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Showing posts from December, 2019

Tu 12/31/19

Tu 12/31/19 Up 8am: Cloudy and blustery with temps to low 30's. Watched Netflix disc, 'BOOKSMART' Directorial debut by Olivia Wilde. Two girlfriends try to drop their 'booksmart' ways and party on the last night of high school. Similar to 'SUPERBAD' in that they're both wickedly silly, yet insightful spoofs of high school life; with Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Jason Sudeikis, and Lisa Kudrow. Beanie Feldstein who plays Molly in BOOKSMART is the sister of Jonah Hill who starred in 'SUPERBAD'. When I got up this morning I listened to a Terry Gross interview with Ray Davies that really set the stage for the second 'Morning Movie which was..... 'MY GENERATION' (Amazon Prime) A documentary hosted by Michael Caine about London's Swinging Sixties with interviews from musicians, fashion designers, artists, photographers, and models. Caine said that his original stage name was 'Michael White', but whe...

Mo 12/30/19

Mo 12/30/19 Up 745: Cloudy, windy and temps only to low 30's. ****Toilet flushed very slowly. I had to use the plunger and noticed a sliver of soap was blocking the hole. DO NOT PUT BAR SOAP IN TOILET! Watched, 'COLORS' (Amazon Prime- another film will be dropped from Amazon on Dec. 31st) The Blues and Reds (Crips and Bloods) fight it out on the mean streets of LA. Two officers in the street gang unit try to make a difference...Two Bulls Story, "Let's walk down and fuck'em all"; with Robert Duvall, Sean Penn, Don Cheadle ('Rocket'- the baddest banger on the block), and a very small role for Seymour Cassel. Directed by Dennis Hopper. Then the first episode of a TV police series from 1957 called, 'DECOY' (Amazon Prime) Two hundred fifty women worked undercover for the New York police department in 1957, and these are their stories.  A female undercover cop takes a room across the hall from a woman who knows a killer that is wanted by ...

Su 12/29/19

Su 12/29/19 Up 815am: Cloudy with rain returning early this evening.- 50's. Last night around 7pm it really poured, and probably an inch of rain total. Watched, 'THE MEND' (Amazon Prime) An odd and relentlessly severe dramedy about the relationship between two brothers living in a contemporary New York brownstone. Both are directionless and escaping from prickly ties and broken relationships, and there is little to connect with, yet by the end of the film, I was kind of rooting for them. A delightful train-wreck and a film festival hit; with Josh Lucas, Stephen Plunkett, Lucy Owen, Mickey Sumner, and Austin Pendleton. Then, 'DESPERATE HOURS' (Amazon Prime- this one will be dropped on Dec. 31st) A homicidal killer escapes jail with the help of his sultry lawyer and two crazed confederates. While scoping out a ritzy neighborhood they randomly select a home, break in, and hold the family hostage; with Mickey Rourke, Anthony Hopkins, Elias Koteas, David Morse, Dea...

Sa 12/28/19

Sa 12/28/19 Up 715am: Hazy fog early and cloudy with rain beginning late this afternoon- 50's. Wrote up 'TWO KINDS OF TRUTH'- Michael Connelly for the blog. Watched my last pick of the month on Hoopla, 'TANGERINE'. Christmas Eve on Santa Monica Boulevard at the epicenter of the seedier side of Hollywood- Sin-Dee Rella and Alexandra, two tranny hookers, drag another prostitute, Dinah, to confront 'Chester The Pimp' at Donut Time: "You've been cheating on me"! Shot completely on IPhone 5S smartphone; Sean Baker directs and produced by The Duplass Brothers. The film has won numerous awards and a massive hit at the Sundance Film Festival, 2015. Then, 'LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE' (Amazon Prime) Written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait. One time in college a young woman engaged in oral sex with her dog and this act almost ruins her life. Not that she did it, but that she owned up to it, and that is what caused the damage...... "It...

Fr 12/27/19- Aetna Details For Procedure IMP!

