Popcorn: Theory: Jason Retiman's films

I've seen all of Jason Reitman's major films, two of them Oscar nominees for Best Picture: 

• Thank You for Smoking 
• Juno 
• Up in the Air

And I have to say, he's got the makings of a Hollywood Conservative.
Think about it. First, Thank You is based on humorist Christopher Buckley's (son of William F. Buckley) novel, and is about good parenting and being honest (well, as honest as a lobbyist can be...). Juno is about a pregnant teen who was going to abort her baby, but decides to give it up for adoption. Up in the Air's Natalie wants to be driving a Grand Cherokee full of kids, and scolds Ryan for his lack of personal connections.

Really, what these characters are first considering aren't bad. The lobbyist is just doing his job, and he's good at it. Doesn't matter if lying is involved, or that he never sees his son, or that he sleeps around.
Juno is a teenager. She could abort her baby. Lots of girls do. She doesn't need to be pregnant. (OK, yes, what she's considering is bad. Very bad. But not in some parts of society.)
Ryan has a good life. Doesn't matter that he doesn't have a real home, or a close family, or someone with which to share his life, or any real friends. He thinks he doesn't need those things.

But then..these characters change. They realize what they were missing, or what they would be missing if they'd continued doing what they were doing.

• The lobbyist gets a better relationship with his son.
• Juno has a relationship with the baby's adoptive mother, and she realizes how much she really loves Paulie. 
• Ryan becomes less self-centered. He realizes that he wants to be closer to his family (he transfers a  million miles to his sister and her husband so they can have a honeymoon). Natalie had an impact on him. 

(Sorry, haven't seen Thank You for awhile, so I'm missing names.)

These are normal people. Juno's life is a lot like any high-schoolers. Ryan could be the corporate everyman, living for the job. 

In all of Reitman's movies, there's redemption of a sort. And it's usually a swing back to something more traditional that other people around the character have rejected (the other lobbyists, some of Juno's peers, Alex--even with her husband and family, she still wants "the escape."). 

The changes all the characters make are appalling to the others--at first. But then we see the reconciliation and acceptance. Juno's father and stepmother help her with the baby, and she falls in love with Paulie. The lobbyist is an outcast, but then is invited back. Ryan is heartbroken, but emerges with a new appreciation for Natalie and his "goofy" family. 

I don't know if that's compelling evidence that Reitman is a Hollywood Conservative. But I think there's a definite theme in his works, and it's one I like. 

Popcorn: Oscar Nominee--Up in the Air

Yes, I know the Oscars have been awarded. Yes, I know my prognostication was right. But I'm still watching the nominated movies as they come out on DVD, and posting what I thought.)

The Best Picture Nominees for 2009 were: Up, Up in the Air, Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Precious, Inglorious Basterds, District 9, A Serious Man, An Education and The Blind Side. This is the third in a series of 2009 Oscar reviews. 

