Tim Russert

Cleaning out a bunch of drafts, I came across this one from 2008. I still feel the same.

June 2008
It has taken me a while to digest the news of Tim Russert's sudden death for few reasons. He's one of those pleasant fixtures on television that has been so dependable, how could he suddenly be gone? Also, my father suffered a heart attack the week before (he's ok). It was all a bit surreal. I have been a fan of Russert's dedication to his family, his job, his audience and living life to the fullest. I am also grateful for the appearance of Mr. Russert in the, yet to be released, Mr. Rogers & Me. When I saw the first trailer for this film, I was struck by his enthusiasm, respect and appreciation of the work of Fred Rogers. I'm glad he gave the Wagners a bit of his time and insight. We are all better for the influence of Tim Russert, I hope I can keep his attitude in mind.

2009 My Year in Film

It's too early to name my favorite films of 2009, but I thought the last day of the year was a good time to reflect on my film experiences.

Tribeca Film Festival is still my favorite vacation. I met Paola Mendoza after her screening of Entre Nos. Duncan Jones and Sam Rockwell delighted the audience with a Q&A after the screening of Moon. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Jones, in June, at Newport Film Festival. I also met Jim Capobianco (Pixar, Leonardo), Scott Teems (That Evening Sun), Nick Paley (Picture Day) and Mimi Kennedy (In the Loop).

Twitter has enhanced my movie experience this year. It's fun for me to follow people like Jason Reitman, Duncan Jones, Jon Favreau, Paola Mendoza and Diablo Coady as they share their creative process, their travels and their thoughts.

This year awakened the sci-fi fan in me. Moon, District 9 and Star Trek will all land in my Top 10. Who knew?!!?

People who've joined me at the movies? Randi, Lucy and Liza joined me at TIFF. After seeing Coraline with my nephews there was an intense discussion. They're still talking about it. I'm also enjoying a long distance film-fan connection with my daughter. She lives 200 mile s away, but the last few films she's seen, I've seen after her. I call, we discuss. It's awesome!

2009 was a fun year in film, stay tuned for my favorites and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

My Walk with Twilight

I was not aware of the Twilight Saga novels until they started to promote the film Twilight last year. When I heard about vampires and teen romance, I was out. As the opening date of "the highly anticipated" Twilight approached, I kept thinking "anticipated by whom?" Then the coverage of the screaming tweens began. This put me even further out. But being a film fan, my curiosity was getting the best of me. What was all the screaming about? I had resigned myself to the fact that I would see this film out of sheer curiosity. The weekend the film opened, I was with my newborn grandson, and decided that rocking him was more important than a vampire movie. On the table next to the rocker, was a paperback copy of Twilight. My daughter is a voracious reader, and she had bought it for a light read. I picked it up and read half of it in about an hour. It made me feel 14 years old. I was hooked. Zipping through the first book, I found Bella to be the most annoying character I'd ever read. I decided I was too old to get it. When I finally rented the film Twilight, I was sorely disappointed. It sucked. Once again, I was out.With the hype of the film New Moon hot on the heels of Twilight and the promise that New Moon was a better story, I picked up a copy of New Moon off a bargain rack. Hell, $5 was a good deal. I was reading it while I was on vacation in NYC and have never had so many people comment on what I was reading. There was a very funny conversation in a bar with two young bartenders, a middle aged man and an older gentleman. Everyone's reaction to the book was age and gender appropriate, very interesting ( and entertaining). So now I was in, the "saga" is only 4 books, so I buy a copy of Eclipse. As good as, if not a bit better than New Moon, now I'm committed to finishing the series. As the film New Moon opens, I'm half way through Breaking Dawn, and happy to hear that the second film is better than the first. Stay tuned .......

Spooky Flick Picks 2009

I'll admit it, I'm kinda psyched for Halloween this year. I've got the pumpkins that will become Jack o' Lanterns, I've got candy for the trick-or-treaters, I think I'm ready. A little film will make the holiday complete. Here are some film recommendations for a happy Halloween. BOO!

Trick 'r Treat : cool anthology-style horror flick with a sense of humor. Out in DVD.
Let the Right One In : vampires and subtitles, honest, it's worth it. Out in DVD.
Paranormal Activity : demons under surveillance, good suspense flick. In theaters now.
Drag Me to Hell : demonic possession in a campy style, very entertaining. Out in DVD
Zombieland - zombie road trip with more than a few laughs thrown in. In theaters now.
The Blob (1958) - more of a monster movie, but I saw this one recently and it's a classic. Out in DVD.

