10 Things Self Learned Today, the 2nd Thursday of May (2013)

May 9, 2013 at 9:09 pm (Lists, Movies)
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  1. Olga Kurylenko’s acting abilities are extremely limited.  “Oblivion” was a halfway decent movie until she and Tom Cruise were together on-screen during an escape sequence, and she kept turning her head from side to side and opening her mouth –  this is a simulation of fear?  To top it all off, for five minutes she says nothing but “Jack” “Jack” “Jack” “Jack.”  We already know Tom Cruise’s character is called Jack.  So, cut it out, Olga, can’cha?  In another scene, she is called upon to scream in agony, and she sounds like someone just yanked her pony tail.   SPOILER ALERT!  Self simply COULD NOT believe it when they off-ed Andrea Riseborough’s character, because hers was the one compelling performance in the whole movie.
  2. Andrea Riseborough looks great.  Self particularly loved her use of eyeliner, and her gray shift dress.
  3. Nicolaj Coster-Waldau is in this movie and that is probably the only reason self saw it.  But he’s in only one scene.  He does look good as a Mad Max-type character, though.
  4. It’s been so long since the last time self got ice cream at the Redwood City Downtown Century 20 that the salesperson (who’s been there year-in and year-out for, maybe, five years) no longer says “hi.”
  5. Even on weekdays, it is difficult to find parking in Sequoia Station.
  6. Matt Damon made a sci-fi movie!  She saw the preview for it today.  It’s directed by the same guy who directed “District 9.”
  7. The price for the early show at the downtown Redwood City Century 20 has increased:  from $7 to $7.50.
  8. Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges made a movie together, and it looks like a knock-off of “Men in Black.”  Only, instead of battling aliens, Bridges and Reynolds battle the dead who try to pass as the living, who are really trying to take over the planet.
  9. There is a sequel to “300″ appearing soon.  It seems like only two characters from “300″ return:  Lena Headley (who played Gerard Butler’s wife) and Rodrigo Santoro (who was creepy/scary as Xerxes, Persian Conqueror)
  10. There is a new “Hangover” movie coming out.  This one is billed as “Epic” and “Final.”  Ho. Ho. Ho.

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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1st Sunday of May (2013)

May 5, 2013 at 6:57 pm (Family, Food and Drink, Links, Movies, Sundays, Surprises)
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Blustery winds.  Even, rain.

Watching “Arbitrage.”  That Richard Gere is so smooth.  Self can see why the lovely French mistress is so besotted.  Unfortunately, things do not remain ducky for long, they never do in a thriller. Who wrote this smart screenplay?  Self looks up the information on IMDB.  Oh, the movie was written and directed by a twenty-five-year-old named Nicholas Jarecki.  Imagine that, dear blog readers.  A twenty-five-year-old.  And he not only wrote the screenplay, he directed it.  Way to go, NJ!

Self went to the Menlo Park Farmers Market and bought cherries and nectarines.  When she got home, The Man was gone.  She thought he had taken The Ancient One for a walk, as Bella was not in her customary nest in the kitchen.  But then she heard a noise in the backyard and when she opened the back door, there was Bella!  Wandering forlornly back and forth on the deck!  Oh, come in, sweetie!  Come in!  Self cannot believe this creature is still ambulatory!  She is turning 18 this September!

Then, shortly, The Man walked in.  Turned out he had gone to the Mexican market and bought five lbs. of tripe:  the regular one we usually get, and a thicker kind that he said he wanted to try out.

Pretty soon, this was what was simmering on the stove:

Callos with two kinds of tripe: a specialty of The Man

Callos with two kinds of tripe: a specialty of The Man

The full name of the dish is Callos Madrileña.  It uses tomato sauce, chickpeas, and chorizo de Bilbao.

