Ramblings of an artist 5-18-20

 5-7-20 It takes money to make money - that was my post on facebook 5-6-20. I am not sure where I heard this or if I read it some place, but it has stayed with me and I understand it. Whatever you want to do you have to have some money to get it started. If you are looking for a job, you have to have money for gas or bus fare. If you want to buy a house you need to have the down payment in most cases, but you have to be ready to make the first payment and you have to have a job to secure that it will be feasible. What I was referring to was me getting the internet so that I can decide what my next plan of action will be. So I can take care of business and join in on any invitations I get via the net from colleagues and friends.

5-9-20 I've started communicating with a friend that I hadn't spoken to in a while. It's been the case with many people. Everyone is looking for some sort of connection. I don't usually have a problem being by myself, but when you don't really have a choice in the matter that can make a person a bit antsy. I've been copying music to my laptop and trying to decide which music CDs I want to get rid of. There's a lot music and movies that I won't watch. And since it'll be a while before I invite anyone over... the chances of them wanting to see a certain film or movie are probably slim. Still, sometimes I am in the mood to watch one of those movies that I hadn't seen in over 30 years.

5-10-20 Today is Mother's day. It's one of those days that I just prefer to be by myself. When I started going back to church I would have an issue with this day because the priest would ask all the mother's to stand up so they could be acknowledged. My mother passed away in 2005, a few days before her birthday. Which makes me remember lots of things for several weeks. When I used to travel a lot I used to always make it a point to make it home for my mother's birthday or Mother's Day. The year she passed away, I was on the Big Island of Hawaii. Prior to leaving New Orleans for my trip, my mother was rushed to the hospital and wasnt supposed to live through the night, but that wasn't the case. I had made all the possible arrangements by Louisiana law that I could make. I knew my mother wouldn't have wanted me to cancel my trip. I was confident in my decision and I had instructed the family not to call me if she were to pass while I was away. Of course there is always someone that doesn't listen. The doctors and nurses all had instructions and told me they would take care of everything. Most of what happened when I got back home is a blur. I do remember planning the day in which the services would actually take place. It was the end of May when we finally had the services and buried my mother. It was somewhat of a difficult time as I didn't know what I was going to do. I had been retired at this point for 5 years.
There was still a lot of stuff that needed to be taken care of and I had to get myself focused. I didn't want to be around other people who were able to celebrate their mother's. Now I just have memories of certain things.

5-13-20 I finally contacted Spectrum to order the least expensive offer to access the internet. It'll be a while before the modem arrives, but I shouldn't have to limit my time online. I am not planning to spend a large amount of time online like in the past, but I will be able to conduct business. Get my taxes done, do some research. Get back to writing on all of my blogs and not just this one.
During the Quarantine it's allowed me more time to remember certain things. Memories are all some of us have to get us through. Hopefully there are more good memories than bad. I was thinking about how I got my first computer and internet access.
The year was 1993 and I was had gone to Seattle for the first time to visit and friend and attend the Seattle Internation Film Festival (SIFF).
I had the opportunity to attend one of the parties and met this woman. Before leaving she had given me her business card so that we could stay in touch, but she said she would only do business with me if I had an email address. Shortly after returning to New Orleans I went to Radio Shack and bought my first computer. For a brief moment Prodigy was my email and the quickly discovered AOL and it all changed from there. I never actually did business with the woman that started it all, but we did stay in touch for a while. The internet opened a whole new world. I met new people and I was able to keep in touch with some of the people I had met. I didn't know many people with computers at the time,but that soon changed with AOL's chat rooms and soon the list was growing. I met lots of artists and we were able to share ideas and art.
This weeks films and movies, all have to do with fashion. Ready to Wear ("Pret-A-Porter") the Robert Altman film about fashion week in Paris.The large ensemble casts includes Julia Roberts, Tim Robbins, Sophia Loren, Francois Cluzet, Ute Lemper, Linda Hunt, Tracy Ullman, Sally Kellerman, Stephen Rea, Forest Whitaker, Richard E. Grant, Danny Aiello, Teri Garr, Lyle Lovett, Jean Rochefort, Rupert Evertt, Lauren Bacall, Kim Bassinger, Michel Blanc and Marcello Mastroianni. Featuring Cher, Gianfranco Ferre, Jean Paul Gaultier and many others.
Saint Laurent is about the iconic fashion designer. It jumps around, but for those interested in fashion it's worth a look. Creative liscense is usually taken in biographies to make it more interesting.
Phantom Thread stars Daniel Day Lewis as a designer set in his ways, that secretly hides notes in his designs. He meets a woman that is the perfect mannequin and they start a relationship that becomes some what toxic.

