end of 1 month, start of another

"That sounds rather cryptic. You talkin' 'bout the weather?"

Nope, just my AMC A*List! 

"But I thought you'd taken care of September already."

Um, no, there was still a solid week left of that month. Not that I saw a bunch of movies, but I did see these two. I'd recommend the love story, but not the Indian movie. "The Paradise" did have some dance scenes, but was terribly gory and violent. Like, most of the time. It was about some troubled section of the country which seemed to be ironically called 'Paradise', when it was actually a region of war prisoners. Yikes. The only reason I stayed was I kept hoping it would get better.

"Yikes, indeed. Not quite the Tollywood you expected."

Not even close. 

"And what about that one named for the gadabout in 'Two And A Half Men'?"

Hahaha! Yes, Charlie Sheen's character was honestly what I was thinking when I saw the title! However, this "Charlie Harper" was a combination of the two characters' names: 'Charlie' and 'Harper'. The first was played by Nick Robinson, the guy from "Voicemails For Isabelle". The girl, 'Harper', was played by Emilia Jones, who'd been the girlfriend in "Tony". In other words, both are recently on my radar. The movie was an excellent look at the anatomy of a  relationship that falls apart, even though the two people still love each other. They just can't live with each other anymore.

"That sounds pretty deep for something that looked shallow."

I know, right? I'll be willing to watch it again sometime.

"Nice to know it was that well done! Now, what else do you have?"

Just these three from this first week, not including the freebie fourth that I had from AARP MFG last Friday. 

"Oh, my, you dared to see another Indian film at AMC?"

Yes, I did, but this one, "Drishyam: The Conclusion", really rocked! I don't know why Carolyn tried to steer me off from it. She said I would need to see the earlier movies to follow along, but I had no problem keeping up with the story. It starts with the father (Rajat Kapoor) of a murdered young woman coming to Investigator 'Tomar' (Jaideep Ahlawat) to get the case reopened. It's been seven years since his daughter disappeared, four years since her bones were found under the new police station, and two years since the case had been closed. And who is the accused killer? A famous actor 'Vijay' (Ajay Devgn), whose family is his alibi, as all were together at a religious function. However, a well-known lawyer (Prakash Raj) is convinced the two witnesses will help solve the case of whose bones were now in the evidence room.

"Wow! A court drama!"

And very suspenseful! Yes, I'm very glad to have caught this one. And it was so very nice to see Jack Skellington and Sally again! I do so love "Nightmare Before Christmas"!!! It was actually a good pairing with "Forgotten Island", as both were about friendship and magic. I hadn't known anything about that one, but the Latina family that shared the screening room with me were very into it! Two girls who'd been best friends since grade school have now graduated from high school... and college is about to separate them. Then they find the sand dollar that serves as a portal to the island the grandmother had once visited! Such an adventure they had!!! Talking animals, time travel, magic potions... really cool. I'll have to recommend it to my great-nieces.

"For sure, though they may know the book."

No, I doubt it. I'd be amazed if any Philippine mythology had filtered into Georgia public school, or even private school, classrooms. I know I said there was a Latina family there, but they could have been from the Philippine Islands just as well, though I could swear I heard Spanish being spoken.

"I see. What an incredible movie to have found it's way to Savannah! And not via Cine Savannah."

I know! I did have one other movie I saw this week, courtesy of my $1 Movie Night Reward. I treated myself to "The Lost Boys". Partly it was because I wanted to hear that half-naked saxophone player wailing out "I Still Believe" - RAWR!!! Tim Cappello absolutely rocks!!! In fact, that whole soundtrack is just fabulous! I have to wonder if the new musical based on the almost 40-year-old movie has any of those songs in the background. So, partly I was drawn into it because Lauri and Lynn Engler had just seen the musical on Broadway. But I found a third reason to see it: a young Dianne Wiest! She was the 39-year-old mother who'd relocated her teen boys to Santa Carla after divorce. Nice to see her in another movie!

"That is nice! So you've seen her in three in less than a month... and she's still alive! That's really nice. In fact, she's the same age as your stepmom, right?"

Yeah, I guess she is. Bonnie was 78 on October 1st, same day that Chloe turned 8. I donated to KIVA in her honor, but I haven't yet told her. Guess I'll call her this weekend! The Georgia Bulldogs will be playing against the Alabama Crimson Tide, so I know she'll be home and awake on Saturday night!

"Hahaha! Yes, I'm sure she'll be tuned in for that football game! I'm glad she and your Daddy liked to watch sports together. Here's hoping the right team wins!"

Hey, that's my line! (smile!)

no soup pho you!!!

I knew from the moment I read that meme from Sherry Giddens that I would -not- have soup for dinner!

"They banh me pho life."

Hahahaha!

Sounds like something the Soup Nazi would do, doesn't it?

