And now, for the part of 2009 that really didn’t personally concern me.  Macabre as it may sound, the part of the Oscars that I most enjoy is their tribute to the stars that have died that year.  Well, this year, I found a list of those who left us this year, and decided that some of them were worth mentioning here.  I think it is a true sign that I am getting older that I actually knew who more than half of the people were, and even had an opinion on most of them.  Not that my opinion matters much, but I do remember many years in which I had no idea who all those people were who had died, or why anyone would care.

So, I am categorizing them in my own way:  The “Greats” (Those who really made a difference for this world, and often risked their lives in doing so, or who just lived that long), The “Too-Young-To-Die” (Those who should have lived a few more decades, at the very least), The “Well Known and Loved” (I think that one is pretty self-explanatory), The “Rich and Powerful” (again, self-explanatory, except that these may not have bee so well-loved, at least not by yours truly!), and The “Not Well-Known-But-Important-Anyway” (maybe not household names, but still famous in their own right).  There is, of course, some overlap, but I’m generalizing, so please allow me some discrepancies.

GREATS

Marek Edelman (Last surviving leader of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising against the Nazis); Harry Patch (Last surviving British trench soldier from World War I); Millvina Dean (Last survivor of the Titanic); Maria de Jesus (World’s oldest person, age 115)

TOO-YOUNG-TO-DIE

Brittany Murphy (Actress, age 32);  Chris Henry (Bengals, age 26); Stephen Gately (Irish Pop Singer, age 33); Andy Kessler (Skateboarding Pioneer, age 48) Michael Jackson (Superstar, age 50); Dolla (Roderick Anthony Burton II) (Rapper, age 22);

WELL KNOWN AND LOVED

Roy E. Disney (Nephew of Walt Disney); Patrick Swayze (Actor; and he could qualify for “Too-Young-To-Die”, as well); Farrah Fawcett (Actress); Ed McMahon (Sidekick on the Tonight Show); David Carradine (Actor, Martial Artist);  Dom DeLuise (Comedic actor, director); Bea Arthur (Actress); Natasha Richardson (Stage and screen actress, qualifies for “Too-Young-To-Die”, as well); Paul Harvey (Broadcasting Pioneer); Ricardo Montalban (Actor);

RICH AND POWERFUL (Well-Known, but Not Necessarily Well-Loved)

Oral Roberts (Evangelist); Edward Kennedy;  Walter Cronkite (Legendary Anchorman);

NOT WELL-KNOWN-BUT-IMPORTANT-ANYWAY

Don Hewitt (Creator of 60 Minutes);  Les Paul (Guitarist & Inventor); John Hughes (Director of “Sixteen Candles” and “The Breakfast Club”, two of my favorite movies); Billy Mays (TV Pitchman); Jack Kemp (Congressman and NFL quarterback);  Dave Arneson (Co-creator of the game Dungeons & Dragons);  Alan Livingston (Creator of Bozo the Clown; former president of Capitol Records who signed the Beatles and Frank Sinatra);  Millard Fuller (Habitat for Humanity founder)

I felt very sad when Farrah Fawcett died, and I think I actually grieved when Michael Jackson died.  No, I was not a huge fan, and I really never cared for much of his music, at least not anything he did after “Thriller”.  But growing up, Michael Jackson was as much a part of our lives as school, or dinner.  He was everywhere, and everyone knew him.  Listening to his songs that came out in the early 1980’s brought back so many very good memories.  How could I not grieve?  And, like him or not, he was freakishly gifted.  And finally, for what very little it’s worth:  I do not, and never have, thought he was a child molester.  If you want to know my reasoning behind that (and I would be shocked if anybody even cared!!) then email me, or leave a comment, and I’ll explain.  I also loved Dom DeLuise.  He was just somebody you wanted to hug!  And finally, I felt a tremendous amount of sadness when Paul Harvey died.  I knew his voice as well as my own father’s, and probably welcomed it more.

So, tomorrow is a new year, and a new decade.  Thank God!!!

Okay, maybe because I am so sick of the Presidential Campaigns and Billion-Dollar-Bailouts and politics in general, I’ve decided that we need to determine something really important: who do you think would be the best actor to portray the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s upcoming film “Alice In Wonderland”? This poll is located in the right-hand sidebar of my blog. Please have some fun with me, and vote! If you can think of an even better selection than the three I’ve given, leave a comment and tell us why.

There really haven’t been many movies worth going to see lately. We did go to see “The X-Files: I Want To Believe”, but it was a huge disappointment. And I am a big X-Files fan. And while I am interested in going to see “Righteous Kill” and “Igor” soon, I’d be just as happy to wait until they both come out on DVD.

But, apparently there is still hope! I just read that Johnny Depp has signed on to star in Pirates of the Caribbean 4! We can only hope that the dreary Keira Knightley will not bore us to death with her incessant pompous whining this time! But that’s not all . . . Johnny will be playing “Tonto” in the upcoming movie “The Lone Ranger”. Hmmm. That will certainly improve that story line. I hated that series when I was a kid. . . way too cornball for me. But with Johnny Depp as Tonto, how bad can it be? Like Pirates, it will be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, so that’s a plus, too.

And last, but not least, Tim Burton has created his own version of “Alice In Wonderland”. We all know that Johnny Depp is one of Burton’s favorite actors, so it’s no surprise that Johnny will be bringing his own twist to the character of “The Mad Hatter”. I love Alice In Wonderland, but have always been frustrated that some of the best scenes were usually stolen from “Through The Looking Glass”. It will be interesting not only to see Johnny’s rendition of The Mad Hatter, but to see how Tim Burton has translated the story onto the screen. One last thought on this: don’t you think that Christopher Walken would be a much better Mad Hatter than. . well, than anybody?

I guess my favorite movie, ever, is “What’s Up Doc?” starring Ryan O’Neal and Barbara Streisand. So, since tonight was the kids’ last night before going off to camp for two weeks, we decided to make a Family Night of it.  I made lasagna (one of the few foods everyone in our family loves) and we watched “What’s Up Doc?”.

Movies with lots of explosions and bloodshed and foul language really turn me off.  (Well, I did really love Iron Man, which was heavy on the explosion side of things, but who can not like Tony Stark?)  I love movies that make me laugh and forget about reality for a while.  “What’s Up Doc?” is the ultimate romantic madcap comedy.  It’s an old one. . . it came out in 1972.  But it’s a classic.  It is especially enjoyable for me because I love Humphrey Bogart movies, and this movie spoofs a lot of his old flicks, in particular Casablanca and To Have and Have Not.

My favorite part of it is the “Chase Scene”. It is reminiscent of the Keystone Cops, in a way.  Yes, it’s very campy, and really predictable, but that’s part of the fun.  I’ve probably watched this movie more than fifty times, and every time I laugh like crazy.  We all do!

So. . . if you are looking for a really great movie to watch with your family, I highly recommend this one.  It’s even rated ‘G’!!

Tonight Faith and I curled up in my bed with her little kitten, Bandit, and watched an absolutely adorable movie: Game Plan.  Faith promised me that I would really like it, and the idea of lounging around in the bed and watching a movie with my daughter was too good to pass up.

For those of you who haven’t seen it, “The Rock” (does this guy have a real name?) stars as the dad who doesn’t know he’s a dad until his little eight year old bundle of joy shows up, unannounced, on his doorstep.  He is a HUGE football star who is completely consumed with himself has no time for parenthood. But this little girl has other ideas. It really is a delightful movie, with no violence, nudity, explosions or foul language.  That’s a rare find, indeed!

So, if you’re looking for a great movie to watch with your kids, I highly recommend this one!  (Alex really liked it, too, and he’s in high school!)

I have probably received twenty or more emails about the upcoming movie, “The Golden Compass”.  None of them have been good.  Now, I rarely let reviews deter me from seeing a movie I am interested in seeing, whether those reviews are from Fandango or from friends.  But because I have gotten such a huge amount of negative press about this movie, I decided to do a little research of my own.