Up in the Air is the fourth of the 10 nominees for Best Picture that I've seen. I had previously thought that this would the film that beat out Avatar for best picture, but after watching it, and The Hurt Locker, I would place it third in my list of four movies (after Precious, but before Up). 
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney, in another Oscar nominated role) is, for lack of a better term, a corporate firer. He goes and fires people when the bosses are too chicken to do it themselves. He's good at what he does, and he enjoys the constant travel that is part of his job. It's his secret goal to be the seventh person ever to hit 10 million frequent flier miles--"more people have walked on the moon," he tells his young colleague Natalie (a great Anna Kendrick), than flown 10 million miles. 
But Natalie's got a new plan--a computer interface that would allow Ryan and his compatriots to fire people via webcam. A new Cornell graduate, Natalie's plan wins over the boss. Ryan asks if he can continue his vagabond life and show Natalie why firing people in person is a much better process than her soulless internet proposal. 
Natalie travels around the country with him, eventually firing people herself. She obviously doesn't have his panache, but, with her new program, that will be irrelevant. Everything will be very clinical. 
Natalie, however, is human, compared to Ryan's "no commitment" philosophy (the backpack philosophy--take as little as possible--is his topic at business seminars.). She's moved to Omaha to follow her boyfriend, who took a job with ConAgra. She's in love with him. Ryan has an attractive neighbor in his apartment building, but, since he's almost never home, she's started dating someone else. And a one-night stand in a hotel with Alex (the radiant Vera Farmiga) seems to prove that he doesn't need commitment in his life--he can get everything he needs without the messy entanglements. 
Alex travels just as much as Ryan, and they share a passion for it. But when they meet in Miami (with Natalie tagging along), Ryan begins to realize that's he's falling for Alex. Although he vehemently denies it to an incredulous Natalie  ("you're a twelve-year old!" she screams at him), he's lying to himself. He invites her to his younger sister's wedding as his guest. In the middle of the 'backpack speech' at a big Las Vegas convention, he stops his speech, and goes to see Alex at her home in Chicago--where he discovers that Alex is married, and has two kids. Ryan, to her, is the "escape". Ryan wanted her in his "real life." He goes back to Omaha without Alex, and without (he thinks) the traveling he loves; Natalie's program has been implemented by the company. 
On the flight back to Omaha, Ryan reaches the mythical 10 million mile mark. There is champagne and the presentation of the graphite card with his name on it. While Ryan talks to the pilot, he says he's rehearsed this moment over and over, and now doesn't know what to say. 
Upon his return, with his only life goal fulfilled, he finds that Natalie's program has been abandoned, and that Natalie has quit her job. One of the women she fired in St. Louis killed herself, after threatening to that day in the office. Ryan has dismissed Natalie's concerns about the woman. 
His boss sends him out again--"wherever the wind takes you, send us a postcard when you get there"--and the movie ends with Ryan staring at the departure and arrivals board. 
George Clooney does a great job (as always), and carries the movie beautifully. He's surrounded by the massively talented Kendrick and Farmiga, who are equal to the verbal sparring the script gives them (Kendrick, especially is great at this). They are more than equals to Clooney. The supporting cast is also excellent, especially J.K Simmons as one of the fired workers that Ryan and Natalie fire in tandem. (I think J.K. Simmons must be a feature in all of Retiman's films, like Hector Elizando is in Gary Marshall's films)
The thing I found really interesting about the movie is how conservative Natalie is. She's a go-getter, she graduated from Cornell near the top of her class, but what she wants is a husband and kids. "I should be driving a Grand Cherokee by now," she says. When she pictures twenty-three, she pictured a husband and a family. She says to Ryan and Alex, "I appreciate all your generation did for me," ("No problem", they reply), but what she wants is closer to what her grandmother had than the life Alex is leading. When she leaves Omaha, it's for a much better job in San Francisco--the job she was originally offered, and almost took, before following her boyfriend. She's learned to be more independent (not following your boyfriend is usually a good idea), but she taught Ryan something important: that the best moments in life are ones you spend with other people. Ryan's spent his entire life away from his family ("we never see you", one sister says), but when he takes Alex back to his hometown in Wisconsin, he is excited to show her his old high school, his trophies, and his pictures in the school hallways. He's proud of these connections. 
Retiman does a great job with this incredible cast, and they tell a universal story--that you cannot opt-out of interaction with life. Because then you're opting out of life itself. 

Popcorn: Oscar Nominee--Precious

(Yes, I know the Oscars have been awarded. Yes, I know my prognostication was right. But I'm still watching the nominated movies as they come out on DVD, and posting what I thought.)

The Best Picture Nominees for 2009 were: Up, Up in the Air, Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Precious, Inglorious Basterds, District 9, A Serious Man, An Education and The Blind Side. This is second in a series of 2009 Oscar reviews. To see my review of The Hurt Locker, go here. 

I really wanted to see this movie, and I have no idea why. I'd read the reviews, knew what it was about, and, to a lot of people, it probably sounded appalling. Why would anyone want to see a movie about an obese, illiterate, sexually, physically and verbally abused teen living in 1987 Harlem? 

I did. (yeah, I'm weird.) But keep in mind--The Hours, which opens with a suicide, is my favorite movie. 

I purchased the DVD yesterday and, as part of my quest to see all the Best Picture nominees for 2009, sat down to watch and review. 

The basic plot is well-known: Precious is sexually abused by her father, has one baby by him (who is raised by her maternal grandmother), and is pregnant with a second. Her mother hates her for 'stealing her man', and verbally, physically and sexually (although we don't see that) abuses her 16 year old daughter.

Precious is still in junior high, although she's 16. Her school principal suspends her for being pregnant (Precious won't tell her how she got pregnant) and suggests she enroll at Each One Teach One, a nearby alternative school, where she can prepare to take her GED. At the school, a tough but kind teacher, Miss Rain, leads Precious and her classmates into academics. 

There are a lot of hard scenes in this movie. There's horrific abuse, awful language, and frequent despair. But the toughest scene for me was watching Precious be unable to read the title of a children's book-- A Day at the Shore. She couldn't read any of it. And she was 16. I can't imagine living in a place where basic things like reading are seen as useless (her mother, Mary, sees school as a waste of time). It's heartbreaking to see her struggle so hard. 

But she does learn to read. Ms. Rain has each student keep a journal, which is turned in daily for the teacher's comments and feedback. Slowly, Precious decides she will make a better life for herself. 

After the birth of her second child, she reluctantly returns to her mother's apartment. But when Mary purposefully drops the baby and begins to abuse her daughter, Precious has had enough. She grabs the baby and escapes the apartment, eventually ending up in a half-way house, where baby Abdul is looked after while she continues her studies. 

Her mother finds her and tells her that her father is dead, and that he was HIV positive. Abdul is fine, but Precious is not. She has the virus. In the 1980s, this was a death sentence. But the movie doesn't end in despair; it ends in hope, with Precious and her two children heading to a better life. 