Movie Chat with Cort & Fatboy

Before I went to bed last night, I was going to listen to Friday's Cort & Fatboy podcast. I'd been out with friends, my kids are all visiting for the weekend, all was right with the world. When I went to the KUFO website to find their regular show (hoping for a Mike Russell "power hour") I found a 6 minute message from Cort Webber and Bobby Roberts saying they had been fired. Their programming director and the Rick Emerson Show were gone as well. KUFO was cleaning house. I was shocked.

I started listening to Cort & Fatboy in 2006. Mike Russell, movie reviewer for the Oregonian, was doing Friday night reviews on the air. I liked Mike's taste in film and Cort & Fatboy are very knowledgeable when it comes to film. On Saturday mornings I would listen to the three of them chat film, then I'd turn it off and go about my week. As time went on, I would leave the podcast on and before I knew it, I would have listened to the whole show. Funny, topical, irreverent and smart, I was becoming a Cort & Fatboy fan.

The podcasts are available on iTunes, so I would download them to my iPod, and started listening to them on road trips in the car. They made the time fly and kept me laughing. They'd fill me in on the latest and greatest on movies, music, TV, comics, pop culture and politics. I even enjoyed news of the local events in Portland, though it is 3000 miles away. In an effort to get some exercise this summer, I started to walk a few days a week. Once again, the boys kept me company during a mundane task and I stuck with it, knowing I had something entertaining to listen to as I put in my miles. I felt lucky to have found such quality entertainment. Along the way I got to meet Byron Beck, Dave Walker, Dawn Taylor, Aaron Duran, Steven Humphreys and lots of very smart, talented people. Fortunately I can find all these folks online, but it won't be the same without the glue that is Cort & Fatboy.

Thanks guys, I hope you find a new gig and I'll be listening to you again soon.

My History with Where the Wild Things Are

I have been trying to remember when Where the Wild Things Are came into my life. I was 7 years old when the book came out, but we didn't have new books in our house much back in the day. I don't think I really got my hands on a copy until my babysitting years. Thinking of this book, I usually flash to a college children's literature course. I had to compile a card file of books for elementary school children. I had to read every book I put in the file. I had to have a minimum of 200 books. I remember sitting in the children's section of my hometown library, over my spring break, with piles of books around me. The one book I could not put back on the shelf was Where the Wild Things Are. A simple story of childhood rebellion and adventure, with the comfort of home and family. The illustrations were exotic and endearing. I was so enamored, I bought a paperback copy. At 20 years old, I kept it on my bookshelf with all my favorite books. It stuck out. The book got old, it traveled, it got beat up, somewhere along the line it was thrown out. When I had children, there was a copy in the house, but with all the other books and years gone by, be darned if I can find it now. My grandson was born a year ago, and his parents have embraced this lovely, poetic text as part of his bed time ritual. I have seen them lovingly recite those nine sentences to a child they love so much. It fills my heart. A few months ago, I bought a new copy of the book for my house. I look through it every once in a while and marvel at it's simplicity and depth. And now they've made a feature film based on this classic book. I hope the film does it proud. The fact that Sendak approves is enough for me. Let the wild rumpus start!

Twitter, Movies & Me

The Internet has been my portal to the entertainment world for many years now. At first it was a peep hole, it has now become a rather large picture window. The latest access, which I find highly entertaining, is Twitter. A social networking site that has folks answering the question, "what are you doing?" in 140 characters or less. In the last year, a lot of folks from the entertainment industry have jumped on. People I listen to on the radio, watch on TV and see in the theater have been posting "tweets" like crazy. It has given this movie geek access to the folks that bring me such joy through their work. It's interesting to follow a film maker on Twitter, then see them in person at film festival. Is it OK to say, "I follow you on Twitter"? Do you think they want to know? Another form of promotion and communication that's just plain fun for me. Thanks to all who Tweet, I'll be following........
Luv,
momlovesfilm

Natasha Richardson 1963-2009

When I think of Natasha Richardson, all I can think of is "lovely". Lovely in family, lovely in her art, lovely in her life. A graceful, spirited, talented woman who has passed much too soon. Thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. Thanking her for her work and example. Lovely.