Fr 12/27/19- Aetna Details For Procedure IMP! Up 745am: Cloudy to mostly sunny with temps only to the mid 40's. ****Finally connected with Dr. Peterson's office and the procedure will be on Thursday, January 30th at 1230pm. I should receive written instructions in the mail by the end of next week. I texted Janny with the update. Watched, 'TRAITOR' (Amazon Prime- another film that will be dropped on Dec. 31st) A devout American Muslim man is working with international terrorist, but he is actually deep undercover for the US. ; with Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Neal McDonough, and Jeff Daniels. *****At 915am, Th 12/27/19 I called Aetna to make sure that Dr. Peterson is covered by my policy. The colonoscopy is free if no polyps are found, however if they remove any growths, then it's considered surgery and I will pay $240. And, Dr. Peterson is a doctor that is covered by my policy. Reference #03128123 and I spoke to Mary. Then the next, 'MODERN LOVE' (A...

Th 12/26/19

Th 12/26/19 Up 720am: Partly cloudy and temps in the early 50's early and should hit the low 60's by this afternoon. Watched, 'DEAD HEAT' A cop with a bum ticker is forced to retire and hooks up with his nefarious half-brother in a scheme to buy a suffering race horse, fix him up, and then race him to make a bundle. But, the local criminal boss wants the horse for himself; shot in Victoria, British Columbia with Kiefer Sutherland, Tony Lapaglia, and Radha Mitchell. The film probably went straight to DVD, but well worth a look. Then, 'GOD BLESS AMERICA' (Hoopla) A sick satire of the downward spiral of American culture. Frank is the embodiment of 'I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it anymore', and he teams up with an equally unhappy teenage girl, Roxy, and they go on a crusade to wipe out all the 'undesirables'. It's over-the-top and probably far too bloody, but does make a point..... "TAKING OUT THE TRASH, ONE JERK A...

We 12/25/19- Xmas Day

We 12/25/19- Xmas Day Up 730am: Sunny and temps might break 60! Low 60's predicted for tomorrow. Watched, 'THE FIRST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST' (Netflix) A crazy Spanish satire about Jesus's thirtieth birthday. He comes back with his gay boyfriend after forty days in the wilderness and meets 'God' who he thought was his uncle. Wacky and wildly irreverent....a perfect Christmas film! (46") Then, 'CITY ISLAND' (Amazon Prime) It's going to be dropped from Amazon on Dec. 31st, and I'm glad I caught it. A prison guard on City Island keeps a secret from his wife and kids. He is an aspiring actor and when he attends acting class, he says he's playing poker. And there he meets a woman from class who encourages him to go to an audition for a Martin Scorsese film, and he gets the part. The guard has also reunited with his long lost son that he has gotten out of prison for boosting a car and his other son is involved with the fat video porn star a...

Tu 12/24/19

Tu 12/24/19 Up 630am: Up early because Planet Fitness closes at 2pm for Xmas Eve. Mostly sunny with temps to the mid 50's. Finished watched, 'LIGHT OF MY LIFE' (Amazon Prime) from yesterday. A decade after a plague has decimated the world's female population, Dad and Rag, his nine year old daughter who must conceal her female identity, make their way through the Pacific Northwest of Canada. He must keep her safe. Casey Affleck wrote, directed, and stars. Moving, yet understated. Then the next episode of 'MODERN LOVE' (Amazon Prime) On their first date the guy falls off the couch and severely cuts his arm on a martini glass. The trip to the hospital brings them closer together. 930am: Computer is 'Off' and to Planet Fitness. Ever vigilant for the call from Dr. Peterson's office. On the machines at Planet Fitness by 10am. 45" Walk (THE CROWN). 45" Recumbent Bike (Read, 'TWO KINDS OF TRUTH' and listened to NIGHTFLY- Don Fagen...

Mo 12/23/19- Pre-colonoscopy exam:1115am

Mo 12/23/19- Pre-colonoscopy exam:1115am Up 720am: Sunny with temps to low 50's. It might be over 60 degrees on Christmas Day! Watched, 'LIGHT OF MY LIFE' (Amazon Prime) ****I got a call from the doctor's office that they could boost my appointment from 4pm to 1115am, and I took it. I told the nurse about the 'Positive' colon-rectal scan and she said that because they removed polyps the last time, I should have the colonoscopy done. *****New battery in the mouse. 1015am: PC is 'Off' and I'll leave 1030am. Car Wash/ Workout/ Grocery Shopping. Right to the office on the 2nd Floor, East and got in right at 1115am. No exam, just blood pressure. She went over the procedure for taking the laxatives before the event. She gave me a bunch of possible dates, and I said that I'd call Tuesday or Thursday. All of them were in the second or third week of January. I went downstairs to the billing office to try to find out if I could pay the 'b...

