I take movies personally…

I just spent two hours watching movie reviews on the internet. After finding out that the movie I wanted to see was a trite chick flick (even by a trite chick’s standards) I decided to catch-up on the movies I’ve missed instead. I love to fill up my Netflix queue with movies that haven’t been released. A year from now I’ll have forgotten why I ordered it and be pleasantly surprised with a good movie.

I have a 20-year history with movie reviews; nothing tops At the Movies with Siskel and Ebert. In years past I searched for Siskel and Ebert on late night network TV (and usually fell asleep before it came on at 2 am.) I had been conditioned to side with Siskel and was truly heartbroken when he so selfishly left me in 1999.

As I know how my tastes stack-up relative to Roger Ebert’s, I have since been reading Ebert’s reviews on the Chicago Sun Times website. Many times I’d disagree and ask myself what Gene would say. I even went on a film festival cruise with Ebert and his new partner, Richard Roeper back in 2003. (Ok, there were a few other people on the cruise—including Tim Blake Nelson and Roger Ebert’s wife.) We got to see Owning Mahoney, Bend It Like Beckham and Spellbound a few months early. (Nelson’s film The Grey Zone was screened too, but I had to put in some beach time). There was a cocktail party where Rog and I spoke about Netflix (he said he usually agreed with their recommendations) and a book signing where I bought a signed book from each reviewer. I have yet to read them. On the cruise Ebert had recently recovered from throat surgery but seemed to be doing really well.

I don’t know when I came to love Roger, but I sure have missed him since his health problems reoccurred this past summer. His editor has been doing an admirable job writing reviews but no one else can be the Movie Answer Man (Ebert’s version of movie “Dear Abby”—both witty and informative.) To fill the void, I have turned to the other man on the cruise: Richard Roeper. Due to my review marathon I have come to appreciate his POV. He has continued the Ebert and Roeper show with guests sitting in for Roger. Anne Thompson from The Hollywood Reporter, Jay Leno-- car enthusiast; Mario Van Peebles, Director ; A.O. Scott New York Times film critic were a few of the stand-ins. My favorites were Peter Sagal- host of NPR’s Wait, Wait….. Don’t Tell Me and Aisha Tyler --actress? (I know she’s going to be in next year’s Balls of Fury). Both of them were smart, had good banter with Roeper but kept their individuality too.

I know it’s arrogant of me to be reviewing the reviewers, but I can see the writing on the wall. Before choosing Richard Roeper, Ebert had guest reviewers on his program too. I hope I’ll get to have years more of The Movie Answer Man; regardless, Richard Roeper seems have an interesting alternative perspective.

Oh yeah, add Pan’s Labyrinth, A Scanner Darkly, Breaking and Entering, The Dead Girl, Sweet Land, Come Early Morning and Balls of Fury to your Netflix queue. Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised at least once.

Home from school

Reese-Santa-Will

Yoda and Trooper
Diane, Lauren, Brooke and Popcorn Crazed Reese

Darth Family

THREE MONTHS!

OK, I haven’t written in a while. Here’s what’s happened in the last couple of months:

Halloween—Is geekiness hereditary? Will was a clone trooper, Trav was Darth Vader, Reese was Yoda and I was Princess Leia (using my own hair, I might add!). We went to a party at Trav’s dad’s house (as well as trick or treating, of course).

Will turned 9. He had a couple friends from Greenville spend the weekend and a low key party with a few neighborhood kids too.

The election. Had a very jaded statement prepared about the Republicans "allowing" the Dems to win, but I don't want anyone to think I'm cynical.

Will is learning his times tables. He understands the concept—now its time for rote memorization. We’re wearing out the school house rock DVD and walking around spitting out facts and products all the time. I never realized the sevens were so hard! (I used pneumonic devices which apparently only had meaning to me.) In addition to flashcards we also have http://www.multiplication.com/ . Don’t you just love the internet?

Reese is actually a parrot instead of a human. She’s learning her times tables right along with Will.

Beautiful Christmas tree but a mere 7 feet (our house in Greenville had high ceilings and we had a 10’ tree.) We have lots of extra lights and ornaments due to the difference. To compensate we have a circus in our front yard.

Work is picking up. I have inadvertently become a condo specialist but don’t worry; I’ll still help you find a house in Atlanta whenever you want to move here.

Kitten (did you know we had a new kitten?) is hell on paws. He attacks the dog, can jump 6 feet in any direction from complete stand still and he thinks our fake cranberry garland is delicious. (He'll settle for a toilet paper snack in a pinch.)

Diane and I went to a rockin’ concert—The Wiggles! We took Reese, Lauren and Brooke and got caught in a typhoon afterwards. I wanted to throw a pair of tiny panties on the stage, but thought better of it as the time grew near.

We’ve definitely been enjoying the grandparents and hanging out with Di and Jeff. (Reese and Diane’s oldest daughter Brooke look like they could be sisters). I do miss my Greenville neighbors and buddies and the proximity to the mountains.

I know this is dry, but I’ll work on being charming and witty after my Christmas cards are done (cards that I’m trying to complete with a sick two-year-old helping)! Pictures coming soon, too.