Oscar 2009 : The Films

The films of 2008 made for a fun year for this film fan. The list of Oscar nominees, no matter what the category, will make for an excellent rental list. The real standout this year though, will probably win the Best Picture Oscar. That film is Slumdog Millionaire. Beautiful, gritty and uplifting, everyone I know who's seen it, loved it. Close behind as one of the best films this year, which will probably win the Oscar for best animated feature, is WALL-E. Creative, gorgeous, layered, funny, poignant, clever, Pixar does it again. I haven't seen all of the shorts, documentaries or foreign films yet, but here's how I'm voting in the Oscar Pools. For best foreign feature, The Class, best documentary feature, Man On Wire, best animated short Presto, best documentary short, The Final Inch and best live action short, New Boy.

This ends my Oscar series for this year. I'll be in Brooklyn, dog sitting, on Sunday night. I have already organized the beverages and snacks. Maybe I'll even get a pizza from the famous Grimaldi's! A printable ballot can be found here if you want to keep score yourself. Bring on the Oscars!

Oscar 2009 : The People

When I think of the people nominated for Oscars for acting and directing, I become a huge plate of waffles. There were so many excellent performances this year, any of these folks could win and be deserving. For best actor, the performance from Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler was strong and heart wrenching. On the other hand, Sean Penn brought a calm, joyful confidence to the depiction of Harvey Milk in the film Milk. For the best performance from an actress, Meryl Streep brings a fierce, emotional consistency to Sister Aloysius in Doubt. On the other hand, Anne Hathaway gives a tough, gritty performance, that makes the viewer uncomfortable, as a recovering addict in Rachel Getting Married. The only no brainer this year, is the award for best supporting role by an actor. Heath Ledger delivered the performance of the year as The Joker in The Dark Knight. The character he created, and the consistent, maniacal delivery is stunning. Even if he were still alive, I think he would win this award. It was just the best performance in this category this year. Another depiction of crazy could win an Oscar for Penelope Cruz, for her supporting role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. As the volatile Maria Elena, she commands every scene she's in. The best director category, this year, reads like a best director's EVER list. Every one delivered fantastic films this year, but I think the Oscar should go to Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire. He orchestrated a piece that not only told a compelling story, but showed us India in a way I've never seen.
What a talented group of people!

Oscar 2009 : The Stories

There are two Oscar categories for the writers of the stories we see in film. One for original material and one for stories adapted from other material. In the category of original screenplay, I was blown away by WALL-E. Not a word of dialogue for almost 45 minutes. This is a creative story of love , evolution and environment. For adapted screenplay, the script that stood out to me was for the film Doubt. Written by John Patrick Shanley, from his Pulitzer Prize winning play, it is a strong piece that looks at conscience and the actions we take. Another script that is as powerful in what it doesn't say, as in what it does. Slumdog Millionaire could also win this award. The story is taken from the novel, Q and A. We learn of life, love and survival on the streets of Mumbai through the vehicle of a game show. Either of these could win, though the words from Doubt really made me think.

Oscar 2009 : The Sounds

The sounds of a film surround us. The music, the sound effects, the viewer's subliminal reaction is strong. Music plays our emotions and mood. Often we don't even realize it. The original score of Slumdog Millionaire communicates the culture and setting of the story in an uplifting way. The final scene and end credits are testimony to this. The original song that struck me this year was Peter Gabriel's, Down to Earth from WALL-E. It tied a big bow on such a wonderful film. I think the Oscar for achievement in sound will go to WALL-E, along with sound editing. Clicks and whistles never sounded so good, or meant so much.

Oscar 2009 : The Sights

For the Oscar in art direction this year, it's tough to beat The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A beautiful film that could be trumped by The Dark Knight (and be deserved). The cinematography of Slumdog Millionaire is award worthy, as is the editing. The visual effects of The Dark Knight are eye popping and dizzying. The film may grab the award for best makeup as well. The closest competition, for makeup, would be The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I saw The Duchess because I thought it would get a nom for costumes. I was right, and I think it could win.

Oscar 2009 : An Introduction

I am a huge fan of the Oscars, and all the hoopla surrounding the process and broadcast each year. This week, I'll be commenting on the nominees, and who I think will win. I am in no way an expert, just a fan who loves to use the nominees as a guide to my film viewing, and the broadcast as a chance to feel close to the process for a night. I have organized the nominees into five posts, I'll post one each day this week. The Sights, The Sounds, The Stories, The People and The Films. Here's to what I like to call Oscar's Week! Enjoy!

Top 10 of 2008

I didn't think this was a terribly strong year in film, until I tried to compile my personal Top 10 List. The original list of cinematic bright spots for me numbered 36. Some of these films were just plain fun to watch, others were nice film events. As so many of the bloggers I read and respect have, I'll narrow it down to 10. I'm not putting them in any specific order, because I can't decide if Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon or The Dark Knight is my number one. I am not qualified to name these "the best", I prefer to name these "my favorites".