Unzipped is a documentary about Isaac Mizrahi preparing for his collection and how he wanted to try something new. I preferred the documentary over Ready to Wear when I first saw it. Ready to Wear seemed to want to make fun of the fashion industry which when I look back on how things were some things can be funny. I like looking at films and movies many years later to see if I still feel the same way about them as I did the very first time. Unzipped features many celebrities, including Eartha Kitt, Sandra Bernhard and Super models Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Veronica Webb and Christy Turlington.
The September Issue is a documentary about Vogue's staff preparing the biggest issue of the year.
Mahogany starring Diana Ross as a wanna be fashion designer turned model until she finally fulfills her dream. The movie stars Anthony Perkins as a domineering photographer and Billy Dee Williams as a wanna be political activist.

Things didn't workout with me getting the internet through Spectrum. I am not ready to have someone come into my home so the self install needed the cable box to be activated. Just wasn't meant to be. We'll see what happens next.

5-17-20 I went to the grocery this morning. I wasn't as anxious as I had been the last two times. I'm going to try and wait another 14 days before I go to the store again. There were some people not wearing masks. I'm not sure if they just don't care or if they like taking risks or they want someone to tell them something so they can get into a confrontation. I got what I needed and came home. I had thought about going over to ZACH and just park for a change of scenery, but I decided to watch a few episodes of Mannix. I had been watching epic classic movies from my collection on Sunday. A few weeks ago it was Lawrence of Arabia, Easter Sunday it was The Ten Commandments, last Sunday it was Gone With The Wind and today it was Cleopatra. Next Sundady I'm thinking The Bridge on the River Kwai. This coming week will begin Foreign Films including Leolo, Like Water For Chocolate, Cinema Paradiso, House of Angels, To Live, Fanaa and Y Tu Mama' Tambi'en.

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

www.dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com
www.artbyDlonzo.blogspot.com
www.filmlover4pg@blogspot.com

www.psychedmaster.org

5-20-20

  April 29,2020, Today is when this entry starts. Yesterday I didn't see any increase in my bank account when I got my notice so I wasn't sure what I had done wrong with unemployment. This isn't the first time I've had an issue. Initially I was knocked off the site and then when I went back in a few days later the information had gone through so I was already set up. The day they told me I needed to request a check as instructed on the letter I had received, I couldn't do it on the phone and then I went online, but it looks as if everything I did on the phone did go through. So I just had to use my own advice and be patient. A few hours later when I went online to pay a bill I noticed that there was an increase in my account so I was relieved.

I was thinking about some of the younger people that I know and what they could do to benefit during this time if possible. There are some that the $1200.00 may not have to be used to pay rent or bills. What they could do is take some of that money and invest it. They could get a 3 month or a 6 month CD. That way they know at the end of that time they will have access to the money of they were to need it. I would suggest looking at a credit union as they have better rates. If you want to try the stock market you can, but you really want to do research and remember it's a different type of investment. It's not insured and you could lose everything. Your CD is insured so as long as you leave the money in for the amount of time necessary you have no penalties to worry about. There is also a certain amount of time that you can cash in the CD or you can just have the interest moved to another account or take it out and use it. If you don't need the money let it roll into another 3 month or 6 month time which is usually done automatically.

I was talking to a cousin about my house in NOLA. It is scheduled to go up for auction next month. I've been toying with the idea of all the things I really wanted to do and what I would like to do now. There are just so many variables to consider at this time. I need to make some calls and to see what my options are at this time.

