Category Archives: Movie

November 5, 2011 · 6:52 pm

A good remembering

I spent the last couple of days in Louisville. When I moved to Manhattan, I removed the WiFi and cable from the Shire near the Ohio. I don’t regret that decision, but it led to some privileged whining on my part.

The lack of cable proves no great loss. I have a DVD player there (purchased years ago for me by Sean and Eric) and a television set: a very, very small television set as people have repeatedly said. But it works and a trip to Half Price Books yielded a number of movies to view: Andersonville, Valkyrie, Wyatt Earp, and  Pirates of the Caribbean 4. They made for good entertainment.

But, multitasking became a major challenge. An air card seemed a good way to access the Internet. It would allow work to proceed while movies played in the background (which makes for all sorts of surprises as different viewings reveal different aspects of the movie).

For whatever reason or reasons, the air card did not function well. This resulted in a great deal of whining and complaining on my part.

After a bit of scenery-chewing and some texts to family and friends, I realized the foolishness of my complaints. In a world where children hunger, people have no work, illness strikes, war rages, exploitation occurs, violations happen, my problems came from a privileged position. Annoying problems. But trivial compared to what so many others face. And embarrassing.

A good remembering – not a learning – I already knew that. A good remembering. Hopefully in the future, I will remember sooner.

See you along the Trail.

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October 13, 2011 · 8:49 pm

Sometimes heroes fail

I am watching a movie about one of my heroes: Shake Hands with the Devil. It is a wrenching and painful movie set during the Rwandan genocide – a time of brutality and horror; a time of failure – failure by the nations, leaders and peoples of the world, failure by the United Nations, failure even by my hero.

Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire, of Canada, served as Force Commander for UNAMIR the UN peacekeeping force for Rwanda between 1993 and 1994. He was there for the 100 days of genocide. Dallaire did not stop the genocide. He did not command perfectly. He made mistakes.

During a scene set in a hospital, a woman says to him: “We’re dying and all you say is there’s nothing you can do.” Did that scene really happen? Perhaps. I would need to re-read his book. But it could have.

He is credited with helping to save thousands. Yet he remains haunted by individuals – hundreds of thousands of individuals – who were not saved – who perished on his watch. As the CBC notes: “After Rwanda, Dallaire blamed himself for everything. He sank deep into despair. He attempted suicide.”

Why then, do I consider Dallaire a hero?

Because he tried. Faced with the situation, so many turned away. Even though they knew – even though Dallaire told them – they world turned its back on Rwanda. In the words of another line from the movie, the world dismissed Rwanda as “just one more African mess.” But Dallaire stayed and tried. He remained faithful – faithful to his charge and faithful to the people.

So for Roméo Dallaire – for the unnamed people of Rwanda and soldiers and medical personnel and journalists and others who stood with him – for all who stand against death and evil – for all who work for life – I give thanks.

See you along the Trail.

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September 27, 2011 · 12:26 am

Reminded of New Orleans

I watched a movie tonight. Well watched might be too strong a word.

I had a movie playing while I worked on the computer. It was diverting enough although not so engaging that it distracted my attention.

My movie watching goes through phases. An actor, an actress, a director. Something or usually someone catches my fancy, who knows why, and I place a number of that person’s films in the good old Netflix queue.

At the moment it is Errol Flynn. Obtaining one of his pirate films brought the opportunity to order a disk with two movies. Thus I watched Buccaneer’s Girl tonight. Well watched might be too strong a word, although we have been there before.

The plot of the film failed to catch my attention, but I did notice the setting: New Orleans. Of course there were very few scenes, if any,  that actually showed the city. Most were interior shots and scenes set on a boat aboard the bounding main. I did have the feeling that I had seen some of the players other movies, although I could not confirm that quickly on IMDB. But they said the name New Orleans frequently enough to piqué my interest, for that reminded me of the last time I visited the city.

At Christmas, 2009, we went to the Crescent City with Tricia’s family. It was a wonderful vacation. We did some rebuilding, ate way too well and way too much, watched a football game on Bourbon Street, saw the lights at New Orleans City Park, checked out Jan Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. We ate multiple beignets and drank much coffee and hot chocolate on several trips to Cafe du Monde.

More than that, it was a wonderful, wonderful time with family. The memories comfort me still.

See you along the Trail.

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September 4, 2011 · 5:48 pm

Mists of Avalon

Partway into this movie – or mini-series – have found some weirdness, some appeal, and several interesting things.

