One Hidden Rogue Figures in La La Land

A few years ago, I reviewed the movies The Help, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I liked the Planet of the Apes movie more. It turned out that my opinion was not the popular one. So, with that in mind, it's time to don my critic hat and review 3 more movies. Rogue One, La La Land, and Hidden Figures.

Rogue One

I slept through most of it. I woke up near the end, Cassian is holding Jyn in his arms on the beach and I think oh good, they're togeth--OH MY GOD! (spoiler)* I enjoyed the Snarky Android. It was basically a war movie. And it’s number one at the box office, so obviously I'm not it's target audience.

La La Land

Now, this movie...I'm definitely the audience they want to target. A musical with jazz and appealing actors? Yes please! Did they deliver? Yes Indeedee! Did I LOVE it? Uhhhhhh….no**, but I’m still thinking about the movie and I really like movies that make me think.   

I don’t need to go into detail regarding the main actors excellent work; I’m sure the professional reviewers (note: I did not read the reviews) can describe their work with the eloquence that I lack.

I am fairly sure (and most appreciative) that the actor actually played the music (or at least most of it); because when they showed a close up of the piano, the notes I saw being being played were the same notes I heard.***.  Yes, it was charming...but I don't have a song in my head like I do with most musica – oh wait – 🎵City of Stars🎵 ….but that’s all I can remember.  Maybe I’m not suppose to remember it, being Jazz and improv and all.  

Moving right along, I HATED the ending.  They should have  - nope. Changed my  mind. The ending was not a musical ending, but it was definitely a more realistic ending.  

Oh! I know! I do think it was too long. I thought that the numbers could be shorter.

Fine. Clearly this is a living review, and I will add more as I think of it. In fact, add your thoughts to the comments and I'll put them here.  

 

Hidden Figures

Based on a true story; I loved this movie. It wasn't as gut wrenching as The Help, but they made it clear what the three protagonist women were up against in circa-1961-still-segragated Virginia. The suspense was the best though. For example, I was already spoiled for John Glenn’s orbit around the earth;**** and yet during that scene, I was on pins and needles! This movie took me on a "All feelings" ride, I participated fully (laughed, cried). I highly recommend this movie!

 *Everybody dies

**It won the most Golden Globes awards!  What is wrong with me?!  

**Mozart in Love shows the orchestra faking BADLY  it and it bugs me. 

***He did it! Check your history books!

Chocolent

Lent Time!  Time to fixate on chocolate, since, once again, I can't have any.

The other day (The Time Before Lent), the boss very kindly brought in a plastic container of Hershey's candy and said, "I found these in the back of the pantry. I thought you all might like them." I and the other addicts thanked him profusely.  Imagine our dismay when the candy looked like distressed wood. (there was a pic, but it's gone now)

Sigh....You know how I pretend to be classy and say I really only like dark chocolate?  And how I poo poo the milk chocolate and announce, with a righteous air, that I'm not going to waste the calories on the pedestrian chocolate by the checkout counter?  Confession time: I do like dark chocolate the best, but truthfully,  I will eat any chocolate.  Snickers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Almond Joys, chocolate filled with liquor, even calcium injected chocolate tastes good to me!

There was no chocolate I wouldn't eat.

Until the other day.

Shocked at the fact that chocolate could look utterly unappetizing, I asked how long the chocolate had been in the back of the pantry.  His answer: "I don't know... 5 years?  Maybe more?"
  
FIVE YEARS!   Chocolate was around for FIVE YEARS? I wonder if he and his family are ascetic.  I can't be around chocolate for 5 minutes without devouring it.  

Vive la différence, obviously, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of forgotten chocolate.

39 more days.

Name (Thud!) Dropping

I have recently discovered that a married couple I know had a past life writing and producing plays, movies, and television shows. I am impressed by this fact; and I would love to impress you all with my impressiveness because I know these people. Unfortunately, my name dropping skills are unimpressive, and If I attempted to drop their names, you would be less than impressed with me.

I don’t know anyone who is good at name dropping. It’s hard to drop famous names without sounding boastful and awkward -- plus the timing is very difficult and half the time people have never heard of the person whose name is being dropped.  For example, a woman who was a regular in a 1980's sitcom was snippy to me in 1998. I think it's a pretty good story (she turned out to be nice), but I have always had to force the story because the name dropping opportunity never arises, and it turns out the incident is more exciting in my head (see timing, awkwardness).   Know a celebrity's relative? Is it possible to say what you want about this person without telling me their relationship to the famous person?   I am only told about a person because of the relationship to the celebrity; not because they are interesting in their own right. Or worse off, they may be very interesting in their own right, but the only reason that I am hearing about them is because of their famous relationship.

I know what you all are thinking: Darn you, DeeDee!!!  Now I'll never be able to tell anyone my awesome celebrity story(ies)! Fear not dearies, for there is a simple solution: Start treating everyone you know like a celebrity!  

Here's how: Whenever referring to other people in a conversation, use their first and last names. If you don't know their name, invent one. This will cause your listener to think that you are talking about an important person, and thus, will listen to you more closely.  Then, when you want to drop the name of your favorite celebrity encounter, there will be no boastfulness or awkwardness because everyone you speak of comes across like a celebrity!  Any time will be a good time to drop that name!

Honestly though, if you treat everyone with the same level of respect as a celebrity, you could open new doors of connections. The worst thing you could is brighten someone's day.