a day of transformations

I was ready for it, too, and had a game plan in place, but I had lovely surprises as well.

 

I checked the WSAV Weather Song for any changes, but found none.

 

Tonight, the weather goes straight to Hell and stays there all week.

That was right before 11 AM and solidified my goal this morning of making it to church for a live, in-person, sermon.

 

Because of low temperatures, this would be the first time this year for me to be there on a Sunday.

 

I told Rev. Billy when I saw him on Tuesday that I would see him "when the temperatures are at least 50 by 11 AM"... and today they were!

 

That meant I was there to experience the transformation of water into wine, done as only he could preach it.

 

I could practically taste the fruity beverage that the Son had made to please His Mother, Mary.

Afterward, off to the cinema I went!

 

Today is National Popcorn Day, and that's what I was having for lunch... plus, a free refill for this coming week.

 

That proved to be the perfect accompaniment for "Wolf Man", all about the transformation of a kind-hearted man (Christopher Abbott) into a savage creature, albeit one that still knew his wife and daughter.

 

Honestly, I had tears at the end!

That completed my A*List, too.

 

Knowing the days would be too cold this week for matinees, I went ahead and took care of two shows on Friday.

 

That's not to say I watched both of them, mind.

 

I caught the new one with Tilda Swinton - "The Room Next Door" - and found it to be more emotionally intense than I'd expected.

 

Afterward, I bought a ticket for "Sing Sing", as if I were doing a double header, then left.

 

It isn't that I wouldn't love to see it again, and probably will if it remains another week, but I didn't have time on Friday, as I had other plans and needed a hug.

 

So, back to the present, shall we, with making the plans to allow me to ride out the hell to begin on Monday?

 

That meant a trip to Jason's Deli for a Salad Bar To-Go!

 

Barbara is the one I credit with showing me how to appreciate the use of these ready-prepped vegetables and fixings to transform multiple meals into fresh experiences.  

But that's not what I ate first!

 

I've had an intense craving for pizza after being bombarded by Papa John's emails all week.

 

Two slices of this Kid's Meal Pepperoni Pizza from Jason's scratched that itch, with the rest for another time, for just $5.

 

Oh, yes, that worked out perfectly!

Dinner found the broccoli florets and crumbled bacon combined with Cilantro Lime rice for a taste that was fresh and even healthy.

 

Plus, it wasn't soup, as I am sure I'll have plenty of that in the near future.

 

Speaking of that food, that's what "Beauty And The Beast" had for dinner.

 

This is the 2017 version, with Dan Stevens in the transformation role.

 

First, he's a prince by name but not by deed, earning him a change into a creature when he ticks off a sorceress.

 

Then, near the time when he will have to stay a beast for the rest of his life, he finds love and kindness that transforms his character.

 

In turn, that change in his very nature eventually allows him to regain his form as a man.

 

Such kindness that shines from his eyes then... as it did from the Wolf Man's eyes.

 

I'm glad life offered him a second chance.

banana ball and a*list, too!

"Those two things do not go together. Did you mean 'banana ball and youTube', or perhaps something else?"

Nope! I meant what I said and I said what I meant!

"Then you got some 'splaining to do, dearie." 

LOL! This ain't "The Jeffersons"! Still, I guess I should comply and let you know what's going on in March. I'll be going to Grayson Stadium with the four little blondes!!!

"That's wonderful!!! However did you manage that?"

Well, Christina had contacted me last week that Oatland Island was fundraising with the Savannah Bananas for the March 7th game. Did I want to go? DID I WANT TO GO??? "Yes," I told her, "I want to FOO @ Bananas with y'all!!!" So she bought me a ticket!!!

"Most excellent! I really like that phrase: Foo @ bananas. Hahaha!"

Me, too! Sounds like it'll be an amazing outing with them! But it gets even better...

"... because Michael has bought tickets and he and his girls will be there, too?"

Nope! Because I had promised Michael my five member tickets this year and Henry just opened the ticket exchange 'window' online... and March 7 was one of the dates I could swap my member tickets for!!! Hallelujah!!!

"How fortuitous!!! Who else is he bringing with his two extra tickets?"

I have no idea, they're his tickets, his choice. I'm just thrilled we will all be going together! Plus, we don't have to worry about wandering around looking for seats. These will all be over in right field in a brand-new seating area. It's still General Admission over there, but only folks with tickets to sit there will be allowed to do so. Woohoo!!!

"A new area past right field? That will sure be a different perspective for watching the game."

Yeah, like I actually watched the game last year. Remember? I had to watch it on youTube afterward to even see who had won! LOL!

"True, true. You had too much else going on!"

You got that right. And this weekend promises to be quite busy with PULSE18 and other events. In fact, that starts tonight, so I needed to finish up my AMC trio this afternoon. I only have one new dance on this A*List, but it's a very funny one, full of costume changes and misadventures! Keke Palmer is having "One Of Them Days" and it's hilarious! I hope to see it again next week, in fact.

"That A*List looks to be backwards then."

Hey, I can only show it the way AMC gives it.