The cast is roundly excellent. Mo'Nique is hideously vile as Mary, and her Oscar was extremely well-deserved. Mariah Carey does a nice job in her role as a seen-it-all social worker, with the best acting coming in the denoument between Carey, Mo'Nique and Gabourney Sibidie (Precious) in the social worker's office. For the first time, we hear Mary talk about Precious' child hood and Mary's hatred of her daughter. It's chilling and terrifying. 

It is a hard movie to watch, although I didn't think it was unbearable. It is hard to believe that there are actually people like this, that are truly that vile. But there are. It's supposed to be hard to watch. 

If you have small children in your house, or even young teens, I wouldn't recommend them watching it. It is definitely a 'R' rated film, and the language, violence and overall tone are definitely not appropriate for kids or even teens. Even very sensitive adults will probably not be able to stomach the movie. But for those who can, it's a revelation of personal triumph in the midst of unimaginable circumstances. 

It wasn't as good as The Hurt Locker, in my opinion, but better than Up. Not that Up was bad, but Up was nice. That's all. It was a nice film. It was a gorgeous film. Heck, it was a Pixar film, which is almost shorthand for quality filmmaking. But it wasn't Best Picture material. Precious is. 

Popcorn Oscar Special: Top 10 Best Picture Winners

Spoilers may be ahead--so...tread with caution.

1. Gone With The Wind: I’ve been watching this since I was about 7 years old (my sister is named Melanie, for pete’s sake.). Like Scarlett or not (and I do like her), the best picture of Hollywood’s Golden Age (1939) is worth seeing just for the history behind it, the 17 screen writers, different directors, and the hype surrounding Vivien Leigh’s casting. Yes, it gets a bit long at the end, but it redeems itself.
2. The Sound of Music (1965): The hills are alive…in this improved version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical classic. Songs are added and set within the gorgeous setting of Salzburg. Julie Andrews is a wonder.
3. A Man For All Seasons (1966): The story of Thomas More’s martyrdom. A brilliant ensemble cast makes the story come to life.
4. Schindler’s List (1993): The Holocaust film. Liam Neeson, Embeth Davidtz, and Ralph Fiennes lead the stellar cast. An artistic and technical marvel.
5. Braveheart (1995): OK, the history is suspect, but I like seeing Braveheart and Isabelle get together. J Exotic settings and believable characters make it more than another war film.
6. The English Patient (1996): Kristin Scott Thomas, Ralph Fiennes (again), Colin Firth, Juliette Binoche and Willem Dafoe star in director Anthony Minghella’s World War II desert tale. Loyalty, love, and personal choices define the epic film. 
7. Shakespeare In Love (1998): Tom Stoppard and the Bard= a winning writing combination. The all-star cast takes on the (supposed) back story behind Romeo and Juliet. The cast alone makes this worth seeing: Gwyneth Paltrow (as Shakespeare’s muse, Viola—she won her Oscar for this role); Joseph Fiennes (yes, brother of Ralph, as Shakespeare); Colin Firth (as Viola’s fiancé) ; Judi Dench (in an Oscar-winning performance as Queen Elizabeth I); Geoffrey Rush (Shakespeare’s manager), and Ben Affleck (as an egotistical actor). Watch and try to catch all the Shakespearian allusions (English Major Drinking Game!)
8. A Beautiful Mind (2001): Ron Howard’s tour de force direction leads the viewers down the same path of paranoia as John Nash—until all is revealed about an hour in. James Newton Howard’s delicate and haunting score provides a great thematic backdrop for Russell Crowe (Nash), Jennifer Connolly (as his wife, Alicia), Paul Betany (as Charles), Christopher Plummer, and Ed Harris.
9. LOTR: The Return of the King (2003): My favorite of the three LOTR movies—a fitting end to an epic series.
10. Million Dollar Baby (2004): A film about finding family. A bunch of loners (Hillary Swank, Clint Eastwood, and Morgan Freeman) come together to make each other whole, and face the devastating choices we must make in the name of love.

Popcorn: Oscar Special--Top 20 Best Picture Nominees

From the ones that didn’t win, my favorites:

1. The Wizard of Oz: This doesn’t need explanation, does it?
2. Roman Holiday(1953): Audrey Hepburn’s first starring role as a foreign princess. Beautiful.
3. The 10 Commandments (1956): Perhaps Charlton Heston’s most iconic role. “Behold His mighty hand!” Yul Brynner also makes a great pharaoh.
4. The Diary of Anne Frank (1959): Love the play, love the movie.
5. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962): Pitch perfect, from the opening credits onward. Robert Duvall’s first film role.
6. Children of a Lesser God (1986): Love the sign language, the Maine setting, and the tension between the lovers.
7. Beauty and the Beast (1991): My favorite Disney movie. The animation is brilliant. Early use of CGI, as well.
8. A Few Good Men (1992): Some of the best dialogue ever in a film.
9. Sense and Sensibility (1995): It’s Jane with Kate Winslet! Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant and Greg Wise play the tempest-tossed suitors.
10. As Good As It Gets (1997): James L. Brooks at his comedic best.
11. Life Is Beautiful (1998): Pathos, baby. Pathos.
12. The Green Mile (1999): Disturbing and touching.
13. Chocolat (2000): Beautiful food, beautiful clothes, great characters. And a fantastic score by Rachel Portman.
14. The Hours (2002): My second favorite movie of all time. There is no such thing as an ordinary day. Nicole Kidman is brilliant.
15. Master and Commander (2003): high seas adventure with great actors.
16. Mystic River (2003): A punch to the gut. Sean Penn in the performance of his career.
17. Finding Neverland (2004): A gentle film about friendship and writing.
18. Juno (2006): laugh out loud funny. Ellen Page and Jennifer Garner play off each other so well.
19. Michael Clayton (2006): A legal thriller with razor-sharp acting.
20. The Reader (2008): Kate Winslet finally wins an Oscar, and Ralph Fiennes isn’t a psychopath! Two reasons to see it.

Popcorn Oscar Edition: The Hurt Locker

The Best Picture Nominees for 2010 are: Up, Up in the Air, Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Precious, Inglorious Basterds, District 9, A Serious Man, An Education and The Blind Side. I'm trying to see as many of the nominees as I can before the awards are announced on March 7th. 

The Hurt Locker is the second Best Picture nominee I've seen since the list was a nnounced a few weeks ago. At that time, I had no clear Best Picture winner in mind, although I was thinking Up In The Air might beat out Avatar.

I was wrong. The clear winner in this race is The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow's stunning film about a three-man IED detonating team in Iraq.

The film is real, immediate, and vivid. I had to check the case several times to make sure this wasn't a documentary. Screenwriter Mark Boal was an embed with an IED unit in Iraq; that's why the dialogue and the situations are so realistic. Shot in Jordan, the film follows Army  Sergeant William James (a brilliant Jeremy Renner)and his team as they move through the final days of thier deployment with Bravo Company at Camp Victory in Baghdad. Their mission--to find IEDs and disarm them before they disarm and kill anyone else.

The premise is simple, the acting crystal-clear. It may be one of the most perfect movies I have ever seen, except that you keep forgetting it's a movie. There's no Hollywood touches--no glam costumes, no artful battle scenes. During one particularly long stand-off sequence, sand accumulates on the men and flies settle on their bodies. The camera zooms in on the eyes, the lashes coated in sand, but still intent on their target across the desert.

This is a movie you experience. You live every second with these men. Jeremy Renner is a shoe-in for Best Actor. No one can touch his performance in this film (sorry George. Maybe next year.). He's pitch perfect as the Staff Sergeant who's a bit unconventional, but the best at what he does. Ralph Fiennes makes a brief appearance as a British force leader.

After seeing this movie, I can't believe that something like Avatar, which exists primarily on special effects, is even in the same contest. While it tells the story of fantasy world of the future, The Hurt Locker is a gripping look at the here and now, yet it also transcends the time and place of its setting. There is no slant, and no agenda--there are just three men, doing their jobs, knowing that any second, their lives could be over. When it's over, you can almost feel the sand on your face and the sun on your back.

Yes, this is only the second Best Picture nominee I've seen, and I've got at least one (Inglorious Basterds) lined up for the weekend. But I can't imagine how any other movie can touch the brilliance and deep-seated reality of The Hurt Locker. 

Second Day of Great Snow

The tally:

• Music: Brahms for Book Lovers, Beethoven for your Beloved, Bach for Breakfast. (I'm just about done with the "B" section...)
• Books: Little Town on the Prairie, The Amish Cook's Baking Book, Sailing the Wine Dark Sea (FINALLY done!), began The Winter's Tale (which I think is very appropriate)
• Movies: Oliver Twist, the beginning of Sleeping Beauty
• Food: Cowgirl Cornbread, pasta, and PIE! I am so excited about the pie. I will post pics tomorrow. 

The First Day of the Great Snow

Brought:

• Books: By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Molto Mario, The Olive and the Caper, Jesus, Teach Us to Pray. 
• Music: Bach for Book Lovers, Beethoven for Book Lovers
• Exercise: Seated yoga poses (whoa did I need those)
• Movies: A wee bit of Oliver Twist
• Food: Made Pampered Chef Fiesta Party dip (yum!)

The snow is over thus far--more is coming. So staying in. 

SEven Quick Takes Friday Vol. XXII

I. 

OK, going to start w/ the complaints and then move on. PLEASE, in snow, with low visibility, put on your lights, and don't tailgate! Also use your turn signal! 

II. 

OK, done with that. Whew. The snow, thus far, is very big (one of my co-workers said the snowflakes were as 'big as potato chips'), and very fluffy and wet. So it isn't really packed down. I hear this will change as it gets colder. The weather guy, at this moment, is saying 5-8", which isn't as bad as a foot, or the THIRTY INCHES DC is predicted to get. Yowzers.

III.

So, from now until Sunday AM, I am not leaving my house. That means--books, food, and movies. Not necessarily in that order.