 

After two days of cold, with far too many liquid-based meals, I was done.

As I told Claudia, I want "two crunchy beef tacos, please!"

Yes, I was definitely out on this last Friday of the first month, ready for time with my brothers and friends!

This S&K Friday Fiesta saw both in attendance, as well as both SILs, plus the two Kameron brothers and Betsy.

That's just as well, as we found out Tony had been in the hospital!!!

That was last Saturday and Smitty and I had known nothing about it until Hope mentioned it.

She works the gate at Dutch Island and had just mentioned it to Smitty.

What the fresh Hell???

The good news is: Tony will be alright and he knows now that it's imperative that he keep us in the loop.

In other words, he knows he is loved.

Whew!

When I got home, I wanted something light and fun and knew exactly where to find it: the CW.

"Penn & Teller: Fool Us" was on and the title was "The Domino Effect".

Very cool, I've played dominoes with Christina!

However, this was not like that at all - it was magic!!!

First, have Brooke - woman in the white jumpsuit - select one domino tile from a box full of them, then put it back in the box.

Next, let the Magic Olive - that's the bearded guy in the pimiento cap - get into the huge box.

Then, dump in the box of domino tiles and close the box so the Magic Olive has to find the right one in the dark.

Of course he succeeded, and did so with such aplomb!!!

Yes, even though he was scantily clad in an olive-green T-shirt, that crazy red cap, and a beaming smile!

He truly was a Magic Olive!!! 

The three-person troupe is called Laser Kiwi and they're from New Zealand.

Just absolutely amazing!!!

They succeeded in their quest for a "Fool Us" trophy, too!

I've bookmarked the clip on youTube so I can watch it over and over!!! 

Such a wild and crazy break from the routine!!!

(smile!)

... then I saw Santa Penn and elf Teller...

In spite of the inguinal hernia, I still went out tonight!

That's because I'm a busy, vibrant, woman, and that's what I do!

Plus, I wanted to get out and enjoy some social activity while it was reasonably warm.

See what I mean?

I had mid-60's today, with that or better all weekend.

The WSAV weather song doesn't show us going to hell until the early hours of Monday morning, remaining there until sometime Tuesday afternoon.

So, when Smitty texted that the S&K Friday Fiesta would have a new locale, I let him know I'd be there!

After all, I wanted to be sure to thank Mark for the fruitcake before I eat it all up.

(smile!) 

We met up at Tubby's Tankhouse, where even the fish mounted on the walls were dressed festively, sporting reindeer antlers or Santa hats on every single one of them!

I tried to get a candid of Tony and Smitty, but that didn't happen.

One would move out of the frame every time!

I finally had to settle for this one with Dood, as he knew what I was doing and was waiting for me to click the little button.

Click!

(smile!) 

That's Addison beside him, home from UGA for the winter break, and chatting nonstop with Becca.

Continuing clockwise around the three-table configuration was Becky, sis-in-law Mary (waving there on the end), Robin, and s-i-l Laura.

Addison and I were anchoring the middle.

The Kameron brothers were to my left, with Jimmy beside me and Mark on the end.

Get this: they knew I was coming, so this middle-section seat had been saved just for me!

Very nice!!!

(smile!) 

Don't think I forgot about snapping a pic of my biggest little brother!

Here he is, with Mary right by his side.

Together, they were figuring out how much to add on for the waiter, Freddie, who had been awesome.

A 20% gratuity had already been tacked to the bill, as we had such a large party.

However, they come here a right good bit and quite possibly had requested him.

They got it sussed though!

(smile!)

Then we all made out goodbyes, with me getting and giving hugs all around!

Yes, that's one of the best parts of these Fridays with family - the hugs!!!

And when I tuned in to "Penn & Teller's Fool Us", it was a very special holiday show featuring only vetted magicians!

Each of the entertainers got a special 'Fool Us' trophy - sweet!

The giant Penn was dressed as Santa and made quite a formidable-looking Claus, for sure.

But I loved Teller in his elf outfit, with those crazy shoes and leggings!

So much good magic, too, in the air, at the restaurant, and on TV!

Hooray!!!

peacock, peaock, pavo real

 

The NCG Summer Camp Film Festival didn't have one I wanted to see, but Peacock was happy to oblige!

To lure me in, they revealed that I could watch "The Bad Guys", knowing I absolutely loved this 'second chances' movie!

So I watched it, of course, with my breakfast.

Delectable!!!

But that only whet my appetite.

I wanted another kid movie, something new to me this time.

And there it was - "Luis And The Aliens", from 2018.

This wasn't my first time seeing it in the line-up there, but this time felt different.

Maybe I should give it a chance, right?

So I did... and I really liked it!

 

A trio of aliens who travel to E-arth in search of a Nubby Buddy massaging pad (that goes all the way up to ELEVEN!!!) that they saw on an intercepted TV 'mercial - what's not to like about that?