May 1, 2020 - I wanted to call regarding the house in NOLA first thing, but I let things get away from me. I called around 10:00 AM and I decided I would just let them call me back. The recordings haven't been updated. The wait time was supposed to be under two minutes, but after an hour no one called. I did some other things around the house to pass the time. At 4:45 PM I decided to call back. This time I was going to hold on. I've always believed the best days to conduct business are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday as early as possible since most people are coming back to work and they've probably had a good weekend. Of course it is up to me not to upset them or ruin their day if I am the first call of the day.
Wednesday is hump day and most people are thinking about the weekend. Early morning or after lunch are good times to call. Since this is Friday I figured my chances would be good. I just had a few simple questions and I knew the person on the other end would be getting ready to go home.
It turns out because of the virus, the auction date has been pushed back until June. She gave me the total of what is due and an email address as she suggested it would be better since they were short staffed.
I'm still not sure if I can raise the funds, but it would be in my best interest to try.

May 3, 2020 - I woke around 7:30 AM and got myself together since I wanted to go to the store again. I had a big list, but I was only going to get what I could find. I didn't want to spend too much time in the store. The parking lot looked as if there were more cars than last Sunday. I put on my mask and had my bags and went into the store. I was a bit anxious, but I wasn't sure why. The baskets were being sanitized, but they were still together. Last Sunday they were all separated so you didn't have to touch more than one basket. I didn't have to touch more than one, but I don't know who was there before me. I wanted to get some cloth gloves, but I haven't done that yet. I figure I would just use hand sanitizer when I got back into my vehicle. I was able to get everything I needed and I treated myself to a few things. I knew prices would be going up, but I was surprised to see that Camelia red beans were almost $5.00 a pound. There are some things I can go generic on, but there is something about Cameilia beans... perhaps its a New Orleans thing or the fact that it reminds me of home. When I first arrived in Austin, the search was on to find Blue Runner red beans in the can. Eventually I was able to find them, but now they are scarce and I have to cook fresh beans because there are no substitutes.
There weren't a lot of people in the store, but I was still trying to move as fast as possible. There were people still going the wrong way in an aisle. No one is wiping down the handles of the freezers. I also didn't see anyone wiping down the check out area. Maybe I missed it, I'm not sure.
I now have to contact the unemployment office today is supposed to be the day to call in. I called, but it turns out my day is Wednesday. I hope I didn't miss a week. I was sure when I went online it said May 3, or perhaps it was the week of May 3.

May 5, 2020- I went to the library to use the wi fi, but it was getting really hot and it wasn't even noon. Luckily it doesn't take long to check email. I made a quick post on Facebook and came home. When I got home it was getting cloudy and then it started to cool off. If I had known that I could have waited a few minutes. Still, it makes me reallize it is in my best interest to get the internet for the house. I'll figure some way to pay for it.

I posted on Facebook, (The Best investment a person can make is in themself) I either heard this or read this somewhere when I was younger and it has always stuck with me. Another phrase that has stayed with me is (It takes money to make money). So those are the decisions I will be making in the next couple of weeks.

This morning its nice and cool. I made my call to unemployment. It's every other week that I am to call in. So now I feel relieved that I didn't mess that up. I want to work on some art projects and just keep myself busy.


I had done a podcast a few years ago. I am not sure it if is still available or not. Check out podbean, itunes and stitcher it's call Films Versus Movies. Check it out and follow me(Dlonzo on Twitter) or Tony (TDoug on Twitter) You can also listen to the podcast on Youtube. I am thinking of just going at it solo once I get things set up.

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


Copy and past the links if you are interested in my other blogs and interests.

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.

Let's Talk Movies

With the Corona Virus or the COVID-19 as it is being called, I have had even more time to watch movies. I had been trying to watch movies from the 60's and 70's and a few 80's movies and anything else that seems appealing.

I had gone to the library to return some movies, but they were not accepting any movies or books back.

There are movies from the 60's that I was too young to know what they were about or had never even heard of. Back then it would have been whatever came on television and what the family may have been watching.

I finally got to see Blow Up, The Michelangelo Antonioni film about a photographer that captures a murder with his camera. The 1966 film stars David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave and Sarah Miles. The entire film is shot like a photograph. Each shot is framed perfectly. Of course it's not a film for everyone. It makes a social statement as well as an artistic one.
There are many sensual and sexual connotations throughout the movie. Sometimes I feel that is what art is about. If you are a film maker I highly recommend this film. It will definitely inspire you.

