The Gift of the Magi (09 Update): This year my wonderful husband Rich gave me unlimited post-surgical nursing services, & I gave him his own personal eAddress plus his very own Facebook page. Welcome to CyberSpace, Honey J
Photo taken 12/25/09 @ KAM Isaiah Israel’s first (annual?) “Chop Suey & a Movie’—Chinese Food, that’s how the Khaverim traditionally spend Christmas Day.
I was asked for a recommendation, so I provided DVD copies of SIXTY SIX which everyone seemed to enjoy. Huge thanks to the folks @ First Independent Pictures for replying so quickly for our request for screening permission. (Remember, folks: when you show DVDs from Netflix in a public setting, you’re violating copyright!!!) Happy Holidays!
Photo Credit:
Nancy Fritz’s lovely daughter (visiting from Berkeley)
26.Dec.09 
Events: Metro Chicago Only, Events: Khaverot v' Khaverim 
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Click HERE to see complete ballot with JLH picks.
THE HURT LOCKER sweeps Chgo Film Critics Assoc awards, winning all 5 categories it was nominated in: Best Picture, Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow), Best Original Screenplay (Mark Boal), Best Actor (Jeremy Renner) and Best Cinematography (Barry Ackroyd)—Hooray!!!
Personal note with huge thanks to all who’ve inquired: Surgery went great & as you can see, my right hand is able to do some limited online work while my left hand recovers. And that’s a strictly medical description with absolutely NO political implications whatsoever J
21.Dec.09 Rants: Oscars & Other Awards Read more Comments (0)
Juggernaut: MSN just named THE HURT LOCKER “Top Movie of 2009,” joining the juggernaut of praise for this spectacular film!!! This is the mainstream speaking, folks, so now there can be no doubt: Kathryn Bigelow is the cinematic champion of the year. You Go, Girl!!!
Note that in a few hours I’ll be at the hospital having surgery on my hand. Nothing serious; mostly preventative. Back online in a week or two & ready to rock & roll well before Oscar Night J
17.Dec.09 Rants: Oscars & Other Awards Read more Comments (0)
Way back in July, when I declared “Game On!” on FF2, I told you all that my “horse” in this year’s Oscar Race would be Kathryn Bigelow. Here it is, December, & the Golden Globe nominations for 2010 were announced this AM: KB is one of five Best Director finalists & her film THE HURT LOCKER is one of five finalists for Best Motion Picture-Drama. Is this “just because she’s a woman?” No!!! Does being a woman help? Yes!!! For two reasons:
First, THE HURT LOCKER is a terrific film that scores way above KB’s co-nominees on ROTTEN TOMATOES, & the fact that it’s a great “war movie” made by a woman has given it extra attention from many women who might not have gone to see it otherwise.
Second, I believe that men of conscience everywhere were humiliated by “my SLUMDOG Brouhaha” last year. Regardless of whether they agreed with me or not about Loveleen Tandan’s contributions to SLUMDOG, I think they hadn’t really paid attention to the statistics before, & seeing the statistics made many men queasy. If we had, in fact, transcended our prejudices, then why were the statistics still so awful?!?
Why do I believe this? I believe this because most of the people who contacted me last year with messages of support & encouragement were men!!! And most of the negative feedback I received last year came from women!!!
So KB: You Go, Girl. I’m here cheering for you all the way J
15.Dec.09 Rants: Oscars & Other Awards Read more Comments (0)
Candidates/Winners/HuttnerPicks
Fabulous Prairie Miller choreographed a virtual award ceremony on WBAI (NYC’s famous Pacifica radio station) last week for members of the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC). I dialed in from Chicago & added my voice to the discussion. The options were a bit off from my POV (which I believe was a result of the fact that many screeners went out very late this year, if at all), but I did my best to play by the rules, voting for my Top Pick from among options offered in each category, & adding my own two cents whenever I thought I had something relevant to say. A complete list of options is available in my pdf (with winners marked in red & my votes marked in pink).
