I was born thirty years too late…
| You are a Hippie |
 You are a total hippie. While you may not wear birks or smell of incense, you have the soul of a hippie. You don’t trust authority, and you do as you please. You’re willing to take a stand, even when what you believe isn’t popular.You like to experiment with ideas, lifestyles, and different subcultures. You always gravitate toward what’s radical and subversive. Normal, mainstream culture doesn’t really resonate with you. |
So I’ve been a movie kick-have been for some time-and have lots of notes but have not done a proper review, per se, of what I’ve seen. Part of the reason why is the question of what new could I add to what’s been written about these movies? So here’s a few of my thoughts about what I’ve seen.
Annie Hall is of course a Woody Allen flick. It’s the first Allen flick I’ve ever seen and would not have seen it if it hadn’t been for AFI. I liked the beginning-was different with Woody talking to the camera. Actually, it’s his character, Alvie Singer, that’s talking to the camera. And Alvie is the neurotic New Yorker I love to avoid. The dialog is banal and yet, I have this suspicion this is what real life sounds like in person. A lot of stars-Christopher Walken, Paul Simon-just to name two. Did I like this? Not really. At least it was watch able.
Grand Hotel is where nothing happens. Or rather the precise quote: “Grand Hotel. People coming, people going. Nothing ever happens here.” The way that several stories intertwined was interesting and I like how guests would pass by each other and the story would pick up with the new guy. The hotel itself is so art-deco you know that this is a classic-I wonder what happened to the set? The actually film shots actually took my breath away in some parts. The cast is amazing-Greta Garbo, Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford. However, I still had a hard time sitting through this movie-I took a couple of breaks. Perhaps my growing up in the era of boom-boom-bang-bang accounts for this.
Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is maybe one of the longest titles ever. And the most inane, insane, and well my most unliked movie. I kept looking at my hubby and asked several times if this was one of those movies that you had to survive the 60’s to understand. This is one of those movies that is supposed to be so darn funny-but where’s the punch line? Oh-and the cowboy pilot of the B-52 is Slim Pickens.
The General is easily the oldest movie on my queue-it’s a silent film from 1927. It’s the first Buster Keaton movie I’ve seen (I know I need to get out more 
) and was the longest movie with only organ music as background. So many classic images in this movie-where he sits on the bar between the train wheels and is lifted up and down. The solo rail car he furiously pumps. It was good-just long.
I’ve fallen in love this weekend with Mae West! Saw two of her movies-I’m No Angel and She Done Him Wrong. What can I saw-she was all woman-bawdy, sexual, maneater. So many great lines. I want several of her movies so I can quote Mae to my man. I saw a man in your future. What only one? Oh and a very young Cary Grant is in these movies. Without the veneer of sophisticated debonair that I know of him in later movies. So so good. I always did like a man in a uniform and that one fits you grand. Why don’t you come up sometime see me. I’m alone every evening.
So what’s next? Joe vs. the Volcano is in from Netflix. I’ve got The Quiet Man, Rebecca, and The Honeymoon Killers and a documentary from A&E TV on the Alamo in the queue. Hmmmm, still can’t decide what’s next!
I recently signed up for and installed StumbleUpon and have enjoyed stumbling around the net. For instance, check out this insanely cute giraffe photo. Just too much.
Also, I like jazz and blues and country and rock. Well, music in general. However, I discovered that the only version of jazz that isn’t American invented is called gypsy jazz. It features guitar and was formed in the 1930’s and 40’s by a Frenchman. I found that out by a delightful trio called the Cook Trio. Too bad they are only playing in Florida. This would be a wonderful group to see!
Some absolutely gorgeous scenery photos to be found. You can even vote on the photos. Makes me want to head out with my camera!
Well, off to go do something productive. Have a great day!
So how has this year been for y’all? Well, it’s been okay here. My grandmother is in town to visit so it’s been nice to see her. She’ll be 75 in April! Didn’t realize how the time was slipping away.
I haven’t been doing much worth writing about. It’s been lots of sleeping and lots of reading. I have been working on putting album art into iTunes. That has been a job and a half. It’s neat to flip through on album view and see them fly through. Yes, I am easily entertained
Speaking musically, Shelby Lynne (I Am Shelby Lynne was just phenomenal) will release a CDÂ tribute to her hero Dusty Springfield. The album drops late January. Definitely something I will be checking out.
Well, enjoy the weekend!