Another film that I watched was Hurry Sundown. This film was directed by Otto Preminger who put together an incredible cast including Diahann Carroll, Robert Hooks, Beah Richards, Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, John Phillip Law, Faye Dunaway. Burgess Meredith, George Kennedy, Luke Askew, Madeleine Sherwood and Frank Converse. The film is filled with race issues, money, sex, power, infidelity, trust and betrayal. Set in Georgia, the story follows several families trying to survive and keep what is rightfully theirs. It's not a film for everyone, but what movie is? Its shot very well. It's based on the novel of the same name by K.B. Gillen. It's great to see stars that I like in their earlier roles.

Another interesting film was Paris Blues from 1961, directed my Martin Ritt. The film stars Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Diahann Caroll, JoAnn Woodward, Sergei Reggiani and an appearance by Louis Armstrong. This film deals race, relationships. love, jazz, drugs all set to the backdrop of Paris. Shot in black and white, it's angles and movement is like a jazz song. I think I had seen this film when I was a small child, but I certainly didn't understand what was going on.

I've always been fascinated by movies. Later in life I saw a difference in the way foreigners referred to them as films or cinema. I also saw a difference in the story telling. As I got older I began to separate the two. There are movies that I feel are for a broader market and films are for artists, intellectuals, those that want to be a part of the experience of film making.

Some of the other titles included Kiss of the Spider Woman with Raul Julia and William Hurt, a film set in a prison as a film within a film. A gay prisoner tells stories to a political prisoner to pass away the time. The film sequences are beautifully done with Sonia Braga as the women in the stories. I had seen this movie a long time ago.

Another movie I watched was Spike Lee's He Got Game. I had seen it many years ago, but I only have it on VHS and I had gotten the DVD from the library. I wanted to see how I felt about it years later. I like doing that as my mood and opinions change over time. There are movies I really liked when I was younger and now I either don't find them entertaining or as funny as they were at the time.

There are many movies in my collection that I still have not ever seen. One such movie was Sextette with Mae West, Timothy Dalton, Tony Curtis, Dom Deluise, Ringo Star, Rona Barrett, Regis Philbin, Alice Cooper, Walter Pigeon and George Hamilton. This was really had to watch. Mae West wrote the farce which was a Broadway play based on her life. There were some funny moments, but most of the jokes I had heard and her singing isn't the best and I can't really say there is a whole lot of acting on her part. I just had to see it for myself.

I ordered some 80's movies from Amazon Prime that included Tuff Turf, Grandview USA, Mascarade and Under the Boardwalk. I will try to do some video of me talking about the movies of the 80's that were such a big influence on my life.

I will do more snippets of the movies and films that I am watching.

Thanks for stopping by and do come back again. Stay safe and wash your hands.

I had not seen any of the nominated movies, but someone gave me a ballot and I said I would just fill it out just to see if I could pick the movies based on the clips that would be shown. Of the 24 nominees I got 14 correct.

I thought 1917 would get best picture because war movies usually win, but it went to Parasite a foreign language film so I will have to see the film if I can find it at the library. Of course I hope to see all of the best picture nominees eventually. I finally saw the Favourite a couple of weeks ago.

As I thought 1917 would get best picture, I figured Sam Mendes would get best Director, but that went to Bong Joon Ho for Parasite. The academy has been staying consistent with the best picture and director. It made no sense to me that if it was the best picture, the director wouldn't also win.

I was hoping Leonardo DiCaprio would finally win for actor in a leading role, but I also figured Joaquin Phoenix would get it, but I had thought he had won an Oscar for Walk the Line, but I was wrong. This was his first Oscar win.

The same for an actress in a leading role. I had hoped Cynthis Erivo would get it, but I also figured it would go to Renee Zellwegger.

Actor in a supporting role I knew it would finally go to Brad Pitt.

I took a guess on Supporting role for an actress. I hadn't seen any of the movies, but I thought Margot Robbie might win for Bomshell, but I am happy that Laura Dern won.