A nerdy 12-year-old boy with an absent-minded dad who's more interested in looking for aliens all night than spending time with him - that sounds like a story I want more of!

Plus there's a journalist classmate that's a girl he likes - sure, I'll watch!

I'm so glad I did 'cause it was great fun!

And guess who surprised me and showed up in this German animation?

Well, not all of him, just his voice... 

Will Forte!!! 

That's twice for him in less than a week!

That's some serious coincidence-ing going on.

Then came even more.

I joined my brothers for "At The Movies", with not a clue what movie their church had selected for this screening.

Smitty had saved a seat right beside him, especially for me - and on the side with his good eye, not his healing left one.

Right place, right time! 

(smile!) 

Both of my brothers were already there, as well as their wives and Peyton.

Very good!

So, what was the movie? 

It was "Encanto", the first animated movie they'd ever chosen for the adult audience of "At The Movies" - wow!

My guess is it's also the only musical they've ever used for these sermons. 

Amazingly, this film was also chosen because of its message about Latino family life and forgiving each other's gaffes - wow!

That last part is true for all families, though, isn't it?

It certainly holds true for mine.

 

The minister said this was chosen to acknowledge the brown population of their congregation, though I had not seen any there.

Like Asbury Memorial, the membership is mostly white, with some black, but hardly any brown or other ethnicities.

Still, I'd wager more of my church's people had seen this movie at least once than had those at Compassion Christian East tonight.

I was the only one of the six of us who had seen it, and that was once.

As soon as I got home, I looked for it on Peacock, but it isn't there.

I'll use my Comcast $1 Movie Night reward to rent it from Disney this weekend.

Seeing these slivers of the story made me want the whole thing!

(smile!)

Meanwhile, I'll look forward to next Wednesday's screening in that locale.

They have a theme going about magic and spirit-bestowed talents, not that they've said that in so many words.

Still, I recognize a theme when I see it.

I'm an analytical chemist and spotting patterns is my forte.

(Yes, and so is sprinkling puns whenever I can!) 

Yes, I'll look forward to next week... and to seeing my family again, too.

(smile!)

we're gonna need a bigger boat

"Don't tell me, let me guess! You watched "Jaws" last night?"

 

I did! It was on TV for it's 50th Anniversary, so I tuned in for the last half. I just love the interplay between Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, and Roy Scheider. Real sailor talk going on right there, with men just being men around other men! Fabulous!

 

"So your post title is paying homage to the line uttered when they first encounter the shark in the open sea?"

 

Kinda sorta. I actually heard those very words just a few minutes ago.

 

"Do tell."

 

I've been catching up on this season's "Poker Face". I just finished s2e6, "Sloppy Joseph", set in an elementary prep school. Think future "Heathers" and "Mean Girls" in the making for the lead character, 'Stephanie'. 'Charlie Cale' lands a job as a lunch lady there.

 

"Excuse me? How did she manage to do that? She would have had to get a background check and get special training to be around kids. How did she navigate that red tape with her history of being a wanderer?"

 

She was there temporarily, based on the condition that her background check pan out.

 

"Yeah, yeah, artistic license and all that."

 

Anyway, this episode had a talent show in it, one that 'Stephanie' wanted desperately to win, as the prize was 40 gold stars. She was an absolute fool for those stars, it was like an addiction. She knew, though, that 'Elijah' was most likely to win, as his magic trick far bested anything else. 

 

"Ah, I get it now. You love magic!"

 

I do, and this little boy was very talented. He had taught Joseph the Gerbil - love the alliteration! - to "stay in the boat", an area in his collapsible purple-cloth ball. The "boat" was right over as escape door that the boy would open before striking the ball with a giant mallet. Can you guess what 'Stephanie' did?

 

"Oh, no! She sabotaged the trick, didn't she? She got that poor little creature killed, didn't she? What an evil little girl..."

 

Yep, she did all that, but it was 'Elijah' that got blamed for making sloppy joes out of Joseph. That boy was so chagrined!!! He had loved that particular little animal. He kept saying "Stay in the boat! Stay in the boat!", even after he got home and his dad was trying to calm him down. 'Charlie' came by the dad's house and overheard that phrase, but it didn't make sense to her until she was given the task of feeding the remaining hamsters. The class kept them in a cage decorated as Noah's Ark. Click!!! Her brain put the puzzle pieces together. That's when she spoke the line to the teacher, as they came up with a plan to trap 'Stephanie' into confessing to the crime.

 

"Good for them! That sounds like a pretty good episode. I'll have to maybe watch it sometime."

 

(smile!) Yeah, you do that! Hahahaha! I need to get ready for Saturday night with Sandy and her girls! We're going to Oak 36 this time and there's supposed to be live music. I wonder if they have a dance floor?