Step # 1 is boiling and boiling and boiling.  Step # 2 is this:

DSCN0010

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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Back Again to Pham Thi Hoai’s “Nine Down Makes Ten,” Begun Over a Month Ago

May 5, 2013 at 1:56 pm (anthologies, Books, Links, Movies, Recommended, Sundays, Women Writers)
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Self frequently alternates between books.  One of her current readings is the Trevor Carolan anthology, Another Kind of Paradise:  Short Stories From the New Asia-Pacific.  The story she left off reading before she left for Venice was Vietnamese writer Pham Thi Hoai’s “Nine Down Makes Ten.”  The anonymous narrator parses all the various lovers she has had.  She was on lover # 8 before self left for Venice.  Self will resume:

I did not know whether I was worthwhile or mundane, but this was not really the issue.  I was grateful to this man and enjoyed the taste of his affection, despite a small stubborn girl within me who refused to cooperate.  She said:  According to this particular mode of obsession all objects are equal, and then I am no different from a potato or an ant, but if people like to manufacture an obsession by constantly stoking their own engine, then by all means they should go ahead.  Gradually I learned to repress that obstinate girl and ignore my uneasiness with the difference between artificially produced obsessions and primeval obsessions.  Let Proust distinguish between the two, or the column “Mothers Advise Daughters” in some woman’s magazine; I am interested only in my own obsession and its consequences.  The most ironic aspect of its unforeseen consequences was that he and I both became pitiful victims of the obsession.  It forced him to wait by every street on which I might pass, to pull me away from all activities, no matter how fundamental to existence:  eating, sleeping, seeking work; it interfered with all my relationships, with my family, colleague, friends, and expanded into all areas and times that I liked to save to myself.  I no longer had my own space, time, or lifestyle; my environment was upset, my psychological state was upset, my language went out of my control.

The piece goes on.

Self would also like to inform dear blog readers that yesterday afternoon, she and The Man watched The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Mira Nair’s new movie, showing at the Aquarius.  Self loved the music, and the passion of the lead actor, a Wall Street yuppie whose small act of defiance (growing a beard that makes him look more “foreign” after 9/11) leads him to commit to larger and larger causes that have nothing to do with his job or with making money.

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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Distractions of a Monday: Last Night’s MTV Movie Awards, Among Other Things

April 15, 2013 at 7:12 pm (Books, Lists, Movies)
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Watched the MTV Movie Awards last night, and of course, self cannot keep from sharing a few of her thoughts, even though she hasn’t finished packing and cleaning the house and watering the garden and answering her mail and lavishing Bella The Ancient One with an excellent breakfast and planning for her next UCLA Extension class (which begins right after she gets back from Venice):

Rebel Wilson is a hoot!

Bradley Cooper got 10x more hot!

Tom Hiddleston was such a suave Brit!

Zach Quinto was in a powder-blue suit!

Chris Pine lost weight!

Logan Lerman looks like a girl!

Amanda Seyfried had on a wonderful dress!

Emma Watson had on a not-wonderful dress!

The best spoof was the one at the beginning, with James Franco!

The next-best spoof was the one featuring shaved-head Anne Hathaway singing in Les Miserables while Rebel Wilson did her funky bits behind her!

Kerry Washington was gorgeous!

And now, only 32 more pages to go of Don Quijote!  And self can finally return it to the library and pay her fine.

On p. 701, Don Quijote is sighing over having to give up being a knight errant, when he and Sancho encounter Doña Rodriguez’s footman, Tosilos.  After a short exchange, they part ways with the footman, and Don Quijote tells Sancho:

” . . .  do you still think he’s a real footman?  How can you?  It has slipped your mind, apparently, that you saw Dulcinea transformed into a peasant girl, and the Knight of the Mirrors turned into our friend Samson Carrasco, all accomplished by the magicians who keep hounding me.  But tell me:  did you ask this Tosilos, as you call him, what has happened with Altisidora?  Has she wept over my departure, or has she already forgotten all those loverlorn thoughts that, when I was there, so afflicted her?”

“What was on my mind,” replied Sancho, “kept me too busy to worry about nonsense.  My God, my lord!  Is this the time for your grace to start examining other people’s thoughts, especially the amorous kind?”

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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The Many Faces of Lisa Yuchengco, Magazine Publisher and Now Documentary Filmmaker

April 5, 2013 at 1:31 am (Artists and Writers, Lists, Movies, Recommended, Weather)
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So it was a very dreary day — rain!  Continuous rain!  And wiping up dog pee in the kitchen!  A flood of dog pee!

But the latter half of the day was very fine.  Self found Lisa Y’s house, and bugged her about her documentary, Marilou Diaz-Abaya: Filmmaker on a Voyage.

Self must admit:  she has always been fascinated by (Lisa and) Marilou D-A:  models, for self, growing up in Manila.  In convent school.  In a convent school founded by French nuns.

What was possible?

So, in the course of the afternoon, self had reason to ponder the following names:

  • Amy Austria (Self saw her in the few clips from Marilou D-A’s Brutal.  This actress was revelatory, heartrending.)
  • the iconic Marilou Diaz-Abaya herself, who passed away last October at 56 (“The real battle is not against cancer cells; the real battle is against fear.”)
  • an actor self had never heard of before:  Jaime Fabregas (He played the Spanish official responsible for Rizal’s execution in the movie Jose Rizal)

and of course:  Lisa herself!

Thank you for the fun time, Lisa!  You rock!

Mona Lisa Yuchengco, who directed MARILOU DIAZ-ABAYA: FILMMAKER ON A VOYAGE

Mona Lisa Yuchengco, who directed MARILOU DIAZ-ABAYA: FILMMAKER ON A VOYAGE

More of Lisa

More of Lisa

And STILL more of Lisa!

And STILL more of Lisa!

Self just has to say this:  Lisa, you look so adorable in purple!  You’re welcome!

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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“The Call”: The Sisterhood Lives!

April 3, 2013 at 4:02 am (Links, Lists, Movies)
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Self will be the first to admit that watching “The Call” after watching “Notorious” is not perhaps the easiest thing, but there were many reasons she enjoyed the 5:30 p.m. screening of this reminiscent-of- “Silence of the Lambs” thriller at the downtown Century 20:

  • The audience participation.  Self is so glad she was with an audience (incidentally, mostly male) that seemed to get major kicks out of the line “NO.  WAIT.”  Anyhoo, the perp was completely loathsome.  (Thinking of the perp, she knows she’s seen the actor before.  Self ponders whether playing a loathsome creep is a great career move, or a disastrous career move.  Anthony Hopkins turned Hannibal Lecter into a charming monster.  For Hopkins, “Silence of the Lambs” was a great career move.  But for every Anthony Hopkins, there are tons of actors, like the one who played the creep in “Dirty Harry,”  who disappear.)
  •  Abigail Breslin.  Even playing teenager-in-peril, she never loses her dignity.  Never.  And, she is beginning to bear a striking resemblance to Cameron Diaz.  And she is just –  so believable and wonderful.  What a gal.  Self adores Abigail Breslin.
  • Judd Nelson.  Yes, that Judd Nelson of “The Breakfast Club.”  Now he has gray hair (Gulp) It is very disconcerting to see this former Brat-Packer in the role of –  a limo driver???
  • Even though the Halle Berry character sometimes does inexplicably stupid things, it is still very nice to see her.  She has a new “do” –  very big hair.  But her body is as slender as ever.  She and Sandra Bullock –  they never seem to age.

Afterwards, it was still light (how great!).  She stopped to watch a dance class on Courthouse Square.  A group of rowdy skateboarders began to inch closer and closer to where she sat, all by herself, checking her cell phone.  She wonders why the sight of a solitary woman would end up being a provocation.  But it definitely was, for the skateboarders began to get closer and closer to her, as if each were egging the other one on.  Relax.  Nothing happened.  Self walked to her car.

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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Towards the Close of the First Monday of April (2013)

April 2, 2013 at 4:48 am (Links, Lists, Movies, Recommended)
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Today was an excellent day.

Why?  Oh, who knows.  Self just happened to be in a very good mood.

Easter Sunday was not too bad, either.  Self planted.  And watched Cary Grant in “Notorious.”

She even got to chuckle over Don Quijote.