Su 12/22/19

Su 12/22/19 Up 745am: Bight and sunny, to mid 40's. Watched the second Netflix disc of 'PRINCE OF THE CITY'. I wrote up the book, PRINCE OF THE CITY, for the blog. I said that I only read half of the novel, but the movie gives the gist of the story even better than the book. Watched, 'BOLDEN' (Amazon Prime) A better than average biopic of  'The Inventor of Jazz'... although nobody has heard of him; with Gary Carr (he starred in the episode of 'MODERN LOVE' where his lover, Anne Hathaway, was suffering from a bipolar disorder). The film was written and directed by a California billionaire, Dan Pritzker. He is related to J.B. Pritzker, the governor of Illinois. I'll watch the last half hour of this tonight. 115pm: To FitClub West. Dropped the disc at the box near Fairway/ Monroe and on the machines by 135pm. 45" Octane (YOUTUBE- interview with Ryan Adams). 45" Walk (TV all workout). 45" Cross. 30" Walk. 30" Old S...

Sa 12/21/19

Sa 12/21/19 Up 720am: Sunny, to mid 40's. Watched Disc I (The film is over Four Hours Long!) 'PRINCE OF THE CITY' (Netflix) Very faithful to the novel, but I wonder what it would have been like if the director was Martin Scorsese instead of Sidney Lumet; with Treat Williams, Jerry Orbach, and Bob Balaban. Then, 'WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY' (Amazon Prime) A strange Independent that takes place in a kind of after-life for people (looks like the Salton Sea area of southern California) who have committed suicide. Zia is looking for his girlfriend who has also taken her life, Mikal is looking for 'P.I.C.- The People In Charge', and Eugene drives the car; with Patrick Fugit, Leslie Bibb, Cmeron Bowen, Mark Boone Junior, John Hawkes, and Tom Waits. 115pm: To the 'Y'. Dropped the disc at the box near Fairway/ Monroe and on the machines at the 'Y' by 150pm. 45" Walk (TV all workout). 45" Recumbent Bike. 45" Cross. 30" Walk...

Fr 12/20/19

Fr 12/20/19 Up 710am: Hazy early, then mostly sunny and temps to 40. Watched Netflix disc, 'THE GRIFTERS' Directed by Steven Frears, co-produced by Martin Scorsese, screen-play by Donald E. Westlake, from a novel by Jim Thompson; with John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, and Annette Bening. The story-line is almost identical to the novel, although the film is set in the eighties. The film won numerous awards and very much worth a look. Then watched, 'THE ASCENT' The film only cost $15,000 and it's a fantastic Independent. Ace LA detective is interrogating a murder suspect, but it's revealed (by angels or demons?) that he is responsible for the legendary 'Brown Dahlia Murder' that occurred, and was never solved, during the late 70's. Got a bill for $138 from CLINICAL PATHOLOGISTS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS via text. I'll check on this when I visit the doctor on Monday. I'll need a receipt so that I can be reimbursed. 130pm: To the credit union to ...

Th 12/19/19

Th 12/19/19 Up 720am: Sunny to mid 30's. *****At 8am I called the 'Home Access Health' (Aetna) number about my stool sample and learned the results were 'negative'. No blood found. I hope that I won't have to take the colonoscopy, but I will certainly bring this up when I see the doctor next Monday. Watched 'THE RUM DIARY' (Netflix) A mildly humorous look at the early days of Hunter S. Thompson's fledgling career as a rookie journalist in Puerto Rico, but doesn't come close to the gonzo madness of 'FEAR AND LOATHING'; with Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Richard Jenkins, Michael Rispoli, Amber Heard, and Giovanni Ribisi Then an eight minute film called, 'PARASITE' (Amazon Prime). The the next episode of, 'BRAINDEAD' (Amazon Prime)- More hi-jinks with Republicans with infected brains. Then the next, 'MODERN LOVE'- Anne Hathaway comes to terms with her bipolar condition. Then I re-watched another episode of '...

