Friends ask if I’ve seen the movie Lincoln. I haven’t.
It feels like homework.
But on this President’s Day holiday, I will celebrate the greatest president in our nation’s history by going to see Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film.
A big thank you to AMC Theatres for having a $5 movie special in honor of the holiday.
(That might have tipped the scales a bit in the movie’s favor.)
Posted in Academy Awards, Entertainment, History, Holiday, Humor, Life, Movies, Politics, President's Day
Tagged Academy Awards, AMC theatres, Best Picture nominee, entertainment, history, Holiday, Humor, life, Lincoln movie, movie, Oscars, politics, President's Day, Steven Spielberg
Bangs are always in.
Official White House by Lawrence Jackson
But today First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated her 49th birthday by rocking brand new bangs!
My haircut just got so much cooler.
Posted in Beauty, Celebrities, Commentary, Fashion, Humor, Politics
Tagged bangs, beauty, birthday bangs, birthdays, Fashion, first lady, hair, hair today, haircut, hairdo, Humor, in style, Michelle Obama, politics
My German taxi driver shared an interesting theory today.
He has stopped watching TV because there are subliminal messages between the pixels that hypnotize you.
His concerns were based on the work of a Russian scientist (so you know it’s true).
The conversation took me back to my advertising classes in college. Of course, back then we were discussing subliminal imagery — ways to get people to buy without realizing they had been manipulated — so his theory isn’t that far afield.
He also posits that the longer you sit there, the more hypnotized you become and the more open to the message.
I’ll give him the hypnotized part…but could the producers of some of these really dumb reality shows be smart enough to embed messaging that would, say, overturn the government?
(Come to think of it, it would explain the Tea Party….)
People — step away from your flat screens!
Posted in Advertising, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Politics, Technology, Television, transportation, Travel, TV
Tagged advertising, commentary, flat screen TVs, Germany, Humor, hypnotism, life, pixelation, politics, reality shows, Russian scientist, subliminal messages, taxi, taxi driver, tea party, technology, Television, Travel, TV
‘Cause it’s Election Day, baby!
Posted in Commentary, Humor, Politics
Tagged commentary, election, Humor, politics, turnout, vote, voter turnout
You’ve probably read glowing reviews for the movie Argo, the true story of the rescue mission of six American hostages during the Iran Hostage Crisis of the early 80′s. In this case…
Believe it.
Argo is as good — no, better — than any review or word-of-mouth account that I heard.
And I’m not worried about building the movie up in your mind.
It delivers.
Enough has been written about the now declassified CIA mission that we know the outcome. But Ben Affleck’s direction and spot-on period detail build the tension and the suspense so well, I almost forgot.
Ben also does his best acting work to date. In his full-on 70′s beard and Bieber hairstyle, he disappears into the role of CIA agent Tony Mendez — a quiet, powerful performance.
I challenge you not to applaud at the film’s conclusion. Actually, at my viewing, the audience applauded twice. If you stay for the credits, you’ll understand why.
And join in.
Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, History, Life, Movies, Politics
Tagged American hostages, applause, Argo movie, Ben Affleck, celebrities, CIA, CIA agent, CIA mission, classified case, commentary, declassified case, entertainment, Iran Hostage Crisis, life, mission accomplished, movie actor, movie director, movie producer, movie reiews, Movies, politics, rescue mission, Tony Mendez
Today is National Voter Registration Day.
Over 1,100 organizations are coming together in a national call for voter registration, especially in light of recent attempts to restrict voter rights.
There are over 700 events going on around the country today. Nationalvoterregistrationday.com has all the detes.
Already registered? You can still:
And don’t forget to vote in November.
Posted in Commentary, Life, Politics
Tagged absentee voting, commentary, election, life, National Voter Registration Day, politics, state voter laws, voter rights
I am not one to debate politics. It’s wasted breath, in my book. And someone usually gets mad (even if they won’t admit is).
But today I found myself arguing about — of all things — tennis players. And realized it sounded much the same.
My opponent was a Federer man. Me? I’m Djokovic all the way. We had both been to US Open earlier in the week, and our conversation of shared experiences quickly dissolved into a volley of insults.
He finds Nole cocky. I think Roger defines arrogance. While we both agree that Federer is an amazing player, I find him boring to watch; he finds Fed fluid.
I like a player with personality which Djokovic has in spades. My opponent finds some of his schtick funny, but he’s a Federer man. I’m Nole all the way.
Yep. We made a lot of progress, like most political discussions.
Posted in Commentary, Humor, Life, Relationships, Sports
Tagged commentary, debate, Humor, life, Novak Djokovic, politics, Relationships, Roger Federer, Sports, tennis, volley
I laughed and laughed at The Campaign this afternoon…which is really no surprise.
What made me laugh was.
I expected Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis to be funny. Their take on two candidates for a US Senate seat in North Carolina was over-the-top and out-of-control. No issue was off-limits. No person, place or thing (translation: animal) was safe if their misuse provided a potential positive bump in the polls.
But for me, the surprises kept this movie from being your standard comedy. Things the trailer didn’t reveal. Cameos it didn’t spoil (and I won’t either). The promos even used some alternative footage so that the real punch lines weren’t given away before you sat down in the theatre.
What a novel idea.
Probably my biggest ‘aha’ in The Campaign is how much I enjoyed the performance of Dylan McDermott as Galifianakis’ evil campaign manager. I don’t think of him as a comedic actor, but McDermott stole every frame he appeared in.
The ending was also unexpected. And I will surprise you now by not giving it away, except to say –
Watch the credits.
Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Movies, Politics
Tagged campaign manager, commentary, Dylan McDermott, entertainment, Humor, life, movie cameo, movie comedy, movie credits, movie ending, movie footage, movie frame, movie matinee, movie promo, movie theatre, movie trailer, Movies, North Carolina, political candidate, political poll, politics, punch line, senator, surprises, The Campaign movie, US Senate, Will Ferrell, Zach Galifinaikis
Moose and squirrel
Don’t you miss the Cold War?
I didn’t think so either.
Have you seen it?
The Americans is set during the Reagan presidency. Two KGB spies live in Washington D.C., posing as your typical American married couple with two kids. Their neighbors think they’re travel agents. Their kids do, too. But they are really working with a network of spies and informants to further the cause of Mother Russia in the States.
It is so cool.
Only three episodes have aired, and I am totally hooked. My neighbor Margo Martindale — of Justified fame — popped up last night as a KGB officer. I mean, come on! You simply have to watch.
They’ll know if you don’t.
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Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, History, Humor, Life, Politics, Television, TV
Tagged Cold War, commentary, entertainment, FX, FX Network, history, Humor, informants, Justified tv show, KGB, life, Margo Martindale, married couple, moose and squirrel, Mother Russia, politics, Ronald Reagan, spies, spy network, Television, The Americans tv show, travel agents, TV, Washington DC