“Brave” & “Avengers”

     I went to the drive-in with my wife the other night to see “Brave” and “Avengers”.

Cheaper tickets, junk food from home and a comfortable place to sit.  So much better than a walk in theatre.  Also at my age (57) the drive-in is no longer about hiding in the back row trying to get some, or dealing with squirmy kids to keep an eye on so we actually got to see the movies.  “Brave” was cute, funny in places, perfect animation and had a moral.  Just what you’d expect from Disney and Pixar.  Good for kids of all ages.  “Avengers”, I thought could have been a longer story, split into two movies, seemed rushed.  Some characters from the comics were missing too.  Over all it was a fun movie; I just wanted more. 

    
     There was some entertainment provided by the other movie goers.  The poor sap in front of us forgot to run his engine now and then (no window speakers/tune to radio station instead) and had to call a tow truck.  This was after he’d already given a jump to another car whose battery had died.

     All in all a good time.  Don’t know why more people aren’t going to the drive-in, it’s worth the late night and the desperate need for coffee in the morning.

Apr. 25, 2012

     I watched “The Iron Lady” last night and was mildly disappointed.  Nothing against Ms. Streep of course, she was, as always, brilliant.  Though at one time, while she was sitting alone on the House of Commons bench, I expected to see her head twisted around backwards.  Right actress, wrong movie!  It’s just that it seemed a bit disjointed.  I’m not a big fan of the flashback, especially when over used.  The descent into madness over the death of her husband could have been written about anyone and didn’t seem to fit with my own memories of the PM.  I would like to have seen more of her earlier carrier, her battles against the gender ceiling.  Also more historical background; what was going on in England and the world at the time.  Maybe that’s just my own interest in history coming out, but a lot of the current viewers weren’t around then and may not understand some of the things mentioned.  Those events mentioned were muddied by the constant returns to her wandering around in her house, slowly getting around to getting rid of her husband’s things and finally letting go of him. 

     Over all it was a good movie, brilliantly acted, but still not what I’d hoped for.  Maybe I was looking for a biography, not a great woman’s descent into madness over a great loss and her eventual recovery at the end.

Two colour photos converted to B&W.

Fallen Leaf Lake Calif.; first attempt at b&w with a digital camera. (2008)

Giant Sunflower (2008)

     Some time ago, while digging in the vegetable garden,

I came across a weed with interesting leaves.  I very nearly yanked it out of the ground;

I thought a moment and decided to let this one go for a while and see what it might be.

Almost over night it grew into a giant with golden hair.  Taller than me, I had to look

into the sun to see it’s face.  It was a magnificent thing, and I had nearly tossed it aside.

      Sometimes new things come into our lives.  Often we don’t even notice; we’re too busy

with our lives to take on anything new.  We need to stop now and then and take a breath,

step outside ourselves for a moment and just look around, see things and give the world a

to show itself to us.