IV. 

I exercised THREE days this week so far! And the snow will not deter me--I have a pilates DVD and a Shape workout DVD (which is insanely hard, but...oh well). 

V. 

On the movie front, I have a ton to watch. (500) Days of Summer, Oliver Twist, Season 4 of House...I'm well prepared. I also have my biblical studies lectures to keep me busy. The next one is on the books of Chronicles. 

VI. 

Books of 2010: Into Thin Air and The Olive and the Caper, a Greek cookbook. It is a GREAT cookbook to curl up with and read, and provides lots of great recipes and menus. 

 I also started Jesus, Teach Us to Pray. Lent is upon us soon, so I think it's time to dive into some Lenten reading. I'll have more books on that when we get closer. 

VII. 

Still nothing on Titanic. But in voice I'm working on some Linda Eder pieces, including her arrangement of the classic "I'll Be Seeing You". It's a lot of fun. 

For more quick takes, head over to Jen's. 

Stay warm!

Culture Cat: CSO's "Oz with Orchestra"

Tonight the CSO, as part of their Pops series, combined two of my favorite things: Music and movies. And not just any music and movies--the score to my favorite movie of all time--The Wizard of Oz. 

Here's how it worked--the movie was shown on a large screen suspended from the stage. The dialogue track was kept in, but the music track was removed, so the orchestra could provide it live. And instead of just playing the original score, music that was written for the movie, but eventually excised, was also included. (I caught this in three places: When the Wicked Witch of the West first appears; when the Witch appears after "If I Only Had A Heart", and after Dorothy melts the Witch)

The pops series, in general, has a more populist appeal, and this concert brought out lots of families. I saw a girl dressed in head-to-toe Dorothy costume during the interval, and I also saw kids as young as 14 months old! I think events like this are perfect ways to introduce kids to orchestra--they're seeing something with which they're familiar, and even the music is familiar, but it's played by real people, right in front of them!

The orchestra was conducted by Maestro Constantine Kitsopolos, who has directed orchestral, classical, Broadway and national theater. He was a perfect fit for this event and did a great job at the helm. His experience in theater was greatly useful here since there were times the orchestra wasn't playing, and the cues were more musical theater like (as in, enter when someone says this line), as opposed to the scriptedness of a symphony. 

Even though I have been watching this movie for 27 1/2 years (really, I have been watching it since I was about a year old, Remind me to write about that sometime.), I picked up a lot of musical nuance by watching. The low strings--cello and double bass--have a lot to do, with some beautiful melody lines. The harp and timpani have an absolute ball. I bet the timpanist was thrilled to have so much to do. There was also a piano. The brass also had big parts. These are things you don't really notice when you're just listening, but if you're watching it's pretty apparent. Another difference was the use of violins instead of fiddles in certain areas (like when Dorothy leaves Munchkinland), which gave the sound a different texture. 

This was a one -night only event, but if you ever get the chance to see and hear this sort of thing, go! Take your kids. There was an intermission (right after they reach the Emerald City gates, but before they go in), so there was bathroom/snack break (the Ohio Theater sells refreshments at intermission). 

I had a great time, and I think the audience and the orchestra did, too. Some of the instrumentalists smiled or laughed at certain parts, even while they were playing. And the pathos of hearing "Over the Rainbow" with a real orchestra is pretty incredible. It doesn't matter how many times you've heard the song (and you've probably heard it many, many times): with real instruments backing up Judy Garland, the effect is goose-bump inducing; an excellent way to spend a Saturday night. 

The next two CSO concerts are classical ones; the Pops series resumes in late February with an appearance by the Chieftains at Veterans Memorial. 

The Simple Woman's Daybook--January 24, 2010

Outside My Window::

Dark, raining, but snow is gone!

I am wearing ::

A J. Jill camisole, Life is Good shorts

I am Thankful For::

A nice weekend

I am Reading:

Traveling with Pomegranates

From the Kitchen::

Just made these muffins--very good. Other things this week: a chocolate pound cake, chicken  piccata, and a new pasta recipe.

I am Thinking:
That I am ready for this week

I am Creating::
My memoir. It's 100 pages now!

On my iPod::

Titanic soundtrack (broadway show)

Towards Rhythm and Beauty:
I vacuumed, unclogged the shower, and did a bunch of dishwasher loads. The place looks pretty good.

To Live the Liturgy:

Liturgy of the Hours, in the first Ordinary Time book. Back to green vestments.

I am Hoping and Praying:
For a good audition tomorrow.

Around the House:

Always--the kitchen table. 

One of My Favorite Things:

Books

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:

Monday: Audition
Tuesday: Governor's State of the State
Th: Voice
Saturday: Symphony Concert

   A Picture Thought  I'm Sharing:

For my cousin, Kelly, who has never seen this movie in its entirety. Shocking. 

Seven Quick Takes Friday Vol. XXI

I.