We 12/18/19- The Contemporary Book Club

We 12/18/19- The Contemporary Book Club Up 710am: Sunny and frigid- temps to mid 20's. Skimmed some of the material about 'HOW TO BEHAVE IN A CROWD'. Watched, 'LOVE & MERCY' (Amazon Prime) The story of Brian Wilson's career with The Beach Boys and his descent into madness which seemed to be caused by legitimate mental illness and his involvement with the nefarious, Dr. Eugene Landy. And then the troubled Brian is saved by the love of Melinda Ledbetter. Wilson's friends and family claim that the depiction of Wilson's life in this film is close to the truth, but I wonder; with Paul Dano, John Cusack, Elizabeth Banks, and Paul Giamatti. I wish that one actor had played Brian Wilson throughout the film- Dano and Cusack were both great. 11am: PC is on 'Sleep' and I'm skimming 'HOW TO BEHAVE IN A CROWD' and listening to the Beach Boys on the living room Altec. ******THERE IS NOW A FOR SALE SIGN (Remax) IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE NE...

Tu 12/17/19

Tu 12/17/19 Up 8am: Hazy early and then partly cloudy with temps to about 30. About an inch of powdery snow fell last night, and I swept/ pushed it off the drive and walk when taking out the trash. Watched, 'HANCOCK' (Amazon Prime- leaving Prime on 12/31 so I decided to give it a shot) INTERESTING FACT: in 2008 Vince Gilligan help write the screenplay, but dropped out to begin his new project, 'BREAKING BAD'; with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, and Eddie Marsan. A wicked twist on the 'Superhero' genre. Hancock is not a straight-laced do-gooder or Jesus in leotards, but a depressed, lonely alcoholic with superhuman powers. Many reviewers panned it, but it is one of the first films to star a black superhero ever and I liked it. Then, 'MILES IN THE LIFE' (Amazon Prime) Watched half and will save the last 45" for tonight. Paid the cards and wrote a reply to Janny's email, and off to the 'Y' around 130pm. On the machine...

Mo 12/16/19

Mo 12/16/19 Up 7am: Probably got about four to five inches of powdery snow yesterday and last night. Springfield schools are off and temps only to about 30 with cloudy skies. Watched, 'VANDAL' (Hoopla) Set in Strasbourg, France which is on the eastern border with Germany. After stealing a car, a troubled teen is sent to live with his uncle. His cousin introduces him to his crew of 'taggers'. These guys are not 'graffiti artists'  and the movie suffers because it's hard to feel that this crew is no more than desecrators of private and public property. About a half hour into the film I shoveled the driveway and walk. Only took about 25", and the snow was surprisingly wet. Then, 'BAGHDAD TEXAS' (Amazon Prime) Three rednecks save a middle-eastern dictator who crash-landed in Texas while trying to reach Cuba. Not a bad small budget, Independent. The Y.O Headquarters Ranch is a real exotic game and hunting preserve outside of San Antonio, TX. ...

Su 12/15/19

Su 12/15/19 Up 730am: Cloudy with snow to begin this afternoon and continue through tomorrow morning; 4"-7" could fall. Compiled some notes and links to post on the blog for 'HOW TO BEHAVE IN CROWDS'. Watched Netflix disc, 'TRUE ROMANCE' Tony Scott directs and Quentin Tarantino co-wrote the screenplay; with Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer (as 'The Mentor' or Elvis Presley), Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson, James Gandolfini, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Kevin Corrigan, and Michael Rapaport. In Detroit Alabama (she's from Florida) and Clarence bond over a Kung Fu triple feature, get married, and abscond to Los Angeles with a suitcase full of uncut cocaine. Mayhem ensues. The movie is a little (a lot) over-the-top, but that's the point, and the script is undeniably dazzling. Then watched about half of 'THE JAZZ LOFT' (Amazon Prime) Famous photographer W. Eugene Smith's l...

Sa 12/14/19- Mitch's Lawn-care...POSTPONED

Sa 12/14/19- Mitch's Lawn-care...POSTPONED Up 710am: Very light snow showers till about 8am, then cloudy with temps to about freezing. One to three inches predicted for Sunday night and Monday. Watched, 'CUT BANK' (Netflix)  A fairly enjoyable black comedy/ film-noir about a scam to videotape the murder of the town's mailman and collect $100,000 in federal reward money, but things go awry; with Bruce Dern, John Malkovich, Billy Bob Thornton, and Oliver Platt. 1215pm: I called Mitch and the guys won't make it today. I texted back that they should come back when the ground dries out and the snow melts. They should call on the day that they can do the job. Then, 'HYENA ROAD' (IMDB TV) An excellent Action/ War movie about Canadian participation in the Afghanistan war. SUBPLOTS: (1) Female captain and male warrant officer are secret lovers, and she learns that she's pregnant. (2) Afghani warlord, The Ghost, who helped the Taliban against the Russians ...

