagement, no art offering, no party. So, I took myself to a double-header, discount coupon in hand. The movies of the night were "When In Rome" followed by "It's Complicated", both dealing with love, as it would happen. My rationale for these choices was simple. The first movie was to allow me to re-visit Rome, to see the Forum once more, maybe even spot my name carved in marble atop the temple built for the beloved wife of Antoninus. And, on the basis of my having once been a wife and now divorced, I chose to see how Meryl Streep handled the situation. So, ulterior motives and all, into the cinema I trod.
Well, I saved $5 off the two tickets, getting to see both movies for only $14. Sah-weet! Then, because I used my Regal Crown Club card and hit a certain reward threshold, I also snagged a FREE ticket to a movie of my choice in the next three months. Wow! As an extra bonus, I thoroughly enjoyed both movies, getting many laughs and giggles throughout. A wonderful evening!
So, tonight, I thought I would repeat the feat and use another coupon for my version of a double-header. I saved another $5 with the coupon, then the Regal Crown Club rewarded me with a FREE small popcorn. Yum!
This time, I chose what I thought were two Oscar contenders (turns out, only one of them is, and it's not the one the Savannah Film Festival showed this past fall). Both, again, are love stories. Must be something in the air! "A Single Man" was first in the line-up and Colin Firth was spot on as a man cast adrift after the death of his partner. They had been together 16 years, separated only when a fatal car wreck interfered. Excellent, in so many ways. The second choice was one I had missed at the SFF, "The Young Victoria". Now, I'm not usually one for historical romances, truly, but... well, this was my second chance to see it on the big screen, you know? So, I did. And I am so glad that I did! Talk about romances! This story of Queen Victoria and her Prince Albert was everything a love story should be. Beautiful. I cannot recommend both of tonight's screenings highly enough.

film festival!

I was privy to a most unusual film festival a few weeks ago. This was a two-week celebration of the odd, the rare, and the quirky. The Psychotronic Film Festival boasted ten such films, as diverse in subject matter as in country of origin. Alas, I was unable to see all of them, due to schedule conflicts mostly, but I thouroughly enjoyed the six I attended. The first I saw was actually the second night's feature, a British film, later developed into a tv show, titled after the professor at its center. "Quatermass and The Pit," out in 1967 in its mother country, changed its name to "Five Million Years To Earth" for its US debut a year later. This bit of science fiction was full of the xenophobia all the rage in that day, tempered by the presence of a single female scientist. Interesting, defnitely.
The fourth film of the series, and my second, was a comedic farce about sex. A local (i.e., from the States) movie, "Scenes From The Class Struggle In Beverly Hills" had the misfortune of being released in 1989 shortly after the death of one of its featured young actresses. What a shame! The movie is hilarious, tracking the sexual escapades of its two male leads as two households are merged for a brief time. if you get a chance, track it down and enjoy a few laughs! This was a fitting note to end my first week of the festival.
On the first night of the PFF's second, and final, week, "Bare Knuckles" was to have been the feature, a macho, physical, 1970's flick. That was not to be, but our intrepid host managed a bit of last-minute mojo to offer "The Night Of The Juggler" in its stead. Released in 1980, this one still had a 1970's feel to it, as well as an incredible car chase with Mandy Patinkin as the cabby giving James Brolin advice while they, literally, "follow that car!" One scene, in particular, persists in my mind: as Brolin's character is listening to his ex-wife whine, he flips his mane of hair away from his face and looks into the camera. Classic move!
The next night was actaully a film I had seen before, many years ago whilst a student in Tallahassee. That town boasted an art cinema in one of its malls and "Tampopo", a Japanese film, debuted there in 1987. Starring a young woman trying to make a go of her noodle shop and the men who set about helping her, the story is delightful and guaranteed to make you want to rush out to your nearest Japanese restaurant. Thank God I had the sense to eat ramen soup before the show - this time!
The next evening I missed, as I was working, but I did catch the last two films in the festival. Both were science fiction, both were comedies, and both were just my cup of tea! "Tomorrow I'll Wake Up And Scald Myself With Tea" hailed from Czechoslavakia, circa 1977, and was a cult classic. Time travel has a big part in this one, with many laughs, despite a scratchy disc. The protagonist figures out how to use the time matrix in his favor, along with the incredible blue cleaning agent that I would dearly love to have! I would see this again any time!
"Spider Baby, or The Maddest Story Ever Told" finished out the festival with an upbeat night. Starring Lon Chaney in a comedic turn as the caretaker of three odd orphans, the film is definitely quirky and was a great way to close out ten nights of such fare. Thanks, Jim!

letter home

Dearest Mama,
I had meant to start this earlier today, but certainly didn't, did I? Still, I didn't want the day to end without touching base. It feels like forever that you've been gone, though it's not quite been nine years. That sounds like forever right there.
I wanted to talk to you about last Saturday, in particular, and maybe the whole weekend and the days leading up to it. But last Saturday, in particular. You know, that would have been the 17th anniversary for Jeff and I. And, in keeping with our custom of taking vacation around the anniversary, that's what I'd continued to do. This time, I wanted to do something different. Wanted, hell - I had a NEED to do something out of the routine for this time of year. Instead of running off and waking up somewhere else, I decided to stay here in town. But I also needed to make sure I didn't bolt out of here at the last minute, I needed to be invested in staying put.
I found my answer in the First City Network newsletter: the First Annual LGBT Film Festival. THAT would be different AND it would offer movies and shorts that I would most likely never get to see. Count me in! The tickets went on sale to the public that first Friday in October and I raced from work to the ticket venue to make sure I was able to get my tickets. I finally decided to buy the Festival Pass, as it would be a neat memento AND was the best deal. Good call! I then taped it to my kitchen cabinet to remind myself of this change in my regular fall schedule and waited for the 24th to arrive.
And you know what? Even knowing I had the weekend "booked", I STILL found myself thinking about plans to get outta town for that time frame. Can you believe it?? I know, old habits die hard, and I've had a lot of time invested in that particular habit. Heck, I'd like to think I did pretty well at planning little mini-holidays for this special time in October, especially as time went by. I would like to think Jeff would agree with me on that. (He had a trip out of town last weekend. Old habits die hard, as I said.) So, I figured the best way to keep myself in town was to overcommit my time for the entire weekend. That's exactly what I did, too.
Friday, I got off work, came home and ate, then headed to the Jepson Center for the first two films of the festival. "Boy Meets Boy" was a sweet short that took place in Korea and featured a fairy godmother that admonished her charges to "be careful who they met on the street." Adorably stuck in the '60's, as the culture over there is today. As I said, it was very cute and sweet. Then came the feature, the one I'd been looking forward to: "Fruit Fly", a musical (you recall how I just LOVE musicals!!!) starring a straight Phillipina actress who is in the States to put on her latest show. I just LOVED it!!! Honestly, I do think that would work for a mainstream audience, especially given the popularity of "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Fame". Very upbeat, catchy tunes, too. Then over to Club One for the reception and TWO shows, with one of the festival's guests serving as the intermission talent for both shows. You would have loved the old jazzy songs he had in his repertoire!
The next morning, I got up at weekday time (ugh) so I could make it out to visit Dood for his birthday. I had told him in a couple of letters that I would be coming out there, so that promise to him also locked me into staying in Savannah. Good! He and I had about a forty-minute visit (twice the allowed time!) that went very well and left both of us happy and reassured. Very good!
Then off to the festival's first matinee at 11am! The first was a kicky little all-girl rap video called "U-Haul Rap" and was a humorous take on the baggage, of all kinds, that we bring into new relationships. HAHAHA! The feature film, called "Drool", was a tale of old love gone bad and the healing power of new love. That was pretty good, but more of a dark comedy.
Then I was off! Back to midtown for the 1pm birthday party for my five-year-old "nephew" Aaron. Monkey Joe's is a BRIGHT place!!! I do believe those inflatables in that place glow in the dark! I wish I could have been there for the cake, made by his grandmom, but I had a 2pm matinee to get back to. Hmm, maybe I overbooked myself??
But back to the Little Theatre I flew on that drizzly afternoon, getting there just in time for the festival trailer. Close call! This was the part of the festival that was my favorite: shorts!!! The longest of the eight films was just over 20 minutes and there were TWO music videos, both of them featuring Joshua Kipp, the entertainer from the previous evening at the Club. Yes! Films from Iceland, Ireland, Canada, and even Australia, interspersed with festival winners from the USA. I tell you, Deb did amazingly well at selecting the films for this festival!
The Icelandic film, "Mother Knows Best", is quite entertaining, would work great at a P-FLAG film festival, and has a FINE ending! The Irish film, "James", charts a young man's journey toward adulthood; it was pretty good until the ending. Then again, the film had only 18 minutes to tell its tale, so perhaps I just needed to know a bit more than it offered. The two Canadian films, "Falling For Caroline" and "Tranzploitation", were quite humorous, with the former having several physical comedic touches (because "falling in love brings out the klutz in all of us" - I can SO relate!) and the latter including a hilarious lament about discrimination against trans(gendered) in the chip aisle of grocery stores. What a hoot!
The Australian film, "Evelyn Everyone", was a trip into the world of e-dating for a woman looking for change. The US short, "Kristy", on the other hand, is about a young girl NOT wanting change: her favorite shirt is being worn to tatters and so is her mom's patience. Both good, but I was waiting for the music videos, and at last they came! In "L1fe", pronounced One Life, the singer pledges "in your memory, I'll do the very best I can." Then, in "Tell Me", a jilted lover is trying to urge is estranged partner to say if they're "alive or dead, just tell me." On the surface, it's a classic boy-and-girl soul number, but there are fabulous undertones here! So, there you have it: eight films showcasing straights, gays, lesbians, trans, parents, kids. Something truly for everyone!
Whew! Not done just yet! The final films, which began at 5pm, were "Frequent Traveler", a fun Portuguese tale of a guy just craving touch and willing to go to extreme measures to attain his goal. The showcased feature film, "Watercolors", was a tale of first love and was a brilliantly told story. The only downside? Well, it was the night of October 24th and I was going home alone. I cried and ate sushi and felt better... but i sure wish I could have called you so you could tell me everything would be alright.
One last note about the LGBT Film Festival. I do wish someone had invited Robert Redford (in town, filming a movie about Abraham Lincoln) and Ron Howard (in town for the upcoming Savannah Film Festival) to attend these showings. For all I know, maybe the two gentlemen were invited and couldn't fit it into their schedules. These films should be playing to a much larger, and more diverse, audience than that held by the tiny Little Theatre space. Truly.
Well... (YAAAWWWNNN) I better get my silly self to bed. It's 2:16am on a Thursday morning and I have to get up at 7!
with much love forever!