I unwittingly sparked controversy (what, Jan, again?!?), by including UP IN THE AIR in the “Hall of Shame.” Some members got upset & even suggested a retraction. Well, first of all, I thought I was playing by the rules (make a suggestion & say why), so I’m not inclined to retract. Furthermore, I sincerely believe this is a mediocre film that treats its female characters very badly. I’m particularly incensed about the “Alex” character played by Vera Farmiga, but I don’t think any of the female characters fare much better. As for the snippets of “real people” talking about their actual layoffs, I think there’s more heart in the first 30 minutes of KIT KITTREDGE & way better analysis in AMERICA CASINO. Ironic that I should thereby find myself in the company of Jim Jones, who had this to say in last week’s issue of the Chicago Reader: “…UP IN THE AIR isn’t really about these people—they’re just the topical garnish for a modern Cary Grant movie.”
Whoa! I’m disagreeing with members of the Women Film Critics Circle, but agreeing with Jim Jones?!? Well, my friends, that’s what makes the world turn J
14.Dec.09 Rants: Oscars & Other Awards Read more Comments (0)
To all who sent birthday greetings yesterday by eMail or Snail Mail or Facebook &/or Phone! And special thanks to those of you who went the extra mile by making contributions to WITASWAN!!!
I got RB up ~ 6:30 AM to watch Obama in Oslo & then dashed, dashed, dashed until almost 11 PM, packing in a wonderful lunch @ American Girl Place with wonderful friends (also joined, of course, by ”Rebecca Rubin“) plus a performance of the new Addams Family musical (on it’s way to Broadway soon).
As you can see from photo, everywhere I went, my Mom went too. Did she know when she gave birth to me on 12/10/51 that it was “Nobel Prize Day” & “International Human Rights Day,” & one day in the future, also “Jane Addams Day” in Illinois? Maybe, maybe not, but I’m guessing she knew way before I did that someday all these “coincidences” would add up to a personal agenda.
Way to go, Helene!
11.Dec.09 Events: Jane Addams Day, Events: WITASWAN & SWAN Day Read more Comments (0)
Click HERE to read my presentation: History of Jane Addams Day.
I just finished listening to President Obama’s Nobel Address on CNN & in my opinion it’s the best speech he’s ever given. Somewhere in Nobel Heaven, Jane Addams is looking down on her homeboy with great pride right now. No, he did not mention her by name (lucky for me because, if he had, my heart might have stopped beating), but from the years of research I have done on her life & work, I sincerely doubt Jane Addams would have disagreed with much in his message (especially the part where he said: “true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want”).
So, wherever you are when you read this post, please join me in celebrating Jane Addams Day today & everyday! To President Obama: Bravo!! And to Chicago, my adopted home: You’re not just “the second city,” you are the breeding ground of giants!!!
PS: The invitation to speak at the College of Complexes came from Program Coordinator Charles Paidock who met me under the IWPA canopy at this year’s Printers Row Book Fair J
10.Dec.09 Events: Jane Addams Day Read more Comments (2)
In May ’03, when I first started my career as a professional film critic, I coined the term “Play-Doh Part.” What is a Play-Doh Part? A Play-Doh Part is a woman’s role with only 2 functions: she’s in the film so the male lead can tell his sad story to someone sympathetic, & she’s there so the male lead can relieve his sexual tension. Otherwise, you know almost nothing about her. She has absolutely no back story, & she has no future of her own beyond whatever role she might play in the hero’s future. Over the years, I’ve pointed out numerous examples, but few are as egregious as the role of “Alex” in the new film UP IN THE AIR. “Just think of me as yourself, only with a vagina.” Oh, puh-leez! Now I really have heard it all!
Who is this woman supposed to be?!? She’s just a gorgeous, available babe with the magical ability to pull not one but two sexy black dresses from her rollaway with no prior notice! Oh, puh-leez! “We never discover what Alex does…” says Anthony Lane in his 12/7/09 NEW YORKER review, but he’s too busy fawning over her to care. And this is the film that now tops the National Board of Review’s Best of 09 list… Grrrrr!!!
05.Dec.09 Raving/Ranting about Male Filmmakers, Rants: Oscars & Other Awards, Raving/Ranting about Critics/Journalists Read more Comments (2)