Self heard from ex-classmate IQ de Vera, who was one of the executive producers of the Filipino documentary, Harana (one of self’s favorite movies of 2013).  Quoting from a letter sent by the Director of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival to the film’s director, Benito Bautista:

“It gives me great pleasure to announce that your production, Harana, has been selected as a finalist for the Festival Grand Jury Award in Non-Fiction Feature Filmmaking, an annual component of The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.  The Award, to be presented during the Festival’s Closing Night Program on Thursday, May 9, 2013, serves to promote the continued achievements of our community of Asian Pacific American cinema artists.”

Self was also excited to discover the following sites while browsing the web:

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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Self Having Just Watched Hitchcock’s “Notorious,” Starring the Inimitable Cary Grant

April 1, 2013 at 6:32 am (Movies, Recommended, Sundays)
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Self has watched “Notorious.”  Did dear blog readers know that Cary Grant even acts with the back of his head?  Seriously!  In “Notorious,” there is a scene where a couple of CIA officers (aka Spymasters-Acting-Like-Schoolboys) discuss Ingrid Bergman’s character while making several snide remarks about her proclivities.  Throughout most of the scene, Cary Grant stands with his back turned to the men, and he has such a fine head, and such a vulnerable-looking neck, and — and –  OK, no need to wait for him to turn his head to know what he is thinking.  No contemporary actor can match that level of suave!

The whole time she was watching “Notorious” (with The Man obnoxiously trying to distract her by creating all kinds of distracting and unnecessary noise with his hands, what a boob –  sorry, but these things must be said), she was trying to imagine a contemporary hot actor in the role, and all she could come up with was –  Channing Tatum!  Noooooo!!!

On second thought:  Ryan Philippe?  Not JGL, he’s too short.  Definitely not Brad Pitt.  Not Pierce Brosnan even in his Remington Steele days.  Leo?  Perhaps.  OK, mebbe Leo.  If he lost 15 lbs.

You know what?  Cary Grant is unique.  There will be no other.

Anyhoo, “Notorious” was a very touching story, the best Hitchcock self has seen so far, though she must say “Vertigo” comes close.  And Ingrid Bergman even bests Eva Marie-Saint, and now all memories of Grace Kelly are lying in the dust, she’s just a stuffed mannequin, that’s what she is, she can’t emote like Bergman or even be sultry like Eva Marie-Saint.

But this movie has again that tiresomely abrupt ending:  Ingrid Bergman is carried to the car by manly Cary Grant, her stupid husband is left behind to face the music, and –  THE END!

If this were a contemporary movie, there would be further dialogue between the reunited lovers, and much shmaltzy music.

But, hold on!  If a person were being systematically poisoned, over the course of a full week, wouldn’t that person be already at death’s door?  Would that person even have any functioning brain cells left?  In other words, would that person really be able to recognize Cary Grant if Cary Grant did indeed happen to walk in the door?

Self cannot tell you with what exultation she watched the thin, tall Cary Grant (really rocking that suit!) ascending the stairs in the Lion’s Den (aka Ingrid Bergman’s husband’s house), finally throwing caution to the winds (but still looking so suave doing it — no, not Sean Connery suave, just Cary-Grant-Suave),  only to find IB lying in bed –  poisoned! — and leaning down close to tell her, “I love you!”

!!!!!!

(Pause for palpitation)

!!!!!!

The man is such a gentleman, he can’t even think to lead her out of the house without remembering to bring her her shoes!!!

Claude Rains was also perfectly cast.  Every time self took a look at his face, she would think, “Someone must certainly give Bergman’s character a Medal of Valor, for agreeing to be wed to so slimy a personage.”  And what dolt would allow a man like Cary Grant to enter his house — dressed in a tux!  You’d have to be a real dummkopf not to realize that your wife would fall in love, if she hadn’t already!  Note to All Husbands:  Never invite a man who looks like Cary Grant to your house, even if he is your best friend of 20 years.  This can lead to nothing but trouble.  And it will be YOUR fault!

And the Dragon Mother with the coiled blonde braids affixed to the top of her head — was that not the model for the screaming German woman in Austin Powers?

