Monday, October 27, 2008

APPALOOSA--An Ethereal Movie

Appaloosa is no Lonesome Dove but having said that, it was a good and enjoyable cowboy movie. All westerns have pretty much the same theme. There's a bad guy or guys who run rough shod over the good folks. Then, there's a good guy who, against unbelievable odds, takes on the bad guys. It is good vs evil and as a rule ends in a gunfight and some sort of finality. I LOVE WESTERNS.

Most of the time, there's a woman. In Appaloosa, which was the name of the town, all the elements were there. Both Ed Harris and Viggo Mortenson were perfect for their roles. They remind me of characters in the Ayn Rand novels, "individualism at all costs."

The movie did something that movies rarely do, explore the relationship between men. Mortensen was an articulate former West Pointer and Ed Harris was always out to improve his mind--themes usually not pursued in westerns. With this one and Lonesome Dove, my favorite, to include recent Westerns like Open Range, good dialogue appears to be as important as gun play.

The female played by Renee Zellweger hit the mark, exploring relationships with some of the best dialogue ever. Ed Harris says about Renee on praising her qualities even while recognizing her less than stellar character, "She is clean, takes a bath everyday."

There are way too many nuances in this movie to fully explore, less I give it away. Mortensen understands quickly about Zellweger's philosophy, "If you ain't with the one you love, love the one you're with." She is headed toward choosing a more powerful and rich former bad guy played by Jeremy Irons. Mortensen knows a woman like Zellweger and understands what will happen in the relationship with Harris, his sidekick. For his old friend, Harris, Hitch (Mortensen) performs a final act to secure Virgel Cole's (Ed Harris)) relative happiness.

Good movie, check it out. Two parachutes

Friday, October 17, 2008

LOOKING FOR THE LIGHT


City of Embers is an amazing movie about a city underground. This city is working only because the generator is keeping it up. But when the generator starts to shut down.....enter the problems.

The city came about because the world had gotten so evil that to preserve it for future generations, it had to be underground. The creators of the city had created an entire set of keys to allow a mystery to be solved to get the people back to the light. This was the premise for the movie. This idea was slightly confusing but not a great deal unlike many mysteries. It took two teenagers questioning the common thought to find the answers to help the people to the "light", and to find a way to exit the city without hurting any one.

When they put together the pieces, it all becomes clear; and they found a way out. This story is good, a little unbelievable, but still good. It kept your interest. The two teenagers played their parts nicely and worked together to find the answer. I got some things out of the movie, mainly, not to give up or just accept the status quo if you think something isn't right. I had to laugh at the end as a monster ate the evil mayor who was only interested in himself. We never quite figured out where the evil monster came from. I think you should go to this movie, with children under the age of 13. My little sister would like it.

Lupe Jacobson

THERE ARE QUOTES AND THEN THERE ARE QUOTES

I MARRIED LATE IN LIFE, AT AGE 41. MY HUSBAND WAS A PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN WHO WAS HYSTERICALLY FUNNY AND INCREDIBLY TALENTED. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE FOUND HIM. WE WERE MARRIED ALMOST 10 YEARS BEFORE HE DIED. I MISS HIM A LOT.

Susan C. Schwab, United States trade representative as quoted in the New York Times.

Friday, October 10, 2008

GOOD WRITING IS WHAT READERS SAY IT IS

The Nobel Prize. Where is mine? I cannot get this. On occasion, I read something about writing and prizes and it makes me smile. Awarding of the Nobel Prize is one. What makes a good writer of the Nobel prize calibre?

What is Nobel calibre? Damned if I know and doubt that the Swedes who award the prize know either. Is a good writer who they say it is?

To them maybe but not necessarily to the reading public. And, they are about as objective as some right wing political commentator on Fox News. For years, the awarders of the Nobel selected only Swedes. The fact that the benefactor of the Nobel prize was from Sweden and all the judges were Swedish--think that influenced them? I'm smiling. There are eighteen judges for the Nobel, all Swedes and they serve for life.

The last American to win was Toni Morrison. I like her but hardly think
she was the best writer in America when she won the prize. And wonder what part political correctness played in her selection. I don't even know those who have won or not won but can bet the house on this: none of the ones I like have won. How about Louie L'Amour before he hit the road or Ayn Rand. What about myself and the thousands and thousands of writers who keep toiling along waiting for their just rewards.

All I'm saying is that a good writer is who the reader says it is. When people asked me about what I'm reading, I can tell them based on what I like. I determine my own Nobel Prize, without the money of course.