Hewlett High School Reunion

I have not written for a long time.  What has inspired me to get back into writing was going back to my Hewlett High School Reunion on December 13.  So many people at the reunion told me that they had been reading my blog and asked why I had stopped writing.  I had no idea. So in spite of there being a new format in WordPress, which I cannot yet figure out how to work with, I am going to take that inspiration and resume my reviews.  Thank you to all who let me know that you had been reading what I have written here and that it had touched you in some way.

The Hewlett High Reunion–which commemorated the Class of 1966 turning 60–was a wonderful event.  Due to the amazing leadership of Chick Bisberg, and his reunion committee (Larry, Ellen, Beth, Jeff and Alan), we all enjoyed a weekend in which (in Chick’s words):  “Old friends reconnected, new friendships were created, and some old wounds were healed.”  Thanks to Linda, Wendy and Bonnie for before and after parties.  I was struck by how much I liked everyone I spoke with, how glad I was to see people from all different parts of my growing up, and how much fun it was to be with people who had the same reference points (everyone I spoke with went to Walls Bakery and everyone loved the beach)  If you are thinking about going to a high school reunion, based on this one, I say go for it.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (DVD)

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, directed by Julian Schnabel, is based on the book of the same name written by Jean Dominque Bauby. “Jean Dom,” as he was known, was 43, the editor of Elle Magazine, a father of three, and a man who loved life and lived freely, when he had a massive stroke that left him completely paralyzed except for one eye.  He could see, hear, and understand everything, but he could only communicate by blinking his one eye.  The film brings you inside his experience at the same time it explores the relationships in his life, and how he touches the people who love him and the people who meet him after the stroke.  It explores what it means to be “locked in” and what it means to be human for Jean Dom and for others as well.  The film is unsentimental and at the same time deeply moving.  I highly recommend it. (in French with English subtitles)

The Visitor

The Visitor is the story of  Walter (Richard Jenkins), an unhappy widowed college professor, who goes to New York City, where he has an unused apartment in Greenwich Village, to present at a conference.  When he arrives, he discovers that his apartment has been illegally rented to an immigrant couple, Tarek (Haaz  Sleiman, who is completely irresistible) and his girlfriend, Zainab (Danai Jekesai Gurira).  Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy, who directed The Station Agent (a gem of a film), the movie takes us on a quiet and moving journey of discovery as these three people, and later Tarek’s mother, Mouna (Hiam Abbass) affect each other’s lives.  The story of what happens in the film is very believable and exposes a hidden part of how the United States treats noncriminal immigrants, although most people do not know about it.  Walter’s inner and outer transformation from knowing these visitors, while bittersweet, is moving and satisfying.  I enjoyed seeing The Visitor very much, and it has stayed with me and kept me thinking about the characters well after the movie itself ended.  And if you haven’t seen The Station Agent, rent it on dvd.

Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a novel, and although I don’t usually review books, I so loved this one that I wanted to spread the word.  The story centers on Jacob Janowski, and is told partly in his voice as a 93-year-old and most of the time in his voice as a young man, as it flows from present to past.  As Jacob is about to sit for his veterinary medicine exams at Cornell during the depression, he gets some bad news that completely disrupts his life.  He ends up joining the Benzini Brothers Circus Train and taking on the role of vet to the circus animals.  Gruen creates such a vivid world with characters that are completely alive and a historical setting that made me feel as if I had time traveled back to this particular time and space.  She highlights the contrast of the harshness of circus life in the depression with the incredible caring and loyalty and love that manages to exist within it.   I loved the characters, I loved the story, and I was just sad that it was over when I reached the end.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

I think that the appeal of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is that it is fun and entertaining, and it showcases two wonderful actresses, Frances McDormand and Amy Adams.  Set in 1930’s prewar London,  the film tells the story of a Delicia (Adams), a singer who wants to be an actress at any cost, and Miss Pettigrew (McDormand), a down-on-her-luck former governess who slips into a job as Delicia’s social secretary.  Delicia is playing three suitors against each other, creating all kinds of problems for herself, and Miss Pettigrew steps into the mix with a great deal of resourcefulness.  How they change by meeting each other is at the core of the movie.  I have to admit that I was disappointed in the first part of the film, which I felt was too cartoon-y and over the top.  I wasn’t sure I could relate to or care about these characters.  But partway through, they become more real and interesting, and I so enjoyed seeing Adams and McDormand in substantial parts in a fun, romantic comedy.

The Best of Youth (dvd)

The Best of Youth is the story of an Italian family over a span of years.  (The film is six hours, on two discs.)  The focus is on two brothers, Matteo and Nicola, and their large, passionate family.   The film begins in the 1960’s as they are studying for university exams in Rome, where the family lives, and planning a trip to Norway.  One of the brothers volunteers at an asylum for the mentally ill and is assigned to a young woman, Gerogia, who has been institutionalized for many years.  He and his brother try unsuccessfully to rescue her and this experience changes both of their lives in very different ways.  Though each of them choose very different paths, the incident with Georgia shapes their life choices.  The sense of family is very strong–whether people are arguing with or caring for each other, or despairing at what they missed.  The film is surrounded by history and how the times impact people.  It takes an unflinching and compelling look at the plight of mental patients in Italy.  I have only seen part one but am eagerly looking forward to the second part.  This film takes its time but is compelling.  I found myself thinking about it long after it was over.

Bones

With the writers’ strike lasting so long, there is not too much on television.  But I am addicted to reruns of Bones, a mystery series inspired by the  life of anthropologist Kathy Reichs.   Dr. Temperance Brennan, nicknamed “Bones,” (Emily Deschanel), is a forensic anthropologist (and mystery author on the side) working at the Jeffersonian Institute in Wasthington, DC.  With her team of scientists (“squints”),  she and her partner, FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) solve murders when almost all that is left are bones.  Brennan’s best friend is Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin), an earthy and sensitive artist who specializes in reconstructing facial features and crime scenes.  She can create reconstructions of people’s faces in a completely fascinating holographic process.  The rest of the cast and characters are equally well developed and smart.  I am intrigued both by the cases and how they can solve them (who knew what you could see in a bone?), and by the backgrounds and relationships among the characters.  The writing is intelligent, with a delightful sense of humor, and a depth that makes me care about the characters.  I am feeling lucky that I didn’t catch on to this show when it first aired because I keep finding new ones.  It is on Fox TV but there are also reruns on TNT.

The Complete Jane Austen

Masterpiece (formerly Masterpiece Theatre) is currently presenting The Complete Jane Austen, a series on KQED, and it is wonderful.  It consists of 6 remakes of Jane Austen novels–each one is 90 minutes–and one show that is a dramatization of Jane Austen’s life.  I love Jane Austen and have seen every film ever made from her novels.  These remakes are very British and more authentic than some of the more Hollywood versions–people look and act less glamorous and more real–I recognize amost none of the excellent British cast. The effect is to make you feel that you are really back in that time.  The emotional essence of the story–always that delicious combination of restraint and romance–comes through without distraction.  I have seen three so far–Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, and Mansfield Park (which is on this week–KQED plays them several times).  I am looking forward to enjoying the rest.  They are a breath of light on television during this long writer’s strike. 

Michael Clayton

I went to see Michael Clayton this past weekend and I really liked it.  It is entertaining, suspenseful, well acted, well edited–a very satisfying movie experience.  It tells a compelling story about a fixer for a law firm (George Clooney) who is sent to clean up when others mess up.  While his own life is coming apart, he is sent to fix the mess of one of the partners who has a meltdown during a deposition and changes his position on a case involving damage from toxic chemicals.  I was so impressed with this movie that I just looked up to see whether it had been nominated in any Oscar categories.  And it was nominated for best film, best actor (George Clooney), best supporting actor (Tom Wilkinson), best supporting actress (Tilda Swinton), and best director (Tony Gilroy).  so I guess some other people agree that it is a really good movie.   I recommend it highly. 

La Vie En Rose (dvd)

La Vie En Rose is an impressionistic French film, based on the life of Edith Piaf, the singer.  Marion Cotillard, who won a Golden Globe and is nominated for an Oscar, is a tour de force, playing Piaf from her 20’s to her death from cancer at age 49.  The music is wonderful–and the film uses the original Edith Piaf music.  The film moves back and forth between her childhood and her later years.  She was a hard liver from a hard background, and other than being an incredibly talented singer, she did not get too many breaks.  But she is fascinating and the film takes you into her world and the France of that time