All of the information I’ve received has come from conservative Christians.  Now, I am Christian, but I absolutely refuse to buy into what I call “Fear-Based Theology”. I have learned that many very well-meaning Christians do way more harm than good by trying to convince folks that there is a demon hiding behind every bush and beneath every rock, or in every non-Christian book, movie or song lyric.

So, when I started reading about The Golden Compass, I proceeded with caution.  And I started checking out secular sources, who tend not to be quite so paranoid and freaked out about films and authors.  Well, according the inerview I read on The New Yorker Magazine’s website with Philip Pullman, the author of the book, The Golden Compass, everything I had read about him and his books was true.  And then some.

Basically, Philip Pullman is an atheist, and is very blatant about it, both in his writings and his interviews. He feels that “childhood innoncence” is best lost as soon as possible, and the ultimate goal of his books is to kill God.  “The Golden Compass” is reportedly a watered down version of the book, and it is Mr. Pullman’s hope that kids will love the movie, and want the books.

We will not be going to see this movie. And I’m rather disappointed, because the previews looked amazing. But, for what it’s worth, we will not be seeing the movie because I don’t care to put money in someone’s pocket who blatantly stands against everything I passionately stand for. Do I think the movie or book(s) would cause me or my children to question our faith, our religion or our God?  Absolutely not.  But I’m not going to pay to see those things maligned.

I’m not going to go into the whole thing here, because I’m not interested in re-inventing the wheel.  However, I am posting a couple of links to sites that you can check out.  Please do check them out.  Don’t believe everything you hear or read.  Take the time to research issues yourselves, and find the facts.  Knee-jerk reactions are not the correct response for rational, thinking people of faith.

One News Now

New Yorker Magazine Online Article/Interview

Catholic League

Mtv

So I have a nasty summer cold, and have been living in a cold med induced fog for the last few days. That leaves me with pretty much nothing better to do than watch CSI re-runs and mindlessly surf the internet looking for worthless trivial information. Okay, and I’ve played a lot of Free Cell, but not too successfully. (Thanks, I’m sure, to the cold meds!).

Anyway, this morning I found something interesting on aol.com. Apparently it has been twenty-five years since Blade Runner was released. And I am old enough to remember when that happened. Which doesn’t seem all that bad, until you start clicking through the “then-and-now” photographs. Wow. . . it is truly amazing how much Harrison Ford has aged in the past twenty-five years! (Fortunately, I still look the same. . .ha!) Okay, humor aside, Harrison Ford has indeed aged well, and so has Darryl Hannah. Edward James Olmos doesn’t even look like the same guy, and neither does Rutger Hauer, although time has been much kinder to him than to Mr. Olmos.

Blade Runner was cutting edge stuff when it hit the big screen back in the early ’80s. We were all really impressed and amazed. I had a boyfriend who was absolutely obsessed with the movie, and so he kept renting it, and we watched it a LOT. But, it was good entertainment, so I didn’t mind. It might be of some interest that, in honor of Blade Runner’s 25th Anniversary, Warner Brothers is planning to release “The Final Cut”, which is supposedly what the director really intended. For a short trip down Memory Lane, check out “Blade Runner: Where Are They Now?” on aol.com.

Once you’re finished with that little flashback, you have the opportunity to check out “The Brat Pack: Where Are They Now?”. Now, I have to admit that’s the one that got me. Anthony Michael Hall (remember the Nerd in Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club?”) looks OLD! And Judd Nelson looks, well, like he got caught in a light socket. Ally Sheedy and Molly Ringwald have aged fairly well. Rob Lowe looked better with more hair, as did James Spader. But Robert Downey Jr. looks amazing (probably has something to do with being sober?) and I’m just glad the guy is still alive! In my humble, non-professional opinion, he is one of the greatest actors. Ever. Why is it all the Great Talents seem to have so many issues???

Anyway, I am amazed at the difference twenty-five years can make. I shouldn’t be, I suppose. After all, in the last twenty-five years I’ve gotten married, had three children, lived in three different states, lost my grandmother and my father, my husband’s aunt and father (all to cancer), and homeschooled my oldest from diapers to college. Yeah, we cover a lot of ground in twenty-five years. I wonder what the next twenty-five years will hold?