I felt Parasite was original and the visuals looked good so I selected it for Original Screenplay. I thought Todd Phillips would win for adapted screenplay, but it went to Jojo Rabbit which is another movie I plan to see as soon as I can find it at the library.

I selected Parasite for the International Feature and Toy Story 4 for the animated feature. I've loved all of the other Toy Story films and was sure the academy would feel the same which is what happened.

Documentary feature was a guess and I thought Honeland would win because it was about bees and most people are thinking about climate change, etc. The winner was American Factory which is also something of importance.

Original score I thought John Williams would get it for Star Wars, he's always winning, but it went to Hilder Guonadottir for Joker.
The original song went to Elton John for Rocketman, but I felt Stand Up from the film Harriet was the better song. I had also hoped if the song won Cynthia Erivo would still walk away with an Oscar.

Cinematography it's been my experience tha war movies usually always win and the fact that 1917 was shot in a way that they look like one long shot it had to win.

Period pieces usually always win best costume so I selected Little Women. I thought the clip for Ford v Ferrari was good and so I picked it for best editing and Sound editing.
I was sure the transformation of Renee Zellwegger as Judy Garland would get hair and makeup, but that went to Bomshell which the transformation was good.

Because the film was called Once Upon a Time in Hollywood I was sure it would get Production Design and it did.

I figured 1917 would have to get some sort of sound award and selected 1917 for sound mixing.

The visual effects I selected Avengers: Endgame and 1917. War films usually have great visuals although sometimes disturbing.

I was rooting for the animated short Hair Love and was surprised when it won, but I was glad that it did. I hope I can find a compilation of the animated shorts.

Live action short I selected The Neighbors' Window which the clip was very appealing to me.

The documentary short I went wit Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If you're a Girl) it just seemed appropriate in the day and age.

I continue to watch movies from the library, many I've never seen and others I was really young when they came out. I'm just trying to see how I feel about certain movies and films now that I'm older.

There are also some newer movies that I am trying to catch up on as well.

The majority of my free time is spent watching movies. In between that time I try to stay busy around the house and work on some art. It's been so hot that I don't want to chance getting out into the yard and have a heat stroke.



In the last few weeks I've seen several movies from my collection and that I found at the library.

I watched a documentary on Annie Leibovitz the famed photographer which I found very interesting. There was another on the films of Ken Russell I've watched Elgar about the composer, The Debussy Film based on the famed composer Claude Debussy and Any Given Sunday about the painter Henri Rousseau. All are quite interesting in their depiction of the subjects and the artistry. Actors portray the subjects, but in The Debussy Film is a movie within a film telling the story of the composer. They are all shot in black and white.



I have to do some research because I think there is another film maker named Ken Russell and I don't think they are the same person. (I just checked Independent Movie Data Base and it is the same person.) You know how you don't expect people to look a certain way because of the work that they put out? That's what happened here. I have three more of his documentary/movies to watch.



I watched the series American Horror Story: Freak Show and I was absolutely engulfed in the season. I definitely want to watch it again before I return it to the library. It's hard for most people to see the beauty in people who are different than they are. We make assumptions without asking questions. If you watch this season you would be amazed to find out that there are actually actors who are disabled. The actors are really good and I hope to see them in something else. Even those that had never acted before are doing an incredible job.

McQueen - The documentary about fashion designer Alexander McQueen.




www.filmlover4pg.blogspot.com

I participated in this 10 Films/Movies in 10 Days on facebook. Actually I named it films/movies because of the podcast that I had been doing.

They are in no particular order. I had a list in mind when I decided to do this, but like everything else when it came time to post I had changed my mind and I wanted to watch the films and movies that I would post.

The films and movies that are in my collection are there for many different reasons. It has to do with the actors or the subject matter.

The first movie I decided to watch was Sparkle. The reason I chose this one because Aretha Franklin had just passed and she did some of the vocals for the movie. Curtis Mayfield composed the music that created some hits.

The movie starred Phillip Michael Thomas, Lonette McKee, Dorian Harewood, Irene Cara and Mary Alice. It was one of the first depictions of a black female singing group with a black cast.

The second movie I decided to watch was The Skulls. I hadn't seen this one in a very long time. Hill Harper has a small, but pivital role. The movie is based on a secret society that politicians and men of power belong too.

