Happy Halloween!

Hello all my friends and loved ones who still have the cajones to celebrate this most festive occasion! Yes it's Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Samhain (which I've only just learned is pronounced SOW-in, heh, silly Celts). Not the Harvest Festival, not a freakin' Hallelujah festival (yet again the Christians trying to cover up a perfectly good holiday with their own whitewashed garbage).

So get out there all you little witches and wizards, you ghosts and goblins, you zombies and vampires! Scare the bejeezus out of those evil spirits and the neighbors. But do no harm, little ones. No permanent injuries, no property damage.

And to all the pagans out there, Merry Meet ya'll! Enjoy the New Year!

Tamela

Movie Review: Good Night, And Good Luck

I'm not saying it will change your life or anything, but films of this caliber are rare. Black and white films are rarer still. No, I haven't forgotten Sin City, but that was a "comic book" black and white with splashes of color, this B&W was classic. Pure, if you will.

I was fortunate that this movie was playing in St. Lou at all. The big screen complexes ignored it, and so I made the trip to the Delmar Loop for my very first visit to the historic Tivoli. Allow me to digress a moment. Sitting in this beautiful, non-stadium seating theater complete with a rich, red velvet curtain only enhanced the movie going experience. It was easy to envision myself in the 50's as the curtain rose, wearing bright red lipstick and a full skirt with pumps, perhaps even a little hat. Even easier when the movie began.

Good Night And Good Luck fairly screams "Oscar!". The most striking part of this movie was David Strathairn's portrayal of the brilliant, chain-smoking, quick-witted (though subtle) Edward R. Murrow. It was eerie to listen to that voice as he gazed at the camera out of the corner of his eye, a column of cigarette smoke spiraling up next to his face.

Best Supporting actor clearly belongs to Ray Wise as CBS News anchor Dan Hollenbach, if for nothing more than the look on his face and in his eyes as the "O'Brien" review is read. I wanted to cry for him.

The cast was excellent across the board, and it would take up far too much space for me to give them all their due. I'll say this, though. It is always good to see Robert Downey Jr.

Another interesting feature of Good Night, is the use of actual footage from the McCarthy hearings. Senator Joseph McCarthy was as unsympathetic a character as one could find in real life, so the decision to let him speak for himself was not only wise, but inspired. The Former Husband told me that some folks complained that the "actor" portraying McCarthy was "over the top". Yes, yes he was.

The humor in Good Night is subtle, and quick, but the audience at the Tivoli had no problem catching on with the hindsight knowledge of Liberace and The 64,000 Dollar Question.

As a recovering Radio/TV person, I couldn't help but be struck by the differences in the gritty look of the show and its studio. This was an era before teleprompters, before on-camera cigarette smoking by news personalities became taboo (hell, the tobacco companies were sponsors, it may have even been ENCOURAGED!), before video tape, before nearly everything we take for granted.

Good Night And Good Luck is filled with poignant historical truths that are still extremely relevant today, most especially Murrow's closing statement that includes the phrase: "We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty."

In closing, let me just say how disappointed I am in the big megaplexes for ignoring such films as Good Night And Good Luck. The Tivoli was packed, with only a smattering of single seats available, and I would guess it will remain so for a time. Meanwhile, the megaplexes would rather devote multiple screens to such tripe as "The Fog". Makes Murrow's opening and closing dinner speeches that much more striking. Okay, end soap box.

And so, Good Night And Good Luck recieves a full 5 Stars Up.

TRUST ME ON THIS: Go see this movie. See it now, see it on DVD, but see it.

Attention General Motors Execs

I heard on NPR that one of the ways General Motors is trying to dodge the bankruptcy bullet is to ask its employees to give up some of their medical benefits in order to help. Let me rephrase that: The executives are asking the people whose backs they stand on EVERY SINGLE DAY to give up valuable, possibly life-saving medical benefits that they (the employees) have had probably THOUSANDS of dollars taken out of their paycheck for.

Yeah, that seems fair.

No report on whether or not the GM execs are giving any of their bloated salaries or perks, or benefits up, what d'ya think?

So, listen up GM boys and girls, here's a hot tip from Ms. Jane Q. Public herownself. You wanna get those profits up? Try giving the people what they want.