Anyhoo, it was so much fun watching “Notorious.”  Self remembers Dearest Mum’s Mum watching Ingrid Bergman movies on the TV in the guest room, watching with absolutely rapt attention.  Ingrid Bergman was Dearest Mum’s Mum’s favorite actress, and she would watch all her movies, over and over and over and over.  Self might even have caught parts of “Notorious” with her Dearest Mum’s Mum, in her Dearest Mum’s sister’s house, in that Long-Ago-Time known as:  Self’s First Year as a Grad Student.

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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Thoughts on the Hitchcock Festival Ending Next Week at the Stanford Theater (Downtown Palo Alto)

March 31, 2013 at 8:06 pm (Lists, Movies, Recommended, Sundays, Surprises)
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Ever wondered what driving while loopy might be like?  Watch “North by Northwest.”  (BTW, ever wondered what the fine for “driving under the influence” was, way back when?  Two dollars!  Seriously!)

Ever wondered how Cary Grant might do comedy?  Watch “North by Northwest.”

Want to find the anti-ScarJo ScarJo?  Watch Eva-Marie Saint in “North by Northwest.”

Want to know where the Coen brothers might have gotten that idea for the first “Fargo” chase scene, along that lonely stretch of highway?  Watch “North by Northwest.”

Want to know why Grace Kelly became Princess of Monaco?  Watch the audition:  “To Catch a Thief.”

Want to know what a sweater girl is?  Watch “Young and Innocent” and “To Catch a Thief.”

Want to know why blondes and noir go together like white on rice?  Watch “To Catch a Thief,” “Vertigo,” and “North by Northwest.”

Want to know who did the orange dress first?  Watch “North by Northwest.”

Want to know how to wear a backless dress with ultimate panaché?  First, lose 20 lbs.  Then watch “North by Northwest.”  Shailene Woodley could probably do it, nach, if she’s still the same weight she was in during filming “The Descendants.”

Ever wondered what Martin Landau looked like when young?  What he looked like playing a thug?  Watch “North by Northwest.”  (He was so magnetic!  He and James Mason, both!  They almost oudid Cary Grant!  CARY GRANT!)

Also:

Cary Grant is stoop-shouldered and very very very thin.

The double entendré/ sex foreplay pillow talk between Cary Grant and Eva-Marie Saint in “North by Northwest” would have been shocking back then.  It is extremely exhilarating to listen to.  Not once is explicit reference made to a body part.

Self loved, loved, loved Eva-Marie Saint’s vulnerability.  She is the né plus ultra of vulnerable sex kittens.  An early Kim Basinger.

Over the course of two months, self has seen many, many Hitchcock movies (What a name for a famous director, come to think of it).  Her favorites are “Vertigo” and “North by Northwest.”

Stay tuned, dear blog readers.  Stay tuned.

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Happy Easter/ Call for Submissions

March 31, 2013 at 1:23 pm (Links, Memoirs, Movies, Recommended, Sundays)
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Watched “North by Northwest” yesterday afternoon, thought Cary Grant was absolutely fabulous.  As was Eva-Marie Saint.  Of note:  Ms. Saint reminded self a little of Scarlett Johansson.  She is, so far, self’s favorite Hitchcock actress.  So much more alive and vibrant than the rather static Grace Kelly.

A friend invited self to the San Mateo Gem Show (No idea what that is, really) and self kept saying she would go, she would go, and in the end she did not go, she watched the Hitchcock movie.  Self wonders if she did the right thing — it’s the morning after, self feeling the usual insecurities, blah blah blah

She’s waiting for a decent hour to call son and wish him a Happy Easter.

In the meantime, there’s a Call for Submissions from Memoir Journal for a special issue on the theme of GUNS.  (Guns and Easter seem to go perfectly together, don’t ask self why).  Essays must be previously unpublished and may not exceed 6,000 words.  To be considered for a contest prize of $1,000, there is a $20 entry fee.  However, submitters who desire publication in the issue but do not want to be considered for the money prize do not have to pay a submission fee.  Deadline for submissions:  June 5, 2013.

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