The third movie was Meatballs, a fun story about a summer camp of underdogs. The movie starred Bill Murray from Saturday Night Live and introduced us to Chris Makepeace as Rudy Gardner.

The fourth movie was Set It Off one of my favorite movies. It's an original story with some very talented actors. The movie stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett, Viveca Fox, Blair Underwood, Ella Joyce and John McGinley.

The fifth movie was Living Out Loud, another movie that featured Queen Latifah. I really like this movie for it's uniqueness. If we could all just live out loud... life would be even more interesting. The movie stars Holly Hunter and Danny Devito.

The sixth was the film Chain of Desire by Temistecoles Lopez. I had just watched Alfred Hitchcock's film Rear Window for the first time and it made me think of a scene from Chain of Desire so I decided to watch the movie. The film stars Linda Fiorentino and Malcolm McDowell. It was a film that connected several characters, but without them meeting each other. It was probably the first time I had seen a film go full circle. Starting with one character and then coming back to that character.

The seventh was the film Full Metal Jacket by Stanley Kubrick. The film gave us an inside view of the training, head games and mental stability that the soldiers went through during the Vietnam war. The film stars Mathew Modine, Vincent D'onofrio, Arliss Howard, Dorian Harewood, Adam Baldwin and     Emrey.

The eight was the German film, Das Boot (The Boat), directed by Wolfgang Peterson, starring Jurgen Prochnow and Erwin Leder. It's based on the true story of German soldiers, who are only boys, on a submarine sent out to destroy the enemy. The experience changes those that do survive.
The visuals and editing for the film are incredible. It's as if you are on the sub with the other men.

The ninth was The Pillow Book, a film by Peter Greenaway. This film is the artistry at its best. The visuals inside of a story about love, obsession, the art of writing, the art of sex, fetishism and so much more.

The tenth movie was Forth Apache The Bronx, starring and directed by Paul Newman. No list would be complete without at least once movie in which Pam Grier is featured. She has a small, but pivotol role as a drugged out hooker/serial killer. Paul Newman didn't want Pam Grier for the role, but she pulled a Dorothy Dandridge and got the part. For those of you not familar with that, Otto Preminger didn't want Dorothy for the role of Carmen. He wanted her to play Cindy Lou. Dorothy dressed up as Carmen and went in and Otto new she was right for the part. Pam did the same thing, going into his office as the hooker. She lost a lot of weight for this role and Paul Newman couldn't resist.

There were other films and movies that I watched, but that was going beyond the number. Those others were the film Fame about the High School for performing arts in New York which starred Irene Cara, Barry Miller, Paul McCrane and the late Gene Anthony Ray. Holland Taylor appears in the film along with Debbie Allen, Ann Meara and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi when he was a student at the school.

I also watched the movie The Temptations and the psychological film Headless Body in a Topless bar created from a newspaper article. It's a disturbing film in parts. It has some humor, but it's not for everyone.






The podcast is now up on podbean, itunes and stitcher it's call Films Versus Movies. Check it out and follow me(Dlonzo on Twitter) or Tony (TDoug on Twitter) You can also listen to the podcast on Youtube.

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


Copy and past the links if you are interested in my other blogs and interests.

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.

Movies, Movies Summer 2019

As most of you know I have been getting the majority of my movies from the library to watch. It allows me to see movies I wouldn't go to the theater to see and it gives me something to write about.
There are just so many movies being made; it's hard to keep up. Every time I look at a movie and I see the previews I make notes of what I would like to see. I try to decipher what might be a film or a movie under my standards.

Most foreign movies I consider films. There is an artistic element in the way that it is shot and there are more realistic portrayals of life than what we see in American movies. From a very early age I related to foreign films. I know some people don't like them because they have to read the subtitles if they don't speak the language. I probably felt that way until I took the time to actually watch one.
I remember when I was really young watching the film Two Women with Sophia Loren with my mother's mother on TV. It had a profound effect on me. It's probably the first movie set in Italy and it probably put the idea in my head that I would like to go there some day.