"So you watched "Sonic The Hedgehog 3" again on Friday, then saw "Wicked Part One" yet again yesterday?"

Correct you are! And the only reason I went to Sonic again was for the 1000 Bonus points. AMC neglected to give them to me, but Tom made sure he added them for me. I had kept the ticket stub so he would have the proof. Gotta get those Bonus rewards! If I had known about the promotion last Tuesday, I would have seen Sonic instead of "Moana 2". No worries, though. I liked both of them!

"Very good. Hey, it's about time for PULSE at the Jepson, isn't it?"

Sure 'nough! Later chica!

another heaven-sent gift for me!

"Let me guess... another penny?"

How did you know that?? Yes, another little coppery message of love, this time dated 2013.

"That carpet looks familiar..."

As well it should, as many times as we've been to that AMC-cum-Wynnsong Cinema!

"For sure! So you caught another movie, did you?"

I did, even though the temperature didn't bother to crawl out of the mid-40's today. Ack. But the movie was my reward for going out of the house to pull the trash bin and the recycling bin back up to the house. I'd hauled them to the curb yesterday when i got home. Then, I heard this morning when they each got emptied, so I had no excuse for leaving them at the curb another day. I promised myself that if I hauled them back up, I could go to a movie, as I would already be outside. So, after donning two sweaters instead of one, that's what I did.

"Well, I'm proud of you for getting that done on such a blisteringly cold day! And just what movie was it this time?"

"Moana 2". I've only seen it the one time, which was well over a month ago. Good choice! I hadn't realized how much I'd missed when I took Chloe to the bathroom during it!

"Good for you! That's another one for your A*List this week, too."

Yes, and it will most likely be the last one, too. I don't know, maybe I'll see "Wicked" again tomorrow, but I've already seen it three times. I doubt I'll venture into the cold to see it for a fourth time, but who knows? Perhaps I will.

... and out the door i went!

Today promised a high in the mid-60's by 2 PM, and I took it at its word!

 

I started off with inside work, dismantling the Island of Misfit Toys under the Element.

Back into the plastic storage bin with all of them!

The other decorations in the living room joined them, there to await December again.

 

Did I take down the Christmas tree, too?

That 12th Day of Christmas was yesterday, and the Epiphany does mark the end of the Christmastide time.

But, just look at it... isn't it gorgeous?

Even with the lights off, it's just so pretty and makes a cheery focal point in the room.

So, it stays for now.

Maybe I'll take it down when the Tulip Tree lets me know spring is soon coming!

 

What else did I do while waiting for the day to come up to temperature?

I set up my new calendar from AARP with the special dates of my loved ones, that's what!

Some of the little Post-It slips were transferred, some were replaced from the package I still have from my days at Armstrong.

I finished off all of those, but still have yet another package from back then.

Pretty amazing, as I'll finish my seventh year of retirement this May!

By the time I'd completed this task, it was time to go to my first A*List movie of 2025.

I'd chosen "A Complete Unknown", at 1:15 PM.

By the time it was done, I was ready to be gone from it.

It wasn't that the film was bad, per se, it's just I've never been a Bob Dylan fan.

The best parts for me were the scenes with Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

The years covered were 1961, when Dylan was just 20 years old, up to the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, when he showed all what an ass he could be.

Nice to know he's been consistent with that ever since.

At least I've crossed that off my list!

And what was on my list?

Feeding my car with gasoline, then shopping for groceries!!!

Cheeses and apples and cinnamon and squash and other stuff at Aldi's!

Then, back toward home and Food Lion for soups on sale!

 

Not only did I find plenty of heartwarming soups at BOGO prices, but also Cinnamon Cheerios, beans of all kinds, ziti and rotini and corkscrew pastas, even ham slices!

I spent $60.95 and saved $34.98 - wow!!!

Right place, right time!

But I already knew that.

As I'd walked into Food Lion, I spotted a coppery gleam in the parking lot -

a 2021 penny for me!

I was even home before sundown, before the warmth was gone from the day.

i thank You, God.

getting ready for the new year!

First order of business: preparing "Dance At Bougival" for its new home in Hinesville.

That meant taking it off the wall, dusting it off all around the frame, across the back, down the front.

I am so glad to be passing this along at last, with no death involved.

Next order of business: washing clothes.

My winter wrap had developed a smell and that needed to be removed before the colder weather comes tonight.

I haven't yet put the clothes away, but it's comforting to know that I'll be starting the new year with clean attire.

Third order of business: my last A*list dance card, completed on this final Tina Tuesday of the year.

I'm glad the last two films, both new ones, were seen with loved ones!

Fourth order of business: prepping a new batch of jumpsuit-clad men with marching orders.

Now tattered and torn, these seven have been taking care of business all year long for me.

Another squad of dancing Elvis secretaries are now standing by, awaiting their turn on the kitchen cabinets. 

Fifth order of business: washing dishes.

Counting coffee cups, there are six, though it's only been five days since I last cleaned off the counter.

That's because I have a new one - Yoda! - from Tony and Laura and I'm using it tomorrow.

(They actually gave me two, but I shared with Michael.)

Now, I have another Christmas movie lined up and ready to go.

"A Holiday Spectacular" is set in 1958 and is about a young woman's quest to dance as one of the Rockettes!

Right time, right place for this girl!

First, though, time for a shower so I start the new year clean, too.

I'm ready for 2025 to begin!

a*list with tailz

Note: That is -not- at typographical error.

That's how the alien being spells its name.

For real!

All the other aficionados at the special screening would agree with me.

That's Tailz in my hand here.

Actually, it's just the critter's head, designed as a keychain reward for those who came to the "Sonic The Hedgehog 3: Fan Event" at the 3 PM showing in the Big-D room.

I was there early this time, having missed out on the Lego rewards at the Fan Event for "Wicked" a couple of weeks back. 

This time, AMC had plenty of the rewards, with four buckets of the character keychains, allowing patrons to choose which they wanted: Sonic, Tailz, Knuckles, or Shadow.

My first choice was Sonic, but Alicia let me swap him out for the foxy yellow guy with the ability to fly.

As it turns out, Tailz was a perfect fit for me!

He's the nerdy analytical member of the trio formed in the second movie, you see. 

I'm the nerdy analytical member of any trio I'm in, too!

Well, most of the time, but not always!

 

 

Speaking of trio, this upbeat movie, filled with puns and inside jokes, was the perfect one to complete my dance card this week.

"The Order" and "Homestead" were a bit scary, given today's political climate in the USA.

The first one was real and the other was not, but both dealt with homeland terrorists.

Neither are anything I would see again.

But this movie today?

That had everyone there cheering on the good guys?

With everyone laughing at all the silly parts with Dr. Robotnik?

Plus lots of applause as each character entered the story, especially for Stone?

And everyone staying in their seats until the very last credit had rolled so they could see what would be forthcoming in the next adventure?

This was absolutely delightful!

I just may see it again tomorrow!

Meanwhile, I have a new Christmas ornament gracing my tree, right next to Melanie's snowflake and Mama's gingerbread house.

Isn't that smiling yellow face so cheerful?

Right place, right time!

(smile!)

hunting for humans in A*List silver screen

That truly did seem to be the theme in this week's science fiction trio.

Quite odd selection for this holiday period, but there ya go!

Amazingly, they're even listed in the order, and on the days, of my viewing them.

It's been a while since AMC got my dance card correct.

Such a nice change of pace!

(Yes, pun intended!)

"Y2K" was the most fun, with a lot of laughs as a bunch of stoners find themselves being pursued - and killed - by their electronic gadgets.

Plus, it had a fabulous soundtrack and a mini-concert of Fred Durst singing George Michael's "Faith" - well done!!!

I think it may have been meant as a horror flick, but it was more of a spoof.

I hope it'll still be around net week so I can watch it again.

"Werewolves" had some unintentional funny moments.

Well, for me it did.

That's because it reminded me of the rather tame horror movies that appeared on TV in the early to mid-1970's.

There was a bit of gore, but, like I said, rather tame stuff by today's standards.

I actually enjoyed being reminded of those late night flicks by Robbin Graves!

So far, that's humans chased by killer robots and humans chased by killer werewolves.

"Kraven The Hunter" was a little different, as it was a Marvel movie, featuring folks I'd never heard of: The Rhino, The Chameleon, The Foreigner, Calypso.

I was mostly there to gawk at Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

 

Oh, and to collect 1000 bonus points from AMC.

Plus, to gawk a bit at Russell Crowe and listen to his Russian accent.

Nice!

But the story of a son of a mobster turning into a killer of mobsters just didn't hold me.

It was good to see once... like "Werewolves"... but I'm done with it.

That's how I felt about "Bonhoeffer. Pastor. Spy. Assassin." the previous week.

The difference is that I knew the movie last week was based on a real person and that it was set during World War II, so I knew going in to it that it would be one and done.

I had hoped for more with the Marvel movie.

Speaking of last week, the only other film seen was "Gladiator II" again.

That was done for 1000 bonus points, too, just as "Kraven" today had been.

Here's hoping for new movies soon at AMC.

I've already seen "Wicked, Part 1", "Moana 2", "Red One", and "Gladiator 2" at least twice each, which is why I took a chance on those  two first movies this week.

no magic, just illusion

Well, that was mostly true for this week's A*List collection, even that last one.

That may sound strange considering the identity of the "Screen Unseen", but it's still true.

Given that "Gladiator II" started this week anyway, drawing in a crowd for a special screening of an 'unknown' movie seemed a bit of a ruse.

At least it was only $6 for anyone without an A*List to take the dance.

Those other two movies were actually viewed for free by me.

I saw "Anora" on Tuesday, and watched "Wicked" Wednesday (i.e. tonight).

Somehow, my A*List was not working on those two days!

So, Alicia gave me the free pass on Tuesday, and Jackson did tonight.

I suspect the issue is this: they were entering me in as a "Senior", as they should.

However, AMC currently has my order status listed as "Adult", having inexplicable changed it from the correct "Senior" earlier this year.

I'll test that theory the next time I buy a ticket at the cinema.

I had not problem placing orders online for those two movies a few minutes ago, as is evident in the photo above of my trio.

How to know those are scheduled for tomorrow?

No check marks to denote they have been viewed.

Illusion, plain and simple.

So, just why was "Anora" not magical, just illusion?

That was the name of the dancer-escort at Club HQ who fancied herself as having won the romance lottery when she married a wealthy Russian's RPG-addicted son.

Ah, but she was no "Pretty Woman", and he was no Richard Gere-type businessman.

Lots of sex, lots of money flashed around... but all illusion, not real.

It certainly was not the "romantic comedy drama" it was billed as.

 

Then there's "Wicked: Part 1", seen at its "Early Access Fan Event".

So many fans turned out that they had to move it into the Big-D screening room!

The cinema also ran out of the LEGO kits, so I missed out on that.

Still, I'd watched "Defying Gravity" on CBS last night, so I was totally pumped for the movie!

Based on the 2003 Broadway musical, I was very excited to hear Cynthia Erivo sing!

Such a voice she has!

However, the beginning of the movie was dark, starting with 'Dorothy' having already accidentally killed the Wicked Witch of the West with water and 'Glinda' bringing the official word to Munchkin Town.

Very dark scene.

It just felt wrong to me, longtime fan of "The Wizard Of Oz" that I am.

I'll be sure to tell my first niece about that off-step.

I'll also tell her that this is -NOT- appropriate for her girls or the twins.

They already seem to believe that mean-spirited is okay as long as one is seen as pretty on the outside... which describes 'Galinda' throughout much of the movie.

Yikes.

Plus, the character is blonde, which certainly wouldn't help the four great-nieces to dissociate their identities from hers.

That said, the movie musical was very good, having several touch points from the 1939 movie classic for those of us who know that by heart.

I loved every scene with 'Elphaba', and I loved the Prince, too.

And Jeff Goldblum... he was magnificent as the magician who knew only illusions.

In fact, of everyone who inhabited Oz, 'Elphaba' was the only true magician, as it turned out.

Say what?

It's true.

But see for yourself.

Again, I very much enjoyed the movie, though it certainly cast a different light on some of the key characters.

Nonetheless, I plan to see it again.

In fact, as I already have reservations for it and the Russian movie tomorrow, I'm planning to stay for at least part of the 2 PM "Wicked"...

but I will certainly not see the other one again.

 

This WSAV weather song is no illusion, though.

Just a pure and simple indicator that Savannah is transitioning from fall to winter.

Just look at that nasty little dip... ack.

Down, down, down into the low forties for the next three mornings.

I am so blessed to be retired and not expected to be out in that cold!

Plus, according to the Farmers Almanac, the weather on November 21 sets the tone for the coming winter.

Does that mean the temperatures will be able to struggle up from those lows at dawn to reach the mid-60's for mid-afternoon?

I just may be okay with that.

We'll see how it goes.

(smile!)

two holiday dances in my trio!

Just one word of warning before I reveal my dance card: the order is wrong.

Yes, again.

I honestly do not know why AMC has listed them this way, but, there it is.

 

The one at the end was the first one viewed, not the third.

You'll notice that it's listed as if it were part of a double header today, too.

That's also wrong.

I watched "Weekend In Taipei" on Tuesday at 2:05 PM, before seeing "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at 5:15 PM that same day.

So, I did have a double header... just not the one AMC says.

Both had a lot of action, though that was all they had in common.

I enjoyed "Weekend In Taipei", but I had hoped to maybe see something that I might remember from my USO tour there in 1981.

Besides the colorful restaurant and store signs that spoke of that Asian environment, one sight was instantly recognized: a shrine.

 

I had a souvenir photo of me, taken in front of that very place, enclosed in a thin encircling frame of etched black marble.

Wow.

That denim skirt had been one of my favorite items of clothing.

The photo has yellowed in the forty-plus years since it was taken, and I don't recall the name of the shrine, but this image is crystal-clear in my mind.

The movie itself, about an American narc and a Taiwanese driver of drug cars, was pretty engaging, even if it did err on whether it had been 13 years or 15 years since they were once lovers and he was once living there undercover.

Oh, well!

I wouldn't have noticed but they kept bringing the time line up in dialogue.

As for the holiday movie, I watched it with another couple in the screening room.

They were from Missouri - same as my sis-in-law Laura! - and their daughter had seen the play in Rincon the same year I had!!!

How about that!

Right place, right time.

Very nice!

I had company at the movie today, too.

That would be the movie in the middle of my A*List, "Red One".

 

I specifically chose this date so I'd be in the running for that trip to Aruba!

Sandy watched the Big-D screening with me, which was a nice change of pace.

The movie, with J.K. Simmons as a possibly-extraterrestrial entity known as Santa Claus, was absolutely fabulous and had a story with all kinds of twists!!!

If not for other movies next week that I really want to see - including a Screen Unseen on Monday!!! - I'd be using all three dances for this one!

Perhaps I'll do this one as a trio the following week... we'll see!

2 indians and 1 bard

"Maybe you should sing it?" 

Sure, I can try that! Let's use the music from "12 Days Of Christmas", shall we?

"Fine by me. You're the busy, vibrant, woman, after all."

You got that straight! Okay, here we go...

On the first two days of this week my true love gave to me

two A*List movies in Hindi

and a playwright on a high school stage!

"Hahahaha! That was glorious!"

Thanks! That was actually fairly decent, for off the cuff. Fun to do, too.

"I know it was! Now, talk to me about the piece at the school first!"

I'd love to! Remember the kid at AMC, Henry Dickerson, who also ran lights at Tybee Post? Well, he'd told me that his school, Savannah Country Day, was doing a Shakespeare performance in the fall. So, tonight was the night! Like the play last week, this group of thespians are also destined for the state one-act competition. The difference is, this troupe chose a comedy! "Shakespeare In Love" is getting two runs, tonight and tomorrow. And guess what? Silly me had forgotten to tell Elvis so he could remind me! I would have missed it had I not been cleaning up the November photo album on my computer! That would have been very sad, because I totally enjoyed myself tonight!!!

"Very cool! Looks like you even had a front row seat. I know you like those!"

Not front, but second, with no one in front of me. Yes, 'twas grand!!! That photo was taken as the cast of 22 were taking their bows after their "David Poole" - James Venhaus - called them all forth. They'll have to tighten up on their time, as this ran about 5 minutes too long for the competition rules, but they can certainly do that. Remember the 1998 movie version of this story? That was just over 2 hours in length. This 2014 play was written based on that movie, but was performed in 50 minutes. No idle moments here! The time just flew by!!!

"Wow!!! And you say they'll go at it again tonight? You could see it twice!"

I could, but I will not be doing that. I have the cardiac ablation Thursday at 1 PM, so I am taking things slower, with only the WNS on my schedule tomorrow.

"Oh, yes, I forgot about that date with Dr. Cobb. That's very important, and it's very important that you be chill for Thursday morning. Okay, how about that AMC A*List? You have some Bollywood or Tollywood as your dances?"

Lol! No Tollywood, as those are in Tamil, not Hindi. Actually, neither of these had the huge musical numbers of a Bollywood, though they did have some good party scenes and one had several romantic interludes. "Singham Again" was action, comedy, and romance, with a bit of the Indian myth of Lord Ram and Mother Sita woven in for texture. The best part was seeing so many actors that I already know and love: 55-year-old Ajay Devgn and 44-yo Kareena Kapoor Khan as Bajirao Singham and his wife, Avni, with the myth being mirrored in their romance; 34-yo Tiger Schroff and his father, 67-yo Jackie Schroff, as a keen fan and a mortal enemy, respectively, of Police Commissioner Singham; 39-yo Arjun Kapoor (real-life cousin of Kareena) as the evil enemy's son, determined to destroy all things Singham; 57-yo Akshay Kumar and 39-yo Ranveer Singh, Singham's best buddies; and 38-yo Deepika Padukone, one of the fiercest officers and known as 'Lady Singham' by all... but real-life wife of Ranveer Singh. Pretty cool that so much is all in the family, right?

"Oh, my!!! So many familiar faces in that group!"

Right? My favorite was Ranveer, though. For this role, he sported a thin, twirly-end, mustache and was absolutely enchanting! His role was definitely played as the the comic relief, to break the tension of the non-stop, kick-butt, action. Very, very cool! Just as a side note, guess when his birthday is?

"The 6th of July, just like your middle little brother's..."

The 6th of July, just like Ronnie's! I really like that little tidbit! (smile!)

"Yes, very nice. And what about the second Indian movie?"

Believe it or not, it was a ghost story!!! "Bhool Bhuliyaa 3" was most definitely timed for a Halloween release. Like the two preceding movies in this series, the story revolved around a malevolent spirit, Manjulika, who was haunting the palace and keeping out the royal family. Enter 34-yo Kartik Aaryan as 'Rooh Baba', passing himself off as a ghostbuster, kinda sorta. He gets busted as a fraud and tricked into going to the palace to handle their ghost problem so the royals can move out of the cattle shed and back home. Very funny movie!!! Much more romance in this one, too, with six musical numbers, too! My favorite has to be "Hukkush Phukkush", with its 'hocus pocus' pun in its title and lyrics. Nice inside joke, y'all!

"What a rare treat for AMC to have those two movies! And for you to be able to use your A*List reservations to watch for free!!!"

Right? Carolyn had been quite surprised at that. She was with me for that double header on Monday, with us popping out to Olive Garden for dinner in between them.

"So, what shall you see for the third movie?"

Actually, it's the first movie that's missing: "Here".

"What was its title?"

"Here", the new one with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright and a crazy amount of technical help. They get to age from teens that end up pregnant to senior citizens with age-related issues. Still, they are not the focus of the movie. The piece of land the house sits on is the core. The couple and their progeny, as well as the residents before and after them, just serve to mark the passage of time, as does the music. I got to hear "Monster Mash" and even "A Brand New Key" as the movie progressed, reminding me of very recent fun times! That may have been my favorite parts of the movie. Oh, plus the whole bit with the invention of the "Relaxy Boy" recliner was delightful!!!

"Wasn't there something about your great-great-great-whatever-grand uncle?"

You mean Benjamin Franklin? Why, yes, there were a couple of mentions of him. Apparently, his bastard son, William, owned the land for a while, and we have several scenes with him kvetching about the father. 

"That's odd."

Well, the whole movie was odd, bouncing around disjointedly in time, just as "We Live In Time" had done. I endured it better this time, though, partly because of the great soundtrack, partly due to the historical elements thrown in. Would I watch it again? Not if I have to pay for it. Maybe someone will string together those bits with the La-Z-Boy inventor. I would definitely watch that part!

"Well, why isn't it listed in your trio?"

I have no idea. AMC has become a bit haphazard with their bookkeeping. That's okay. I know which movies, and when, and that's really all that matters. (smile!)

a trio and a deuce

Yeppers, my A*List dance card was a little shy of a trio for this week.

I could have seen a third movie today... but, I just didn't.

Tuesday saw me with a double header, and that was all I got.

"Conclave" was quite interesting, and rather timely, with America already neck-deep in the election process for a new POTUS.

"Conclave" centered on the election of a new Pope, after one dies unexpectedly.

Very nice to see Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rosselini again!

Here's the thing, though: it's billed as a mystery thriller, but there is far too little action to warrant that genre.

The beautifully filmed piece is actually a psychological character study, with the end result being this: the cardinals who would be Pope are just people, too, like the rest of us.

I wonder who else in that screening room walked out with that conclusion?

And what about the second half of that game card?

What a hot mess "We Live In Time" was.

Disjointed, trying to tell the story about a couple and their relationship by bouncing in and out of the present moment - yikes.

The highlight was the birth of their baby in a Texaco gas station bathroom after a jammed up highway prevents progress to a hospital.

Seriously, that was the highlight for me, the woman who had the tubal ligation for bday24.

It's almost worth seeing the movie for that one extended, cohesive, scene.

 

Last week's dance card was filled, even though AMC put the trio in the wrong order.

That one in the middle of the A*List?

That was the new Michael Keaton film, "Goodrich", about a 60-year-old man who chose his work over his family, not once, but twice.

Note to the casting department: a man in his mid-70's cannot pass for 60 anymore than Demi Moore, a woman in her 60's, can pass for a 50-year-old.

Stop trying to cheat Father Time and science.

Kudos to Mila Kunis, by the way, as she was fabulous as the adult daughter from his first family, now tasked with babysitting the two children from his second family.

I can understand why Carolyn really liked that movie and I'm glad she saw it with me.

That was on Monday, the 21st.

I didn't see "Saturday Night" again until the next day, for Tina Tuesday.

I don't know why it's in that first slot.

I had wanted to see if it was done in "live time" for all the behind the scenes, and my conclusion is: yes, it was!

Don't be dissuaded by the posted run-time of 109 minutes.

That time includes the length of credits post-film, as well as the length of the very first sketch - between Michael O'Donoghue and John Belushi - of that first show.

That means the 90-minute pre-show clock is right on time!

Quite impressive!

Also impressive was "Venom: The Last Dance", seen last Thursday.

Tom Hardy not only starred in this one, but also co-wrote the script and co-produced it.

Get this: he's 47 years old and was knighted in 2018!

I guess that means I should call this Englishman "Sir", shouldn't I?

By the way, 2018 was the year he and "Venom" became buddies.

Nice!

I do hope to see this Marvel movie again!

rising tide lifts all boats

I feel like I've done so much today... and it's only early afternoon!

It all started with Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart on a show I rarely watch.

I'd only tuned in because the two friends were listed as guests and the hour-long show was in its downhill side, meaning less chance of the hosts babbling about nonsense.

Perfect timing!

I even got to watch the banter between Snoop and Martha while they made punch!

Truly was quite entertaining!

Then I bounced off to catch Pharrell Williams' new movie... and Snoop was in it!

"Piece By Piece" was a novel documentary, done with Legos instead of a usual human cast, but it occurred to me that those little bricks were absolutely perfect for portraying the man at the center of the story.

After all, "Lego" means "play well" in English, and his story was full of him playing well with others, providing the music for artists in different genres.

My favorite story, though, was him deriving his inspiration for "Happy" from something as simple as watching his toddler at play in the bathtub - how cool is that?

Afterward, the other viewer and I chatted about our eclectic movie tastes.

That's when I told her what I liked most about this animated documentary was that it showed Pharrell as a "rising tide [that] lifts all boats".

She was unfamiliar with the quote from John F. Kennedy, so we talked a bit more. 

Nice to know the 51-year-old Pharrell has such a great philosophy!

Then I realized that the other two movies in this A*List share that outlook.

In "The Nightmare Before Christmas", Jack Skellington's life revolves around the year-long process of making Halloween the best it can be for his town's inhabitants, doing whatever is needed to keep all feeling fulfilled and happy.

Then there's "Saturday Night", a documentary about Lorne Michaels trying to put on a new television show that would share with the world the joy of a night out in New York City, where you never knew what, or who, you might find in a little club as you wander about.

What a job he had herding all those actors for that very first episode!

Kudos to the casting director, John Papsidera, for getting the look, and mannerisms, right for all those well-known actors I had so enjoyed!

Nice to realize I had a theme, after all, for this dance card!

butterflies, tacos, and a flashback

I took out some trash and recycling and caught movement out of the corner of my eye!

The butterflies and moths were supping on lantana nectar!

My bushes aren't nearly as lush as they have been in the past, but plenty of  insects thought they were still lovely!

My heart was filled with gratitude to be able to provide this oasis to the wandering travelers!

Soon enough, it was time to go see family at Jalapenos of Sandfly!

The Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta had arrived, and all the usual suspects were there!

I ordered three crunchy beef tacos again, and I'm glad I did.

Not for my, but for brother Tony!

He was glad to have one, with its flashback to dinners of our youth!

But be not confused - that's not the flashback referred to in the post title.

I'm getting to that, truly I am.

After dinner, I'd taken my busy, vibrant woman self over to Jenkins Hall on Armstrong, looking forward to a night of free improv with "The Last laugh".

Sadly, that must have been cancelled.

So I bopped over to AMC with my A*List in hand, hoping to get lucky.

Fortunately, the new movie, "Saturday Night", was in previews - 

right place, right time!

That movie was absolutely perfect for me tonight!

I was only 15 years old on October 11, 1973, when the show first aired.

What a flashback to that very night, tonight, exactly 51 years later.

Right place, right time, for a movie I'd not been that excited about... and that just may net me a trip to New York City!

The movie, almost a documentary, absolutely nailed the frenetic pacing of everyone involved behind the scenes of any show - whether a musical, a play, or a TV broadcast - in the last hour or so before the show goes live.

The casting director is to be commended, too, for perfectly assigning roles to actors that captured the look, sound, and mannerisms of the actual people in that first episode of the "Saturday Night" show.

How wonderful to see again faces long gone: Gilda Radnor, John Belushi, George Carlin, Jim Henson, Andy Kaufman, Michael O'Donoghue, and Billy Preston.

Bravo!

I was in search of laughs... and this movie certainly delivered!

Maybe I'll even give the television show, "SNL", another shot tomorrow night.

I've been out of the habit of watching it for years.

(smile!)

2 hours, 18 minutes

"What's up with that funky title?"

That's the thing that all my A*List movies had in common. Each member of this week's trio had that same running time.

"That seems rather odd. No, wait a minute! Two of those movies were the same!"

That's correct! I watched "Joker: Folie a Deux" twice. I very nearly watched it two days in a row, back to back, but I took a day off to watch "Joker", as I haven't seen it since it came out in 2019. That's five years ago between that first one with Joaquin Phoenix and this second one. So, I'm glad I did took the time to watch it again! Comcast gave it to me as a reward this week, so I took that coincidence as a sign for me to do a bit of research. 

"Sounds like an interesting venture..."

Yes, it was. I had forgotten about this line 'Arthur Fleck' wrote in his journal. "The worst part about having a mental illness is... people expect you to behave as if you DON'T." That's the key to both of the movies. Well, that and the falsehood his mom told him so he wouldn't kill himself when he was younger.

"Yeah, that thing about 'he was born to bring people joy and make them laugh', is that what you mean?"

Absolutely. That's why he got a job as a clown. That's why he made up bad jokes and wrote them in his journal. That's why he wanted to be a stand-up comedian. He had been told for as long as he could remember that his special purpose was to make folks laugh. He just misunderstood. The people were laughing at him, as a person, not at his jokes or antics.

"Oh, that's so horrible and so sad!"

Right? And there was a series of unfortunate events that led him to prison. First, Arthur was getting beat up by young bullies for doing his clown job. Second, Gotham was having a war of the classes, with Tom Wayne - you know, the future Batman's mega-rich father - leading the struggle of the wealthy against the working class. Third, one of Arthur's fellow clowns gave him a gun for protection, even though they both knew their boss didn't allow weapons. So, the stage was set.

"Indeed. He was already taking 7 different medications, but those weren't helping. Than the social program that supplied him with a therapist was discontinued, so he didn't have that outlet anymore. Then he got fired for using the gun as a prop in his comic routine. Yes, life was not working in his favor."

Correct. So, when he was riding the subway home, he witnessed those three well-dressed young men bullying and harassing the young woman. His manic laughter after the woman left brought him to their attention, which led to them beating him up. Plus, they stole part of his costume. Arthur brought out the gun to even the odds... and lost control after pulling the trigger the first time. Perhaps it was shock that kept him shooting at them, shock that drove him to chase down the one that was getting away.

"Yes, that happens with people who are unfamiliar with guns. That's the danger."

Enter the media, reporting on the incident. Tom Wayne made out the three bullies as fine, upstanding, members of society with prestigious college degrees. The news revolved around "a clown" seen fleeing the scene. And, justthatfast, others embraced the clown makeup as a symbol of revolt, much as rebels had gladly donned Guy Fawkes masks. It didn't matter that the three bullies had been killed for being bullies, not because they were well to do. The misunderstanding was now etched into the mindset by the media.

"That's true. But Arthur Fleck believed that the crowds of people donning clown makeup or masks were in support of him for standing up to the bullies. He took that as a sign of him finally being accepted - no, lauded - by others. That gave him the confidence to try out his stand-up comic routine... and that brought him to the attention of a TV snark host, Murray. Then, watching Murray's TV show one night with his mom, Arthur was first thrilled to see that host running footage of him at the club, but them Arthur was appalled to realize the host was making fun of his act. 

"Yikes! That's right. That host was someone his mom adored. What a cringe moment for poor Arthur to have the man making him out to be a fool!"

Indeed. Then, Murray invited Arthur to come onto his TV show. And Arthur did, making sure to rehearse his entrance and rehearse what he was going to say. Had he planned to kill Murray, or did that just happen? Well, here's my take on that: you don't bring along a loaded gun if you're not planning to use it. It's just that simple. Perhaps Arthur didn't know it still had bullets, perhaps he did. In any case, he brought it with him, even practicing how he would pull it out.

"Very true. Then, he put on the clown makeup, too."

Well, he did that because Murray had referred to him as "a joker" when Murray was maligning Arthur's stand-up act. Arthur had believed his 'fans' would enjoy seeing him in that makeup on the TV show, so he'd carefully put it on before his entrance. He had artfully crafted that character specifically for Murray's show. I think Arthur was a little disappointed when he had to remind the snarky host of the origin of that 'joker' character.

"You know, that reminds me of that 'mercial where the woman's antidepressant meds aren't working, so she uses a hand sign with a fake smiling face to mask her sadness."

Exactly. Arthur was a clown because he could literally "put on a happy face" with that greasepaint, even though he was always quite unhappy. Being "a joker" was his bid for acceptance by others and his bid for fame on TV.

"Mental illness is certainly a tough topic."

That it is, and it's dealt with throughout "Joker: Folie a Deux", both his and that of others. For instance, Harley is portrayed as a celebrity groupie who sees the fame surrounding Arthur Fleck as her means to also get into the limelight. Her lack of self-esteem is reflected in the lyrics she sings. "If My Friends Could See Me Now" is her tune as she enters the courtroom where all know she is Arthur's love.  "There's a light, a certain kind of light, that never shone on me", she sings, as part of a duet of "To Love Somebody" on the "Harley & Joker" fantasy show. Then she says "I've Got The World On A String" as she becomes the media darling after convincing Arthur to fire his lawyer and defend himself.

"So this really is a musical?"

Yes, a musical about mental illness. Sometimes it's obvious that the song and dance routines are simply in the mind of the singer, but sometimes it's left for us to decide. For instance, are Harley's songs for real, or do they exist only in Arthur's mind? I know I speak often of my mental jukebox, but I don't mount a dance when a song gets cued up. For Arthur, the fantasy is everything. Everything. he doesn't even get that Harley's a celebrity groupie when she insists on putting the "joker" character makeup on him before they have sex in his cell. He goes along with her fantasy, not realizing she is part of the problem. She thinks "The Joker" is who he really is, not just something he created. In fact, his lawyer didn't get that, either. Her entire defense rested on "The Joker" being a split from his personality, a manifestation of his mental illness. He went along with that since the lawyer was convinced it would get his case a judgement of "not guilty by mental defect". That would mean he and Harley would be able to be together again.

"Wow. So, this was more akin to the darkness in Sweeney Todd than to The Joker as played by Jack Nicholson, right?"

Yeah, you could say that. I know I've very much enjoyed using my AMC A*List to see this musical twice. Who knows? I may see it again next week.

"What about the Coppola film?"

Film my ass. What "Megalopolis" clearly showed is that Francis Ford Coppola, at 95 years old, has lost his touch. There was a good science fiction story buried deep within all that hot mess - like, way down deep - but you had to wade through schlock to put it together. Here's how I knew it was no good: the physicist didn't want to discuss it afterward. He was the one who had been so hot to see it! 

"Yikes. That's pretty brutal if the bfe didn't want to talk about it after making such a fuss for weeks about seeing it."

Yes. Such a waste of a talented cast. Perhaps he should take a lesson from the 66-year-old Viggo Mortensen. His Western, "The Dead Don't Hurt", was incredible... and he even wrote the score and starred in it, not just wrote, directed, and produced as Coppola did. Maybe I can find that movie on Peacock to watch sometime... but, now, I'm going to enjoy the look and sound of "Warm Bodies"! That's still my favorite zombie movie. (smile!)