Low-emissions, HIGH HIGH HIGH gas mileage, classy, comfortable vehicles at an affordable price, with reasonably low interest financing. Give the oil companies the finger and tell them "Enough." Stop suppressing technology. Start researching alternative fuel sources, and then USE them.

Trust Me On This: The time has come GM. And the chickens is comin' home ta roost ya'll.

Movie Review: Serenity

Back again with a review on a lovely little Sci-fi flick called Serenity! Some of you may now (and fewer of you may care) that this movie is a direct descendant of a short-lived show on the SciFi Channel called "Firefly". Unlike Farscape (pause for a moment of silence)..................."Firefly" didn't get any real chance at survival at all. Unless I'm mistaken, they got one season. One. I'll rant about this type of bull on a later date. Unfortunately, I did not get to see the show for whatever reason, so I thought I'd catch Serenity to make up for it, and boy-oh-boy am I glad I did!

I'm not going to give much of the story line away, just to say that the main characters are a band of inter-stellar thieves who have been together long enough to establish a very comfortable and zippy rapport. In other words, the dialogue is seldom dull. The crew of the Serenity find themselves in deep doo-doo over a couple passengers they have taken on. The history of the mysterious brother and sister unfolds, and then things REALLY get interesting.

The special effects are fantastic, the fight scenes impressive, the characters rich and very familiar (to me, at least), and the tender moments are...well...tender.

If you are a SciFi Channel fan, then you have probably seen this movie already, but if not, go spend the money for the big screen. If you are only a so-so sci-fi lover, go ahead and wait for the DVD, just make sure you watch it on a big T.V. TRUST ME ON THIS: Serenity is a winner.

This Is Why I Want Pepper Spray

*WARNING: This post contains adult language and themes. Parents should use caution when reading this blog, as should right-wing fundamentalist Christians, and my mother.

So I'm going about my business today, taking a movie back to Blockbuster. (Lords of Dogtown. Unless you are a skater, don't bother.) I pull up just as a rather nice looking young African American man is leaving the store. I look up, and he is staring a hole through me. I give him the casual "Hi." smile.

Him: How, you doin'?

Me: Fine.

Him: What's goin' on?

Me: Too much, WAY too much. (Subtle hint, I don't have time for conversation.)

I go and put my movie in the return slot. When I turn back he's sitting in his car which is parked to the left of mine, still staring intently. I return to my car and he leans over.

Him: I was wondering if you might have any time to spend with me.

Me: No, sorry. I've got errands to run. (Thinking to self: This is going somewhere.)

Him: I was just thinking I could get some head.


OH, YES HE DID SAY THAT!

Me: ((Blllllllink!)) Ooh. Tempting. But...no. Thank you. (Delivered firmly and with a touch of sarcasm.)

I got back in my car and he drove off. Quickly.

All righty then. Now, I'm not a prude. I was, yes, when I was young and naive, but no longer. I fully realize that there are guys in this world who have the subtlety of a sledgehammer. But this COMPLETELY caught me off guard. Truly, I was expecting some sort of religious sales pitch, and was looking forward to giving him the "withering look". Boy, I was WAY off base.

(A quick note to all the men who may read this post: This guy's behavior is COMPLETELY inappropriate, even if the woman in question is hanging out on the corner wearing two band-aids, a cork, and six inch spike "f**k me" shoes. TRUST ME ON THIS: If you wouldn't say it in front of your mother, DON'T say it.)

I spent the next few minutes swimming in an emotional pool of shock and disbelief at this effrontery, amusement, and just a tinge of righteous indignation. But mostly I was wondering if my comeback had been snappy enough, or simply lame. So, I did what I normally do, I called the Former Husband, who is a FANTASTIC source for all things male.

His response when I told him what the guy said?

Mike: OOOOOOOOOHHHHH!

He assured me that my comeback had been sufficiently classy and not at all lame. And then supplied me with what could be some Top Secret male perspective. I'll not expound upon it here, but it does back up the "Men Are Pigs" mantra.

As most people tend to do, I spent a good deal of time dwelling on what would have been much better comebacks. Here's the short list:

The High School Virgin Comeback

EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

The Race Card Comeback

(smack the forehead)
Is it Proposition White Girls Day already?

(Hey, if he's going to sink to the lowest common denominator, then so am I!)

The Trailer Park Comeback

@#%& YOU!

Ah well, coulda shoulda woulda. I think I did okay. But BOY I was really wishing for some pepper spray.