The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Iron Man
Man on Wire
Milk
Shine a Light
Slumdog Millionaire
Son of Rambow
WALL-E
Young at Heart

I would be remiss without an honorable mention list so here's to In Bruges, The Visitor, Tell No One, Morning Light, Let the Right One In, Baghead, Paranoid Park, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Wrestler, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Pineapple Express, Zach and Miri Make a Porno, Happy-Go-Lucky and Rachel Getting Married. (I told you I had trouble narrowing it down) A good year in film, now on to 2009!

Thanksgiving Traditions:Pieces of April

In November of 2003, I saw the charming film Pieces of April at the Columbus Theater in Providence, RI. The tale of the black sheep of the family, hosting her estranged family for Thanksgiving dinner, has been a favorite of mine ever since. Each member of the family has their issues and quirks. The story bounces back and forth between April's novice attempt at making a turkey dinner, and her family's road trip into New York City from New Jersey. Funny, endearing, edgy and heartfelt. It seems like a Thanksgiving tradition for me to talk about it, recommend it, write about it this time of year. Many people have received this film from me as a gift. A wonderful film. Happy Thanksgiving!

Alphabet Soup

This time of year we see a lot of lists. Over at Blog Cabins the challenge went up to movie bloggers to list their favorite films that start with each letter of the alphabet. This was a fun exercise, my largest challenge was X. Check here to see the lists. Impressive how many folks did this. Here's my list:

Angels in America
Benny & Joon
Crash
Dark Knight
Eternal Sunshine of a Sleepless Mind
Fight Club
Godfather
Hours
In Her Shoes
Juno
Kontrol
Little Miss Sunshine
Memento
Nine Queens
Once
Pulp Fiction
Quincinera
Ratatouille
Shawshank Redemption
Taxi Driver
Usual Suspects
Volver
Wall-e
X-Men
Young at Heart
Zodiac

Twilight and Election Results

To kill time before the election results came in last night, I rented the movie Twilight. Great cast, not so great movie. By the time I flipped the news back on, Obama was in the lead, but by 10 PM I was so nervous about the results, I went to bed. I'd had it with the phrase, "anything can happen". I did get a chuckle out of Brian Williams noting that he had left the lights on in his office, when they showed a long shot of Rockefeller Center. When I woke up this morning, I immediately opened the NY Times online, and the huge letters on my screen read OBAMA ... what a relief! I am hopeful for this new administration, this country sure needs it. Hope the Obama kids get their puppy soon.

LAMB #200 Is This Seat Taken?

I'm not much of a joiner. Exhibit #1 is the awesome website LAMB (The Large Association of Movie Blogs). I have stalked this site from it's birth, and regularly add its members to my Google Reader list. I've watched, read and commented for the last year. I was invited to join a few times in comments, and when I finally caved, I got to be #200. Sweet deal! I write my blog as a journal of my film consumption. I've had the benefit of meeting interesting people and learning a lot along the way, LAMB just adds to the mix. Film is such a wonderful hobby for me, happy to have folks reading here.

50 Favorites

Over at Blog Cabins, the challenge went up to folks to blog their 50 favorite films. As Fletch states, " favorite films, not necessarily the best of all time". For years, I have kept a list of my favorites, so I'm going to grab 50 from that list (I think it's approaching 100). The top 10 are the only ones I keep in order of favor, the rest look semi-chronological. A fun exercise, try it.

Godfather
Chinatown
Pulp Fiction
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
Casablanca
Mary Poppins
Memento
Fight Club
Monsters, Inc.
Little Miss Sunshine

Lost in Translation
From Dusk till Dawn
Benny & Joon
Million Dollar Baby
Shawshank Redemption
My Cousin Vinny
Angels In America
Pirates of the Caribbean:The Curse of the Black Pearl
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
The Godfather Part 2

Life is Beautiful
Dogma
The Last Waltz
Tape
Pieces of April
The Red Violin
Se7en
Slingblade
American History X
The Usual Suspects

F/X
Nine Queens
Groundhog Day
Adaptation
Chicago
The Hours
Rivers and Tides
All That Jazz
Crash
Wedding Crashers

Murderball
A Scanner Darkly
The Departed
The Host
Ratatouille
Superbad
Once
Juno
Wall-e
The Dark Knight