Today we taped the audio podcast of our picks and reasons behind our selections for the Oscars. I think everything went well since we were both in the same location. Hopefully everything went well and Tony can edit it out and get it posted. I didn't feel there were any pauses, but there were a few people in and out of the building while we were taping.


The podcast is now up on podbean, itunes and stitcher it's call Films Versus Movies. Check it out and follow me or Tony on social media.

here are the links for the podcasts - https://tdoug.podbean.com/

           https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/tony-douglas-presents-take-five

 https://itunes.apple.com/om/podcast/tdoug-podcast-network/id804851372?mt=2

We are not 6 days into the third month of the year. In a few days we'll be going through daylight saving time. The grass has grown back into the yard almost overnight and I'm going to have to use my time off to try to get it under control. There are so many things I need to do, but I haven't made the time to do that.

I feel as if I've written this before and don't want to be a broken record.

I was thinking about my situation and how so many people don't take responsibility for their choices. They always want to blame someone else. I can't blame anyone nor would I. Life is a constant journey filled with many learning experiences. I have to take things slow, one day at a time.

I want to create a schedule to work on my writing and do some reading. I need to create some greeting cards and there are a few other art projects I want to work on. I just have to stay focused.

SXSW is about to converge on Austin. It all starts Friday at ZACH, but before then there are events for the education sector with guest speakers. Spike Lee and Jordan Peele are both schedule to be a part of a panel. I'm not sure who will trickle over to ZACH. There is usually one or two red carpets.
As in the past whether I get to take pictures or see movies depends on when my shift ends and what is going on.

I've watched a lot of movies in the last few weeks so I'm taking it easy for a bit.

I've been a fan of This Is Us since the first episode. It's a show that everyone should be able to relate to. There is so much realism.
Tonight I got a surprise, Pam Grier is on the show in a small role. I was just talking about her at work. We were talking about favorite films by Quentin Tarrentino and of course Jackie Brown came up for someone.
It is no secret I am a very big fan of Pam Grier. Tonights episode deals with foster care. For some kids it can be a great thing, but there are some where life is not a bowl of cherries.

Having a family, a support system or a community of some sort is important. Families go through cycles. Some good some bad.



www.dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com
www.ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
www.filmlover4pg@blogspot.com
http://psychedmaster.org

Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind. Do return to see where the journey leads.

Call Me By Your Name

Call Me By Your Name

Today I had another movie theater experience. I went to the Alamo Drafthouse on S. Lamar. For anyone not familiar with this chain, it's movies with food and drinks. There is a ledge big enough to hold food and beverages. This is the second time I've been to this location. The first time I went with co workers to see the original Ghostbusters. It was a very different experience.

This time I realized like the experience I had a week ago. The screens are too big for the theater. I find sitting on the last row is still too close. Perhaps its just me, but my neck was hurting and I definitely can't go longer than two and a half hours. The seats weren't as comfortable as those at the Regal and they didn't recline.

I will try one more time to see if perhaps another theater may have different seats. I'm using up gift cards I had received.

Call Me By Your Name is a film about love, being young, self discovery and experimentation. Although I had a few issues with this film I still love the story. It's set somewhere in the northern part of Italy. There was a scene that reminded me of Slovania and Treviso. Timothee Chalamet plays Elio and is really great in this film and the Oscar nomination is well deserved. He plays the role of Elio with such conviction, the innocence and reactions are so believable. Army Hammer plays Oliver, a teacher and research assistant to Elio's father.

Although the majority of the film is set in the summer, I see the shorter boxer short trunks as a big deal for 2018. Levi jeans never go out of style, but I see younger people wanted vintage Levi. The black and white shirt at the end of the film is also very cool. I had a similar shirt in the 80's.

Before even seeing the film I had sort of compared the film to A Death in Venice and For A Lost Soldier. Both are foreign films that deal with older men falling for younger boys. I have an issue with older people seducing younger people even when they are aware of their sexuality. That first time is something that can never be gained. Being hurt at a young age is something that stays with a person for the rest of their life. Sometimes it can be put away, but there is a good chance something will trigger that memory.

I wasn't sure how the film was going to play out. I don't want to give anything away, but it didn't happen the way I thought it might. There are many subtle things that could give one some insight into the character Elio. There is an image of Robert Mapplethorpe on the wall. There are lots of books and we find out that Elio is highly intelligent. Which is another factor that plays into trying to fit in when one can't really fit in when they can't be themselves. People at any age are capable of doubting themselves even when everyone tells them how good they are.
There are some sex scenes in the film. Some are natural and others we are not sure what took place, but it is up to us to make that decision. I happen to be sitting between two women who were about my age, maybe older, but they didn't seem to be disturbed by anything. One of them was crying by the end of the film.

I can relate to characters in certain movies and feel something, but I've never cried in a movie theater. We all react to things differently.
Call Me By Your Name will probably be available on DVD and Blu Ray in a couple of weeks.

The music in this film is a mixture of classical and 80's It is beautifully shot and the symbolism of the tree and greenery gives us something to think about. I am a pretty visual person so I pick up on things that most people miss. I will definitely add this film to my collection. I hope that the DVD will have some extra footage. I'd like to know a few things that I've not heard the actors discuss on television.

The podcast is now up on podbean it's call Films Versus Movies. It'll soon be on itunes and stitcher soon. Check it out and follow me on social media.


www.dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com
www.ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
www.filmlover4pg@blogspot.com
http://psychedmaster.org

Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind. Do return to see where the journey leads.

Pam Grier

I was 12 years of age the first time I saw Pam Grier on the big screen. It was the Circle Theater on St. Bernard Avenue in New Orleans. It was in walking distance from the house; me and my friends would take our allowance and head to the movies. In those days you could see two movies and a cartoon. A Rally's was put on that spot when malls started to become popular with the introduction of multiple screen theaters.

The film (although its a movie, it is iconic)(I see a difference between a film and a movie) we had gone to see was Coffy. I don't know what it was about Pam Grier, but I was captivated. Maybe it was love at first sight. It definitely had a profound impact on me and I wanted to see anything that she was attached too. As I got older it started with magazines, and articles. Back tracking to see what films she had made previously. At the time I was starting my fascination, she had already made 17 films. I had a lot of catching up to do.

Although she would be known as the queen of the Blaxploitation films, she also did a string of B movies with Roger Corman. Other than the costumes, the storyline of Coffy still works. There is still drugs and corruption and no one really seems to be working hard enough. It makes you want to grab a gun and take control. Not many people could walk in Coffy's shoes.

It's been over 40 years since I've seen Coffy on the big screen. I usually watch this film and others by Pam Grier during the month of May to celebrate her birthday. This Monday, Alamo DraftHouse will do a screening in their new series entitled Fist City which will focus on films from the 70's.
If the weather cooperates, I plan to be there.

Coffy is my all time favorite film by the sex goddess. Pam Grier was like the black version of Marilyn Monroe for me. Of all of the movies the actress has done, I think Fort Apache The Bronx is second on my list followed by Black Mama, White Mama and Something Wicked this Way Comes. Pam Grier is the first black actress to have a lead role in a Disney film.
Pam Grier has now done well over 40 films and several television series. She has also written a book of some events in her life. I wish the book had been longer, but it added a lot of insight into a few things I didn't know.

www.dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com
www.ArtbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
www.filmlover4pg@blogspot.com
http://psychedmaster.org

Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind.