boys, girls, and john woo

I do so enjoy John Woo as a director.

His movies are so artfully choreographed, with each movement there with a purpose: to invoke the idea of dancing from scene to scene.

Fabulous!

In his latest - which Barbara attended, too, as I had spoken so devotedly of John Woo - another concept has been incorporated: the lack of speech to carry a story along.

The only words are a soft "it's okay, it's okay" as the wife strokes the head of her distraught husband, seeking to console him.

The husband had his larynx shot out by the gangster whose drive-by had killed his son, after the husband had chased down the two cars still exchanging gunfire, causing the wreck of one of the cars and damaging the other and its driver before being gunned down.

Very intense, very emotional, very fast-paced.

Then "Silent Night" slows down to the speed of physical healing and emotional numbness, before ramping back up as the husband plans and prepares.

Wow.

That was the last of my AMC A*List today.

The first had been on Friday, again with mi amiga, at her request.

An animated Japanese film akin to "Alice In Wonderland" but without the rabbit hole, "The Boy And The Heron" was set during the latter years of WWII, after the father and son had moved to a small town, leaving Tokyo after the mother's hospital had been destroyed.

That was on the Big-D screen, making the subtitles quick and easy to read as we listened to the rhythm of the spoken Japanese.

The movie was interesting, but a bit slow in places, so it was certainly not as enjoyable as the one we saw last week.

I just noticed something: Barbara accompanied me to all three of the A*List films!

She also came with me Monday night for the third AMC "Screen Unseen", and Carolyn was there, too!

This "unknown" feature turned out to be "The Boys In The Boat" -

and I was so delighted that I clapped when it was revealed!!!

What a delightful movie, and one based on the true story of nine young men from a poor school in Seattle, Washington, that learned how to row and amazed the world!

Kudos to George Clooney for directing this beautiful film about real people -

real people who go to the 1936 Olympics and win the gold against thirteen contenders.

Those Olympics were in Munich, so we even get to see Hitler at those games, with swastikas all about and German patriotism very high, but still a hint of what would come in 1939.

Very well done... and another sports film I will recommend to my stepmom.

(smile!)

Lest you think I only saw those, let me dissuade you of that notion!

None of mi amigas came with me to "Waitress: The Musical", as it was not included in our monthly A*List package.

Nope!

But that was $15 I would gladly pay again!

Well, that is, if I had paid it to begin with, which I did not.

I had AMC reward bucks to offset my ticket price - hooray!

Anyway... it was a 2015 musical starring Sara Bareilles, who also wrote the music and lyrics for all the songs.

I've been a fan of Bareilles ever since "Love Song" in 2007, he protest to the recording studio which was insisting that she write a love song to be released to radio.

Hahahaha! She showed them!

(smile!)

This film version was made in 2021 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre -

which is where I'm sure I saw Sam Waterston and Gilda Radner in "Lunch Hour" in 1981 -

as Broadway was trying to get started back up after the pandemic.

All I can say is: excellent job, everyone, at keeping it real under those circumstances!

I hope to be able to see it again...

finances permitting!

I've set up another movie outing for Saturday morning with Michael and his girls, as well as Christina and her family.

That's in my budget, as "Elf" is free - totally free! - at the NCG Cinema.

I even have popcorn buckets that I bought as Christmas presents for them during the Black Friday savings at that cinema!

It's lunch afterward that concerns me... so I think I'll have to forego the Friday Fiesta.

That'll work!

I'm hoping my finances will loosen up soon.

I've applied for the Affordable Connectivity Program to get some relief.

Barbara applied for it and got it, and we have about the same annual income.

If I'm accepted, that will save me up to $30 a month on the internet bill with Comcast.

Here's hoping!

(smile!)