busy bee

That's the moniker bestowed upon me by one of my fabulous former sister-in-laws after she saw my status update in facebook this past weekend. She's right, of course, and I didn't even list ALL that I was scheduled to do. If she had only known, she probably would have wondered what drugs I was taking to keep up with all of it!
Seriously, this time of year DOES get pretty hectic for me. September started it, with Dragon*Con and teaching and my day job. Then, there are the weekends with my singing bird, in addition to other events, such as the Savannah Jazz Festival, the O'Jays concert in Charleston, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. This was all followed by a five-day trip to Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and more walking on concrete than a body oughta do. Thank God for swimming pools and hot tubs! Then back to Savannah in time for the second-ever Innovation Awards and the first-ever LGBT Film Festival (I wonder if anyone thought to invite Mr. Redford?), featuring a total of fourteen films and two drag shows in just under thirty hours. Sunday was "Mowgli and Moses" and Shalom Y'all Jewish Food Festival with the Carolina Klezmer Project, aka "Jewish Jazz." Oh, yes, and I even was able to fit Reel Savannah's Sunday night film ("Revange", a wonderfully layered foreign treat!) into my already packed weekend. Whew!
The pace isn't yet to abate, though. I have a Halloween party on Friday, which should be much fun! I haven't been to a Halloween party in YEARS! Before she moved, one of my friends used to throw these fabulous parties in her A-frame house, with costumes everywhere and even live bands. I've also volunteered to help Saturday morning, perhaps longer, with the set construction for the upcoming "Diary of Ann Frank" production. This particular piece resonates with me: my stepdad was in the plane she writes about going down. Incredible!
This coming weekend also begins the Savannah Film Festival, which is eight days of films and shorts and classes and interviews and award presentations... Oh, my! Woody Harrelson and Emmy Rossum are the stars I'll be on the look-out for, so if you see them first, please tell 'em I said hi! I have tickets for the 9:30pm shows on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, as well as the Directors' Choice at 7pm on Thursday, but I want to be sure to catch some of the morning and afternoon selections. I've even saved some vacation days for that very purpose, just as I did last year and the year before. I just wish I could have taken Mama with me for some of the films I've seen: she would have loved being there when Ellen Burstyn was given her award and for the interview with Malcolm McDowell last year. Just like Hollywood, but better!
Ah! Time to go and dream of the fun times ahead!