I'm going to start with the most recent film I watched and work my way backwards. There was a film called Mother directed by Darren Aronofsky with Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfieffer. I wasn't sure where the story was going and that was the intent of the director. There are lots of twists and turns which makes it interesting. I thought it was another story within a story like the film Nocturnal Animals.
The special effects in the film are great. All of the actors give incredible performances.
I am working on some ideas for a novella and like Mother which starts at the end, I use this to open my story. (Some stories start at the beginning, some start in the middle and others at the end.)


That film stars Jake Gyllenhall, Amy Adams and Michael Shannon. This one is a story within a story with a lot of surprises. I just didn't like the ending, but it was revealed through one of the art pieces that appears in the film. It's okay, but I was left wanting more. Perhaps its a good thing, but there is no need for a sequel.
I don't think I will add either to my collection unless I find them at a reduced price.
I had been talking about Michael Shannon after seeing The Shape Of Water. He has played many roles, but he's rarely the lead. Perhaps its his appearance. He is a very tall guy and he's usually the bad guy. Although his character draws you in, he does have a violent side as well. We see how people change when they experience a traumatic experience. In the case of Jake Gyllenhall it's all about revenge.

There were some movies that didn't make a big impact and I was sort of disappointed. I was thinking of something else to write. Big name stars that do bad movies and unknown stars that do good movies and those in between.
Reading the words on a page is one thing. You sort of visualize what you can bring to the role or the part you would like to play. It really depends on the story. I watched a movie called Collision Earth and the special effects were not the best, but the premise was interesting. Actors come from various areas - stage, small screen aka television. So I wonder if that has a lot to do with the transition when things don't seem to work as well. Kirk Acevedo stars in Collision Earth, but it seems as if he's over acting at times. I remembered him from the television series Oz. Then he did some other TV work. Of course actors have to work and they have bills that need to be paid like everyone else.

I saw a movie called Sleepless that starred Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monahan, Tip (T.I.) Harris, Dermott Mulroney, David Harbour, Scott Newbury and Gabrielle Union. This was a surprise. I don't recall ever seeing a promo for this movie, but it wouldn't have made a difference. I wouldn't have gone to see it at the theater. It did have an interesting premise and there was a lot of action. It kept me interested and guessing as to what was really going on. It was quite entertaining.

Another movie that was a surprise was The Commuter which starred Liam Neeson,Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Sam Neill, Johnathan Banks, Patrick Wilson and Elizabeth McGovern. It's sort of in the style of Hitchcock's Strangers on the train. It's sort of psychological, thriller and action which really makes it a good movie. I've never seen any of Liam Neeson's action movies. I remember Nell and Suspect, but I don't recall anything else. I've not seen the Taken movies all the way through. I don't even know which one I saw on regular television. Perhaps I will look for them on my next trip to the library.

Friday night I watched a movie called Bomb City. I just picked it up because the cover was interesting and the premise was a little disturbing, but it wasn't what I was expecting. First it is based on a true story that happened in Amarillo Texas. It's about a group of misfits (Punks) that the rich kids have an issue with. The Punks are trying to make their own rules and the other kids don't like the way they dress and there is a clash. It made me think of this club I used to hang out in NOLA called De Ja Vue in the French Quarter. The experience was truly so different than my usual surroundings.
There are several altercations in this movie that result in a death. The movie goes back and forth from in its story telling. I liked it in the way that it does show a different side of people of the same race not getting along. The misinterpretation that people get when they see someone that looks different than they do. I was surprised that no one did any jail time.

Thanks for stopping by; do come back again. If any movies of are interest, check out your library or your source for movie watching and give them a viewing.

Movies and SXSW 2019

I never know if I will get to see any movies during SXSW. It's all based on my schedule and whether I feel like leaving the house if I don't have to work. There were some exceptions, but I was also watching movies that I had gotten from the library.

Captain Phillips - Tom Hanks stars in this true story of a Haitian Pirates taking over a ship. It's intense and very powerful. Great cinematography, made me think of Das Boot a little as some of the film is shot below deck in close quarters.

Her Smell - Elizabeth Moss of Mad Men and The Hand Maid's Tale stars as a singer battling a drug problem. Her Smell is the name of the club where they perform, but it also has a lot to do with why she tries to turn her life around because of her daughter. That was my take away from the movie. There are some unique cinematography techniques that seem to be creating a new trend as far as flash back scenes. The screen gets smaller as if we are watching 8 mm footage for the flashbacks and goes back to full screen for the present scenes.