Interesting that James Coburn was the executive producer. James Coburn of The Magnificent Seven. I wonder what the back story is?

Interesting who the players are. In the scenes with the young Arthur, I was sure I recognized him. Near the end of his time in the film, I realized it was Freddie Highmore (August Rush, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland and more). A very young Freddie Highmore, but Freddie nonetheless.

Interesting version of the “relationship” between Arthur and Morgaine that leads to the conception of Mordred. Could be even more interesting to see how this develops.

Interesting take on how Arthur obtains Excalibur.

Interesting take on how Lancelot and Guinevere (Gwenwyfar as it is spelled here) meet.

I am interested to see what else proves interesting.

I need to reread the book. I suspect there will be many significant differences.

See you along the Trail.

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August 28, 2011 · 3:45 am

Storm

A search for “Storm” in the song title brought the following playlist on my iPod. Clearly the timing on some of them makes a difference to a true playlist. This is simply an alphabetical list.

After the Storm – Bill Miller
The Great Storm Is Over – John McCutcheon
The Lightning Storm – Flogging Molly
Orphan of the Storm – Black 47
Riders on the Storm – The Doors
Shelter from the Storm – Bob Dylan
Singer in the Storm – Holly Near
A Storm Is Coming – The Return of the King
Storms in Africa – Enya
Weather out the Storm – Figgy Duff

See you along the Trail

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August 20, 2011 · 3:48 am

Seen on the train – August 19, 2011

On the train into work today, I watched as a guy read Dracula by Bram Stoker on his Kindle directly across from a poster for The Vampire Diaries. Interesting contrasts of technologies and story lines.

See you along the Trail.

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August 13, 2011 · 3:32 am

Slug

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are visiting Professor Slughorn’s room as Harry Potter 6  continues. This seems an appropriate picture at the moment. Perhaps I will sometime find something profound to say. But for now, I think this can stand on its own.

See you along the Trail.

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August 13, 2011 · 2:57 am

August 2011 movie marathon

Eric and I went to the local Blockbusters early in the week. Amazingly enough, it was still open. We picked up a number of used videos.

We had some challenges – the DVD player downstairs in Cleveland Heights is definitely deceased – it is not pining for fjords or anywhere else – it is definitely an ex-DVD player.

We started trying to watch The King’s Speech. It skipped and finally froze about 40 minutes into the movie. Then we tried Pirates of the Caribbean 2. It too skipped. Shortly after we decided that we now had two DVDs to return, Eric remembered that the problem was most likely with the player. Tricia came downstairs shortly after that and, in response to our whining, said, “Yes, it has been broken for some time. I never use it.”

Eric then brought down his DVD player – which he will take to Bowling Green and the marathon began in earnest.

We doubled back to The King’s Speech  and Pirates 2. True Grit (Coen brothers version) started yesterday, followed by Stalag 17 with The A-Team next in line. Today began with The Visitor. A break followed during which I listened to a rather pathetic effort by the Steelers – they lost their first preseason game – and the score could have been worse. Harry Potter 6  is now being viewed.

An interesting mix of classics, newbies, and fluff along with some incredible performances.

Tomorrow I head to Louisville and will need to take some with me to watch while I hang out at the Shire near the Ohio.

See you along the Trail.

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August 11, 2011 · 5:10 am

Boredom

Nothing captures my interest
as I surf through channels,
more than I can count;
The King’s Speech,
Pirates of the Caribbean,
and other new to me used DVDs sit useless:
the player is dead –
it must be time for bed.

11 August 2011
Cleveland Heights, OH

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July 27, 2011 · 3:06 am

Not what it seems

I am watching The Black Death. I put it on my Netflix list to view on Roku. I did so because it has Sean Bean in it. It has something to do with bubonic plague, the church, witches, monks, knights of some source, and a village where there have been no deaths, no plague. Apparently the theory of the outsiders is that they have been spared because of witchcraft. And Sean Bean and his cohorts are there to test that theory. I will probably hang around to see whether they are right – and what happens either way.

It is no Lord of the Rings  – no  entry in the Sharpe’s series – no Troy – all of which featured Sean Bean and led me to choose this one. It certainly is no The Plague – Camus’ classic novel that pivots around an outbreak of plague.

It apparently deals with very, very deep questions – so deep that I don’t understand them. Every time I think I have a glimmer of what is going on, it wanders of in another direction.

“Nothing here is what it seems,” Sean Bean’s character says.

Now if only I could figure out what things seem to be, I would know what they aren’t.

See you along the Trail.

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