Fr 12/13/19

Fr 12/13/19 Up 715am: Cloudy, 50 early but temps dropping to low 40's by this afternoon. Could get a wintry mix tomorrow- Mitch's landscaping crew are due to rake the leaves. Watched, 'CHAOS' (Amazon Prime). Another fine 'bank heist' film. A disgraced Seattle police detective is called back to the job because a gang has robbed a downtown bank, taken dozens of hostages, and will only speak to the suspended cop. After a myriad of plot twists, it's revealed that the disgraced cop was behind the whole caper. 'Chaos Theory' was the basis of his plan, and to steal insignificant amounts from a million accounts adds up the the biggest bank robbery of all time; with Jason Statham, Ryan Phillippe, and Wesley Snipes. Then, 'PARTY GIRL'(Amazon Prime)(1994) So wacky-weird, absurdly campy, and utterly implausible that it was almost good. A downtown NYC party girl decides that she wants to become a librarian; with Parker Posey and Liev Schreiber. 13...

Th 12/12/19

Th 12/12/19 Up 710am: Partly sunny, breezy, to mid 40's. Watched half (45") of a documentary about the ascendancy of right wing media called, 'THE BRAINWASHING OF MY DAY' (Amazon Prime). Then, 'THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT' (Netflix) ; with Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Brian Cox, and David Morse, and directed by Geena Davis's husband at the time, Renny Harlin. Odd Fact: Geena Davis is six foot tall. Harlin is know for his over-the-top Action/ Adventure films...'DIE HARD 2'.  A young mother with a husband and an eight year old daughter has amnesia. She's actually a CIA operative proficient in the deadly arts. And, when she teams up with a low-rent detective who is trying to learn of her past, her 'other life' is reawakened. Roger Ebert said of the movie that it's like a really good arcade game, but when you run out of quarters you pretty much forget about it. This one's only effective if you put your mind on hold, but worth th...

We 12/11/19

We 12/11/19 Up 645am: Partly sunny, calm, to mid 30's. Watched, '8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE' (Amazon Prime) A Mathew Scudder novel by Lawrence Block in which Matt tries to help a prostitute quit the life, she is murdered, and Scudder uncovers a Los Angeles drug operation run out of a grocery chain; with Jeff Bridges, Rosanna Arquette, and Andy Garcia. Screenplay by Oliver Stone and directed by Hal Ashby. According to the 'General Trivia' Hal Ashby "threw away the script" and had the actors improvise all their dialog and actions. I think this is true as much of the interaction seems effectively 'off the cuff'. The 'O'Neill House' at 507 N. Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills is featured in a couple of scenes. Then, 'SAVED!' (Amazon Prime) A satire on Christian Evangelical Hoo-Haw. A young girl at a Christian high school gets pregnant so that she can 'prove' that her boyfriend is not gay. She is ostracized, yet the philosophy of th...

Tu 12/10/19

Tu 12/10/19 Up 740am: Mostly sunny, breezy and cold with temps to about 30 and frigid windchill. Wrote up 'SOMEONE' by Alice McDermott for the blog. Watched Netflix disc, 'THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE'; with Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, and Imogen Poots- she was in 'SWEET VIRGINIA'.  A deadpan, black comedy about karate and what it means to be a man. Directed by Riley Stearns who also did 'FAULTS'. Then, 'THE TRIBES OF PALOS VERDES' (Netflix) The film is a kind of document of the psychological disintegration of a family in the affluent community of Palos Verdes, CA. Although she loves her crazy father, her mentally ill mother, and her drug addled brother, her new love of surfing is not enough to keep it all together. I guess the message is that opulent prosperity and scenic beauty is not necessarily enough to assure happiness. I can see why many would hate this film because the characters seemed to have everything that anyone could pos...

Mo 12/9/19

Mo 12/9/19 Up 730am: Cloudy with some mist during the afternoon with temps to the low 50's. Watched 'THE SCORE' (Netflix) One of the best Heist Films ever! A hi-tech robbery gang tries to steal a 16th century French scepter worth over $35 million; with Edward Norton, Robert De Niro, and Marlon Brando. Wrote the Weekly Wrap to notify Janny on Dave Johnson's death over the weekend. Then watched the next episode of 'BRAINDEAD' (Amazon Prime). 115pm: To the 'Y' and then to Burlington for a new winter coat. On the machines at the 'Y' by 135pm. 45" Walk (TV all workout- More of the impeachment hearings). 45" Recumbent Bikes. 45" Cross. 30" Walk. 30" Cross. To Burlington and if I hadn't looked up the location, I would have gone to their old building on MacArthur. I wonder how long they've been on Wabash? I liked the coat that I was wearing better than anything in the store...at any price. I did buy a 30pk. ...

Su 12/8/19- Dave Johnson died last night

Su 12/8/19 Up 645am: Partly cloudy with temps to 50. Watched, 'STONE' (Amazon Prime) A wily prisoner and his seductively femme fatale wife employ a kind of psychological warfare to manipulate his prison parole officer. After serving seven years for murdering his grandparents and burning down their home, the convict is up for parole and the film poses a question. Is he perpetrating a con or does he really have a spiritual revelation? with Edward Norton, Robert De Niro, and Milla Jovovich. Then, 'WAR ON EVERYONE' (Netflix) I had seen this one before, but it's so over-the-top outrageous that it's well worth a second look. Two police detectives from Albuquerque run amok and ravage the bad guys while enriching themselves. I guess the point of the film is that although they steal and kill with impunity they are not entirely evil because they retain a sense of humor and philosophical insights pepper the dialog throughout the film. ****I got an email from Cindy ...

Sa 12/7/19- Leaf Blow Day....NO SHOW

Sa 12/7/19- Leaf Blow Day....NO SHOW Up 7am: Sunny and calm- temps to mid 40's. Wrote up 'THE HUNGER'- Whitley Strieber for the blog. Watched, 'HUMAN CAPITAL' (Hoopla) An award winning Italian film that really packs a punch. Following a hit and run accident the film examines the lives of the people in relation to the car/ bike accident. In the ending credits it's explained that 'human Capital' is a formula that insurance companies use to determine the amount of a payout to a victim. Then, 'BUZZARD' (Amazon Prime) This was a film that I noticed on Hoopla, but watched on Amazon Prime. A temp job slacker hatches a check cashing scheme and hi-jinks ensue. Not bad, and considered a 'cult favorite'. Filmed in Michigan. 115pm: PC is "Off" and will wait until late afternoon for Mitch's Lawn Service to show up or call. The guys next door are really making that lawn look perfect. It ain't raked, it's manicured! I r...

Fr 12/6/19

Fr 12/6/19 Up 630am: Cloudy early to sunny and breezy with temps to low 40's. Watched, 'SWEET VIRGINIA' (Netflix) I had seen this one before but it's a fine example of an intelligently written and effectively shot Independent film. A triple murder in a small town in rural Washington state uncovers hidden passions and reveals a very violent visitor. Directed by The China Brothers; with Jon Bernthal, Christopher Abbott, Imogen Poots, and Rosemarie DeWitt. Then, 'MARRIAGE STORY' (Netflix) Noah Baumbach directs; with Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, and Wallace Shawn- Randy Newman did the music. A bi-coastal wife, father, and son goes through a divorce. Very funny and deeply moving. I loved it! ****About 10am a white pickup- I couldn't read all of the name on the side, but part of it was 'haulers', (the guy that cut the branches was driving a black pickup) pulled up next door ('raked roof house') and beg...

Th 12/5/19

Th 12/5/19 Up 7am: Bright, sunny and unseasonably mild with temps to mid 50's. Logged on the Hoopla and got 'THE DRUMMER' before the library reached the limit for the day. A young man from Hong Kong seduces a gangster's mistress and is banished to Taiwan where he meets a group of Zen drummers. He becomes part of their musical collective and their philosophical discipline changes his life. Beautifully shot on the island of Taiwan and a great 'coming of age' tale. *******And for no determinable reason at all....I shaved! Then I watched, 'KILL CHAIN' (Amazon Prime) A gangster in hiding operates a hotel in the slums of a Colombian city. He interacts with a series of hit men and gangsters and a story unfolds. This would have made a better novel than a film, but still well worth a look; with Nicholas Cage. Did the Xmas shopping. Took about twenty minutes and done by 130pm. Jonas is 8 in Feb  *camera Bo is 4            *scooter    ...