So we're going to start today with a cute story. I was at Barnes and Noble, purchasing guidebooks for our Family Vacation this summer. I got to the register, and, since I was paying with a check, I had to show my driver's license.

The cashier (who was aobut my age, and cute) looks at it, and says, "This is the happiest license picture I've ever seen."

"I didn't see a reason not to be happy," I said as I slipped it back into my wallet. (Really, I don't. Why do people look like convicts in those photos? Do you really want to be looking at that for years?) But this also sort of sums up my life philosophy--why not be happy, when you can? Even in your driver's license photo.

II.

The Great Thaw is upon us--the snow is melting, I can see my deck again, and it's mostly slush now. I can deal with slush. My car likes slush better than snow (although probably not cosmetically). It's supposed to be....(wait for it)....in the forties this weekend. Forties! Yes!

III.

Since it's going to be warm(er), I really need to do a good pantry stock-up. I get a Trader Joe's gift card every year from my parents at Christmas, and I use it to stock my pantry with essentials (and not so essentials...like the $4 Portuguese white wine....). So I will probably go tomorrow.

IV.

Since it is a long weekend *huzzah!* It is also baking weekend. I bought currants at the North Market last week to use in Irish Soda Bread. I haven't made it yet. That project is for tonight or tomorrow, depending on how the spirit moves me. One of the great things about winter is, as long as your pantry's stocked, you have all this time to cook and bake. Fantastic.

V.

I have an appt. with Dr. A on Monday. I'm going to ask if he's started planning my five year party yet. Really--five years? Wow.

VI.

Books of 2010 update: Laine's Real Adventures, Farmer Boy. I love Farmer Boy, but didn't have a copy at my place. If you want to feel hungry, read it. And if you want to feel warm, read it! The first chapter talks about it being forty below. Forty. Below. How did these folks get anything done? At -40, I think it's time to hibernate. But I suppose the cows won't wait for it to warm up for their milking...

Another: Elizabeth Berg's Never Change. I really enjoyed the character of Myra, but was sort of shocked by the ending.

And: The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, and Blue Shoes and Happiness. I'm sort of re-working my way through Alexander McCall Smith.

VII.

Bit on books and movies, to round up here. I started watching Bleak House last night--I got it for Christmas (The Gillian Anderson version), and my parents watched it first (because my dad loves Gillian Anderson. Old X-Files hold over.) So I just started it last night whilst I was painting my nails. It's really great so far. I haven't finished the book yet, so maybe watching the series will motivate me to finish it.

Another book I'm looking forward to reading: Melanie Benjamin's Alice I Have Been. I just picked it up and the beginning is fantastic.

And gosh, I owe you guys some real bookshelves. This weekend. I promise. I want to do one for La's Orchestra Saves the World, and for Alice, once it's done.

Be sure to visit Jen for more Quick Takes! 

High-sterical

This review of Avatar. 

Ode to Italy: Movie Night Carbonara

The scenario:
It is Christmas Eve Eve. My gifts are bought. I am not leaving my house because I live on the same street as a Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Bath and Body Works, Hallmark, and a Target. It is INSANE out there.
So, instead, I am saying in for Christmas Movie night and the mother of all pastas: carbonara.
Carbonara, how I love thee.
The link provides a SLIGHTLY different version. The one she has in "How to Eat" doesn't use cream, it uses 1 egg yolk and 1 egg.

Movie Food: Spanglish and Ratatouille

OK, I love movies. 
I'm Emily, and I'm a movie-holic. 
So, I thought I'd share two of my favorite movie recipes, both from Chef Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. 
The first, from Spanglish, is what Adam Sandler (a chef, in the film) makes when he gets home from work. A video how-to is also included on the DVD, if you happen to own it (which you should, because it's a great movie.) 


Spanglish: The World's Greatest Sandwich

Spanglish's Sandwich
From Thomas Keller

4 thick slices of bacon
2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
2 thick slices of rustic white bread, toasted and hot
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
4 tomato slices
2 leaves of butter lettuce
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 large egg

1. In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
2. Set the Monterey Jack slices on 1 piece of toast. Spread the mayonnaise on the other slice of toast, then top with the bacon, tomato and lettuce.
3. In a small, nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Add the egg and fry over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp around the edge, about 4 minutes; the yolk should still be runny.
4. Slide the egg onto the lettuce; close the sandwich and eat right away.

Makes 1 sandwich.

Ratatouille: Ratatouille (what else?) 

Thomas Keller's Ratatouille

1/2 red pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 yellow pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 orange pepper, seeds and ribs removed
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
3 tomatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled, seeded and finely diced, juices reserved
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig flat-leaf parsley
Half a bay leaf
1 zucchini (4 to 5 ounces) sliced in 1/16-inch rounds
1 Japanese eggplant (4 to 5 ounces) sliced into 1/16-inch rounds
1 yellow squash (4 to 5 ounces) sliced into 1/16-inch rounds
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/16-inch rounds
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the peppers cut side down on a foil-lined sheet. Roast until skin loosens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop finely.
Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, and onion in medium skillet over low heat until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juices, fresh thyme, parsley and bay leaf. Simmer over low heat until very soft and very little liquid remains, about 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add peppers and simmer to soften them. Season to taste with salt, and discard herbs.

Reserve one tablespoon of the mixture and spread remainder in bottom of an 8-inch skillet nice enough to serve from, or a small, shallow casserole dish. Reduce the heat in the oven to 275 degrees.
Down center of the skillet or casserole dish, arrange a strip of alternating slices of zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash and Roma tomatoes, overlapping so that 1/4 inch of each slice is exposed. Around the center strip, overlap the vegetables in a close spiral that lets slices mound slightly toward center. Repeat until pan is filled.
Mix 1/2 teaspoon of the minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over the vegetables.
Cover pan with foil and seal well. Bake until vegetables are tender, about 2 hours. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more.
For the final topping combine the reserved tablespoon of sauce with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Drizzle around plate. Serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.
Source: Tribune Media Services

Now, I fully admit that the sandwich is easier. :) In fact, I'm going to make that first. I've been waning to make it for a long time.  The ratatouille? That might not happen until I own a mandolin. 

This, That, and the Other

x

--Stitch is topping this post, because he can.

--It's been raining almost all day here. At least I can break out the Hunter boots when I traipse out tonight for voice. (Mine are violet, just like Bella's in Twilight. And no, I haven't seen New Moon. It's my least favorite book, so I'll probably just wait until it's out on DVD. And my December is insane. More on that below.)

--Voice: Working on some random pieces. I have another audition coming up, for Gallery Player's "Company" (this is the group I did Parade with last winter). I really, really want to do this show because there is a FANTASTIC Alto part. Really, honest to God contralto. Problem? The woman is thirty-something. Do I look 30 something? Not. So I'm counting on some eyeliner, dark clothes and my voice to make me look 30. I'm hoping we can nail down a song tonight, too.

--Crazy December? Here's what's on tap: Tomorrow night, Cap's Christmas Fest with Melanie. I haven't been since...oh....2004? 2005? When I helped the SAI chapter girls usher it. This will be the first time I've gone as a spectator--I've usually been in it, or working it. Not this time. I'm watching and singing along with the audience during carols. Can't wait to see how my old Purple Robe is holding up. Dinner with the friends on Dec. 11, Tiffany's Christmas Concert Dec. 12, Messiah rehearsals Dec. 13 and 18, and performance in Hilliard on the 20th. That doesn't count regular Mass stuff, work stuff, any other "stuff" that might pop up.

--These books rock my world. As I am a Jane addict, I got both Jane books. Why they do not offer ALL Jane books is a mystery to me. Because they should. And I would buy them. (duh.)

--How's your Advent going so far? Enjoying it? At my parish we're using the Latin antiphon for the entrance, and for the psalm. Waaaay cool. I still have to figure out how to read the Latin chant music. It's not a normal 5 staff pattern.

--My tree is up. A few ornaments are still in storage at my parents', so it looks a wee bit bare right now. 'Twill be righted later.

The Simple Woman's Daybook--November 9, 2009

Outside My Window ...

It's dark now, but it was a beautiful late fall day--highs in the 60s, and a pale blue sky. Fantastic.

***

I am listening to...

Handel's "Messiah" (Christmas section)

***

To Live the Liturgy...

Magnificat, Rosary, and Signs of Life, Scott Hahn's new book.

***

To Fit and Happy...

Gym and ballet this week. I get Wednesday off, so there is no reason gym and/or ballet should not happen.

***

I am thankful for...

short weeks!

***

I am pondering ...

tomorrow's Target list.

***

From the kitchen ...

Not sure. Lots of pasta/soup this week, I think. Maybe some meat sauce making on W.

I am wearing ...

Pitt sweatpants, a J.Jill camisole (heading to bed soon)

***

I am creating ...

music

***

On my iPod...

more "Messiah" and voice lesson music.

***

I am thinking...

that I can't wait for Wednesday

***

Around the House

Cleaning which =getting stuff off the floor!

.***

I am reading ...

See above; also The Looking Glass, and Catherine of Sienna. Also read: A Daughter's Love: Thomas More and His Dearest Meg yesterday. Soooo good.  (Of course this ALSO led to watching A Man for All Seasons, which is NEVER a bad thing.)

***

I am hoping and praying ...

for my grandpa.

***

On Keeping Home ...

Getting ready for the holidays--card writing, cleaning, etc., etc.

***

One of my favorite things ...

singing with talented people

***

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

T: Pampered Chef Party!

W: Voice at 2:00, gym/ballet, DAY OFF!

Th: CF clinic @ 3:30

Sat: Music Man auditions!

Sunday: Messiah rehearsal; Faith Sharing group

A picture thought I am sharing:

Corner of State and Third Street, Downtown Columbus, Fall (it was taken this year, ignore the '07 thing)

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. XVI

I.