Okay, I’m not a horror movie fan, per se.  And I have never read a Stephen King book in my life, but I love John Cusak.  So last night Gaylon and I went to see 1408. 

For anyone who doesn’t know the story line (don’t worry, no spoilers here!) John Cusak plays Michael Enslin, a writer who cranks out "Top 10" books along the lines of "Top 10 Creepiest Cemeteries" or "Top 10 Most Haunted Houses", that sort of thing. But he doesn’t believe in any of it. He wants to, make no mistake.  He very much wants to believe.  He has a vested interest, as it were. But nothing has ever happened in any of the allegedly haunted places he has visited to convince him otherwise. 

But one day, he gets a postcard in the mail front the Dolphin Hotel in New York City.  The only message is "Don’t enter 1408".  Well, Mr. Enslin is a quick, cynical study.  He quickly does the math (literally) and figures out that the numbers 1-4-0-8 add up to 13.  He figures it’s a hoax, but calls the hotel nevertheless to make a reservation.  He is informed that the room is unavailable, even before he gives the date he wishes to stay in it!  Needless to say, he is intrigued.  So, he calls his publisher, who contacts the lawyer, who finds out that there is some sort of federal law that guarantees his right to stay in the room, provided it has not already been rented out to someone else.

So, Mr. Enslin goes to New York City, where we discover he has a history with someone named Lily, whom he does not intend to contact during his brief stay.  He accepts the $800 bottle of Cognac from the manager of the Dolphin Hotel, played by Samuel L. Jackson.  But he still demands to stay in the room.  Once inside the room, he is initially disappointed by it’s typical hotel-room appearance.  But it doesn’t take long before the room makes itself known on a much more personal level, and the action really picks up.

I won’t give any more detail at this point, except to say that we find out who Lily is.  The movie has a ton of jump scenes, but not a whole lot of gore, and not too much language.  It is, more than anything, a psychological thriller.  Gaylon and I were happily impressed with the movie as a whole, and particularly with the ending.

It has been a long time since I’ve bothered to go see the Summer Horror Movie.  In fact, the last Summer Horror Movie I went to see was the first Friday the 13th!  (1980??)  So, it’s been a while, but the wait was certainly worth it!  And John Cusak, as always, does not disappoint.  1408 is a must see!

I am so angry and disappointed!  I was watching World News Tonight last night, and at the very end, they aired a segment on the new "Superman Returns" movie.  Apparently, Superman no longer stans for "Truth, Justice and the American Way".  In this new movie, he stands for "Truth, Justice and All That Stuff".  Yeah, I’m serious. Superman is no longer an American. (Which begs the question:  What exactly is he?)

They showed interviews with various people associated with making the film, and they all think this is a great thing.  After all, this is a global market these days, so we need to keep in mind how all those other nations feel when they view American movies.  Why, some of them don’t even like us! (Imagine that!) So, of course, we mustn’t offend anyone, ever.

I cannot even begin to express how angry this makes me!  I am a hopelessly patriotic American.  I don’t alway like our elected leaders, but I always respect the offices they hold.  My great aunt taught me that.  And I think she expressed a lot of wisdom there.  We are Americans, and I am firmly convinced that we are the greatest country in the world.  And, we gave the world the greatest superhere in the world: Superman.  So, it only follows that he should still stand for "Truth, Justice and the American Way".  If other countries don’t like us, they don’t have to watch the movie!  And, if they don’t like us, why do so many of them try so hard to be just like us?

At this point, we are becoming so politically correct that we don’t even know who we are.  I am greatly saddened, and more than a little concerned about the world my children are inheriting.  I guess that’s why we homeschool, huh?  So we can skip all of the PC garbage and teach our children that they should be proud of their heritage!

I will not waste my money on this movie.  My children will not see it.  I am going to fall back on the Biblical advice of St. Paul:

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  (Phillipians 4:8)

I do not think this movie is true or honorable, excellent or worthy of praise!