Kids Xmas 2019

Ordered from Walmart; Th 12/5/19; 130pm. Jonas is 8 in Feb  *camera Bo is 4            *scooter      Hank is 2 1/2      *T-Ball Luke is 2          *Sit and Spin $78 Total-  Free Delivery to Westview Drive by Dec 16th.

We 12/4/19- Mailed Colon Screen

We 12/4/19- Mailed Colon Screen Up 7am: Clear skies, breezy with temps to about 50. Quite a bit of information to process to prepare the colon screening packet. Many steps to follow and I'll bet they receive many samples that are unusable. I hope I included enough 'stuff' because the instructions on that seemed a little unclear. Watched, 'FAULTS' (Amazon Prime) A very fine and strangely unsettling Independent. A slow burning black comedy that rockets into an intense thriller about cults and mind control. A hapless cult deprogrammer tries to 'free' a young woman, but he's no match for her powers. I loved this one! Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars and her husband, Riley Stearns, directs (and Lance Reddick is in it!). Called Dentist to change the appointment from Book Club Wednesday to the next day at 240pm. Then called Dr. Peterson to verify the appointment- 4pm on Dec. 23rd at Springfield Clinic West/with Rhonda Woodbury. Then watched, 'DRIVE...

Tu 12/3/19

Tu 12/3/19 Up 730am: Partly cloudy with temps to mid 40's. Watched, 'THE SHOT CALLER' (Netflix) After a law abiding stock broker is sentenced to seven years for vehicular manslaughter, he becomes a kingpin in the indigenous gang structure of California's prison system. This is a powerful and suspenseful addition to the 'prison film' genre; with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as the star of the film. A quote from 'OBSERVER'-Rex Reed "What really happens to turn decent people into savages in the bedlam of the American prison system." Then I watched, 'ANIMALS' (Amazon Prime) Duke and Bobbi are junkies living in Chicago and short cons and petty theft are their methods of survival, but there's nowhere to go but down; with David Dastmalchian (he wrote and starred), Kim Shaw, and John Heard (the only 'big' star). Not a bad 'Junkie Genre' film. I hung the Xmas wreath on the front door. How Festive!! 215pm: The car wash at...

Mo 12/2/19

Mo 12/2/19 Up 730am: We got about an inch of snow last night. Only on the grass, and nothing on the streets. Today, mostly cloudy and temps to low 30's. Wrote up 'THE GRIFTERS' by Jim Thompson for the blog. Watched 'PATRIOT GAMES' (Amazon Prime) An enjoyable Action/ Thriller, but the Amazon series 'RYAN' is far superior; with Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, Sean Bean, Thora Birch (as a very young girl), Samuel L. Jackson, and James Earl Jones. Then I wrote 'The Weekly Wrap', and then the first episode of 'BRAINDEAD' (Amazon Prime) This is a 2016 series from CBS that was cancelled after one season. It's too bad, because I'm really loving this one! 130pm: To the 'Y', and on the machines by 3pm. 45" Walk (TV all workout). 45" Recumbent Bike. 45" Cross. 30" Walk. 30" Cross. ******BREAKING NEWS******* I got an email from Janny giving me the grand-kids ages, but she also told me that Sirius XM is o...

Su 12/1/19

Su 12/1/19 ******* BREAKING NEWS****** SiriusXM  has forgotten to terminate my account! I just learned this yesterday when I tried to see what I could get on the radio.  I've got all of the stations that I programmed when I bought the Elantra, and I ain't telling nobody. Now I don't have to use the data on my phone to listen to music the few minutes that I'm in the car every day.   Up 735am: Gray skies with a few flakes mixed in with the drizzle and mist- to upper 30's. Watched Netflix disc, 'REBEL IN THE RYE' A fairly flat presentation (yet worth a look) of the life of Jerome David Salinger. In later life he moved to Cornish, New Hampshire and that has to be one of the most remote areas of the country. 'Cornish' is not even a wide spot in the road. Kevin Spacey was riveting in the role as Salinger's mentor before he became a published author; with Nicholas Hoult (as J.D.), Kevin Spacey, Hope Davis (as a brunette), and Sarah Paulson. ...