OK, so this is really more "Seven Quick Takes" weekend, but I was a bit busy on Friday, hanging with my brother. Our parents were out of town, so we went to Uno's for dinner, then back to our parents' for some movie watching. Bryan had never seen the Lord of the Rings movies, so we watched the first one. I normally don't watch that one, because my favorite character is Eowyn, and she's not in that one. So I had forgotten how long that version is--even in the theatrical release! (I only have one--Return of the King--in the extended version.) But Bryan seemed to like it, so we'll have to get in the other two soon.

II.

My grandpa was discharged from the hospital yesterday, so that is great news. My mom is staying with my grandparents this week, and my dad will go pick her up next weekend. So it's just my dad and brother at home this week, which means I might get to cook for them, which I really like doing. They like fish and mushrooms, two things my mom doesn't like, so when she's gone I get to make those things for them. But I do miss mom.

III.

Speaking of food, I made my favorite salmon dish last night after a run to the North Market. It's sort of becoming a habit to go there on Saturdays (with, seemingly, the rest of the city), and it's so much fun to pick and choose what to buy and see all the tasty things for sale.

IV.

Yesterday was wretched in Ohio--the sort of grey and ugly fall days I hate. But it was an excellent day to stay inside, bake, watch college football, and finish the LOTR movies. :)

V.

This week is pretty busy--blood draw to check thyroid stuff, cooking/laundry with dad and Bryan, voice on Thursday, and then Jackets/Penguins game on Friday. That should be really exciting, since both teams are doing well, and I'm looking forward to it. Dad and I are going together. He took me to my first Penguins game when I was seven (Pens versus Whalers, Pens lost), and we still go to games together. It's a good thing.

VI.

Speaking of voice--lessons are going really well. I think Robin and I have found a new audition piece--we'll find out at  my next lesson! We have to chop the song into 16 bars, because that's what most auditions require. Whoever came up with 16 bars ought to be racked. I mean, come on--show range, emotion, style, etc. in 16 measly bars? Ridiculous.

VII.

Auditions: I've got two in the next two months. One for Pleasure Guild's Music Man, and one for Gallery Player's Company. Music Man is in November, and Company is right before Christmas.

Quick Friday note

OK y'all--7 Quick Takes up later tonight.
First--dinner and movies w/ the bro. LOTR is tonight's perferred viewing, and yes, it'll look pretty sweet on my parents' much larger (than mine) TV.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Vol. XIV (medical exploits edition)

I.

So, let's talk about the insanity of my week, which kicked off with this.

II.

Medical insanity continued with oral surgery today, which basically consisted of taking tissue from my hard palette on the left side of my mouth and moving it to four teeth on my lower jaw. After all those aerosol treatments, my gums had receeded, and this needed to be done so I didn't, you know, lose teeth. Which is just not a good look for anyone. The upside of this is that my diet consists of milkshakes, soup and ice cream for the next week.

III.

I also get to emulate Dr. House, because I have vicodin for painkillers, which I seriously need. I didn't think this would hurt so much!

IV.

Book update: Re-reading my Isabel Dalhousie books, and am reading Traveling With Pomegranates, but Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter, Ann. It's a great read so far, and also has a lot of great tidbits about the writing of The Secret Lives of Bees, so if you're a fan of hers, or memoirs, or travel memoirs, go pick this up.

V.

Another big highlight of my week--The Wizard of Oz. I love, love, love this movie; it was the first movie my parents ever bought, way back in the 1980s when VHS tapes cost $80+. (Can you believe that?) I would watch it over and over, transfixed, and the only sound I would make would be at the end, where I would cry, thereby telling my mom to rewind the movie. "OVer the Rainbow" is one of my favorite songs,a nd at any family wedding my grandpa always asks the band to play it for me. (This was somewhat embarrassing in my teens but I like it now.)

So, naturally, I bought the super duper special set on Tuesday, and let me tell you--it is gorgeous. Those ruby slippers! The yellow brick road! It's amazing. Do yourself a favor and go pick it up. The set also includes a watch (!), a collector's book, original marketing materials, and, of course, the movie, in a four disk set crammed with extras. I can't wait to watch the movie with the Sing-a-long track.

VI.

In the world of voice--Robin is very pleased with my progress. She said my interpretation and expression are excellent, especially in "He Was Despised", so I was really happy. This is something I get complimented on a lot, but it's also something that I am always working on fine-tuning.

The other great thing about lessons with Robin is how much we talk about! We talk about different singers, who we like and who we don't. She gave me a great piece of advice--"find the best recording of a piece and listen to that." As in, listen to different interpretations, and then find the one you like the best. I've been doing this with "Storybook". I have three recordings of it: Linda Eder; Christine Andreas (in the original cast), and Rachel York (in the second Broadway cast). Ms. Andreas' recording is, in my opinion, the best, and it's her interpretation that I like to emulate when I sing it. We also talked about favorite singers--we both love Renee Fleming. :) Yay!

VII.

I'm at my parents' house this weekend, so it's sort of Mac heaven. I enjoy that.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!