Boyz in the Wood - This was my absolute favorite. I was just going on a hunch and what I had read on imdb for those of you not familiar, that is the Independent Movie Data Base. Luckily there was a synopsis and it seemed very interesting. The film is set in the Irish hills as four kids who are sort of the misfits are brought to learn about skills of working as a team. The audience has no idea what type of thrill ride they are about to embark on. It is funny, suspenseful, trippy with a great original hip hop sound track. There are some cool visual effects and the scenery in the hills is breath taking. I highly recommend seeing this film if you can.

Extra Ordinary - Another movie set in Ireland that features Will Forte of Last Man on Earth. The movie uses the same technique as Her Smell when we see the flashbacks. It's a comedy about death, witch craft, good and evil. There are many surprises to keep one guessing and laughing. I was also lucky that this was on imdb as well since this was a Buzz Screening which didn't give a title.

Citizen Kane - This is considered a classic. By some it is considered one of the best films ever made. The first time I saw the film I wasn't that impressed. Although now I'm older, I feel its an interesting body of work, but some of it seems dated. The make up isn't the best in some areas. The cinematography is still great. The writing is excellent as well as some good acting for a lot of first timers. It's definitely worth a look for anyone interested in the art of film making.

Jezebel - This movie is based on a true story. You get the impression that you are peeking into someone's life. The story follows two sisters who live in an apartment with a brother and the older sister's boyfriend and daughter. The older sister makes her living via phone sex. Her mother is in the hospital and she passes away leaving everyone to have to seek employment. The younger sister is introduced to the world of Internet sex. Once she is making money she is asked to move out of the small apartment. She seems to enjoy what she is doing especially when she meets a client that is helping her become very popular on the Internet Site. She deals with a few issues that don't become that important. She learns to adjust even though there are some other opportunities that pop up. She manages to get a raise and possibly meet the guy that has really become her meal ticket. Of course we never know how the date goes or if it even happens as the movie ends once she gets dressed.

Thanks for stopping by; keep and open mind and do come back again.

Soaking up the visuals

It's been a lot of DVD watching the last few months thanks to the Austin Public Library. I don't do cable, never have. I used to buy DVDs, but I am cutting back on my spending and not everything is worth owning. You get to be a certain age and you realize you can't watch everything you have more than once. There is just so much new stuff that I am still trying to see just so I can say I did. Thanks to the libraries I can do that.

I watched the first season of The Handmaid's Tale and all I could say was WOW! My first thought was, "Is this what started the Me Too Movement?"
Margaret Atwood wrote the book in 1985 which is essentially when it all began, but it seem to take on more steam when MGM and Hulu introduced the series.

Ever since I saw Mad Men I have been following some of the actors and actresses in their post performances. Elizabeth Moss played Peggy and she was one of my favorite characters. In The Handmaids's Tale she plays Offred, meaning of Fred as who she belongs too. All of the women are given the of and first name of their male head of the house.
The women are used for breeding purposes as well as other things.
This is definitely a series that makes you think. I now want to read the book. Margaret has written a sequel and I'm curious to see if it goes in the direction of season 2 or will the sequel set up for season 3 or perhaps 4.

I started reading Less Than Zero the book by Bret Easton Ellis because I recently found out their may be a television series coming soon. I am not sure if it will continue where the movie left off or if it will be based solely on the book.
When I first read the book I found it very interesting. When the movie came out I was a bit disappointed because the characters had been changed. Although I enjoyed the movie and it is in my top 50, the characters were just different from their descriptions. I do feel Robert Downey's performance as Julian was one of the best performances he had given to that point and was Oscar worthy, but he wasn't nominated. His Oscar was deserving for his performance as Chaplin and I also thought he was great in Tropic Thunder although today their would be some controversy because he is portraying a person of color in the movie.
Satire is one of those touchy subjects in this modern age.
I'll probably have to wait and get it from the library if it does become a series. I doubt if it would be on regular TV because of the subject matter.

Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind and do come back again.