MOVIE REVIEW: Up

On Sunday, July 5, I realized that I hadn’t seen a movie since late April, So I looked at the listings for the Spectrum, my favorite theater and discovered that Up, the new Pixar flick, was in its final week. Reluctantly, the wife and I agreed to the split movie date, which involves one of us going, then later that day or soon thereafter, the other one attending. The first cannot reveal anything other than a generic thumbs up or thumbs down. The flaw with this, besides the inability to share the moments in real time, is that on at least three different occasion, the first person went, but then the second couldn’t for some reason; I know I got sick once and never saw a film Carol saw and liked.

Anyway, I opted for the noon showing of the movie, in 2-D. First up, the previews. I really would like to see the new Hayao Miyazaki film, Ponyo; great voice lineup in the English translation, including Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin, and Betty White. And surprisingly, I think I’d like to see the new Harry Potter film; I suppose, having seen only the first one, I should catch the subsequent ones beforehand.

The short is Partly Cloud. It was pretty much a one-joke bit, with lots of old Warner Brothers cartoon violence. I enjoyed it less than some of their previous efforts, though at least I learned about procreation.

Then the main event. I must say that I got caught up (i.e., became a little verklempt) in the whole backstory of Carl and Ellie; as others have noted, she looks quite a bit like Elastigirl from The Incredibles. Indeed, there was also a documentary style that also borrowed from that earlier Pixar film.

Carl (voiced by Ed Asner) finds a reason and the means to uproot himself, and his home along with it. But he is not alone. Will Carl get to South America, as he promised Ellie they would?

The rest I don’t know how to describe without spoiling it except there is a character who looks a lot like Kirk Douglas but is voiced by Christopher Plummer who has a major role. Also dogs; lots and lots of canines, not all of the friendly kind.

I previewed this in part to see if this would be the first movie Lydia, the five-year-old daughter, will see in the movies; it will not. If we see it on video later, the pause and fast-forward buttons will be used at least a couple times. Now other kids may react differently, but I know my child.

This was a good Pixar film. It had more depth in the characters than I would have imagined. And the house is definitely one of the characters. Yet part of the problem, I realized, had to do with little things – continuity problems regarding some important plot details – that distracted me. But it was most definitely worth seeing, and I’d give it an A- or B+.

Did I mention that I was the ONLY person in the theater? One might think I would have appreciated the private screening, but I like to hear where others laugh and gasp and cry; but for the size of the screen, I might as well have been home.
***
Little girl’s last wish: to see ‘Up’. Tip o’ hat to Jaquandor.
***
I check Rotten Tomatoes now and then, because I love seeing, for instance. The Hangover (78%) rate better than the more prestigious Public Enemies (65%). Up, BTW, got a 97%
***
Today, Ringo Starr turns 69. Please don’t send him anything to sign; he’s too busy.

ROG

ROG

McNamara’s Band


I have a strong sense that there’s a whole bunch of younger people know the name Robert McNamara in their history books, if at all. But for me, he was a frustrating man, who, as Secretary of Defense under JFK and LBJ, oversaw the increased involvement by the United States in the Vietnam conflict. (I am loath to call it a war, for as in more current offenses, there was no actual declaration of war, only a Gulf of Tonkin resolution after some dubious circumstances.) It was a war of choice, causing huge divisions in this country, some of which – see the Swiftboating of John Kerry in 2004 – have been slow to heal.

McNamara’s later mea culpa hardly makes up for the harm to so many. He died on July 6 at age 93.

ROG

ROG

Superheroes


You Would Be a Upstanding Superhero


You are alert and observant. You can see through people easily. You know who’s evil and who’s good.

You need a lot of freedom in your life. You like to do your own thing, and you don’t fit into any normal mold.

You understand people quite well and often know what others are thinking. Because of this, you can get people to do what you want.

You are a shapeshifter who fits in with almost any group. You can get along with anyone. You’re quite flexible.

You are a true philosopher. You are thirsty for wisdom. You are trying to figure out the meaning of life.

***
Steve McNair died. I must admit that, until there were more of them in the NFL, I used to keep track of all the black quarterbacks. There had been a prevailing feeling that they didn’t have the “necessities” available to lead a team. McNair was one of the best.

Do you know what I don’t get? Murder-suicide, which is a working theory in this case. If proven true in this case, it would be unusual in that the it would be the woman who killed McNair before killing herself.
ROG

ROG

An interesting choir year

The choir is done for the church year until September. It’s been a momentous period. Victor left last June, and in the proper Presbyterian tradition, a committee was formed to find a replacement. In the meantime, we had Don, a fellow I’d worked with often, who would be interim through Epiphany in early January. The committee found a candidate, OKed by the choir, but she was in the DC area and had to sell or rent her residence. Fortunately, with a new administration, she was able to come up on March 1. In the interim, Chris, our bass section leader, filled in as director.

Janet came up but, just as we got to Holy Week, fell ill. So it was Chris leading the choir on Easter Sunday. Janet returned, but her sister, who had been dying of cancer, got to the end stages. Jack, another bass in the choir, took over the last couple rehearsals and services. Evelyn, Janet’s sister died on Friday, June 26.

Coincidentally, Bradley Wong, a former member of the church and the choir – he was there when I first arrived nine years ago, though not in several seasons – died on Saturday, June 27.

It’s those deaths, along with the number of celebrity deaths and maybe the constant rain of late that put Samuel Barber to mind. I had a friend named Donna George who died a few years ago. She had given me this recording of eight different versions of Barber’s Adagio.

So I went to YouTube and found this choral version of the Agnus Dei plus a more traditional version.

ROG

ROG

What does patriotism mean? QUESTION

My wife is reading a book called Deep Democracy by Judith Green (no relation) as one of the required readings for her summer courses. My understanding of the book, and I haven’t seen it, is that deep democracy isn’t just a flag pin on the lapel; it’s working for the opportunity to make sure that each individual has the opportunity to pursue the American dream.

So what does patriotism mean to you? For me voting; but also being an informed voter. Perhaps working on a campaign; I owe time to TWO of them this year. Participate in the “marketplace of ideas”.

I believe that participating in the Census qualifies.

Civil protest, when injustice exists.

How about you?

And what do you think of this new study of sixteen countries, which “shows that in nearly every democracy surveyed, government helps assure that every eligible citizen is registered to vote. If the United States were to modernize voter registration in this way, it would add between 50 and 65 million citizens to the rolls.” How do you feel about compulsory voter registration? I think I’m against it, but I can be convinced.

ROG

ROG
Ramblin' with Roger
Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial