BREAKING BAD

While finishing up the shoot Saturday for Lost In Austin I heard some of the crew discussing this series and how much they like it.  Of course my own kids  have told me how good it is as well.  So I finally broke down, needed a break from memorizing lines, and got the first 3 CDs from Vulcan.  A slow beginning for me (pretty typical) but it's caught my interest and is good.  Doesn't have me riveted like The Wire or Downton Abbey but I'm interested.  Abe loves it!  Good to have a series about a meth cooker with lung cancer on the horizon for future viewing.   Who thinks up these things????

AMOUR: A film by Michael Haneke

I anticipated seeing this acclaimed and highly regarded film with great expectations.  A film about old age and dying, acted by experienced and talented actors in their 80's, with no humor or comic relief.  At all.  This film can only be described as exquisite character driven cinema.  With flawless heartfelt honest portrayals of what happens between two people who have shared a life and face their increasingly  diminished faculties together. A stroke, a caretaker who is aged himself, further incapacitation, and the humiliation of dependency.  Neighbors who made me long for a world we do not live in; a student who communicates with his eyes his grief about his teacher's incapacitation; and a cruel home care nurse heighten the reality of this deteriorating process.  But I also found great comfort in knowing that my husband of 30 years, sitting by my side would be that person sharing this time with me.  We have begun this process of aging together, Abe and I.  This film did not make me afraid.  I have experienced first hand what happens to people as they age and change and lose their lives as they knew them. This film reminded me of what will occur and how blessed I am to have someone by my side who will offer his life to insure my safety, happiness and comfort for every day he lives.  And that is why this film is extraordinary and I am so grateful to have seen it.

MAMA

Guillermo Del Toro has brought us an exquisite film and  the talented and beautiful Jessica Chastain has delivered as always.  And the two children actors are unbelievably real   in their physical portrayal of two children raised alone after a heart wrenching removal from their life as they have known it. Del Toro does not take the easy way out with cheap shots about kids.  He knows child development and understands that when you're really really young and hooked up to anyone, yeah anyone, you will love them and choose to be with them.  I saw that over and over again with my work with abused kids.  And he has delivered much more than a horror film.  This is a visually exquisite film.  While Abe jumped out of his skin a couple of times I was able to feel empathy for Mama, a victim of life's wrongs.  A beautiful film, I highly recommend.

George Saunders at Book People

We have arrived here in Austin!  Saunders and Sotomayor back to back.  It was a standing only crowd to hear George Saunders last evening at Book People.  Liz, her boyfriend Jared, Abe and I all got a chance to hear this unique and talented short story writer read  from his latest book The Tenth of December.  Jared's brother-in-law has been mentored by Saunders at Syracuse University the last few years so we were prepared to be in the presence of a warm human being.  Last week's piece about him in the NYT confirmed that as well.  Saunders has a bit of the stand-up  in him which delighted the audience.  I am sure the H.S. girls we met who were there on class assignment just loved his choice of a very sexy tale.  Their teacher admitted to being a bit "boggled" but he reminded her that American H.S. students know what "f***k" means.  I can't write that word on FB I've learned so forgive the stars.  They are definitely not me.  I recommend the book, it's been rotating around my family for a while.  Saunders deserves all of the accolades he's been receiving.

Salty Sow

DEEEEEEEELICIOUS!   But first an opening at the Mexican American Cultural Center with Abe and Reed.  Great food, good art and a warm atmosphere.  Life is good.

Studying with Laurel Vouvray

My 3rd class with Laurel Vouvray in the Meisner technique.  A native New Yorker with great  intelligence, emotional wisdom and a master teacher.  A woman who acknowledges and respects my experience as a social worker (she calls it therapist), my roots, my motherhood and my values.  I am so fortunate to have found this woman to teach me in Austin.  There is no turning back now.  No fluff here.  This is the very real thing.

I am delighted (!!!) that I have been cast in an original play (THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK) written by Haley Elizabeth Anderson which will be presented at The COHEN NEW WORKS FESTIVAL in March.  I have the role of Kara, a flawed therapist in this Brooklyn set play.

And today I am filled with gratitude.

SEEDIQ BALE and Chale's Notes

Last night we headed up to Alamo Village where AFS shows their weekly Essential Cinemas now that Alamo S. Lamar is being renovated.  Yeah, plenty of traffic and a 40 minute drive but so well worth it.  A Taiwanese film about the 1930 up-rising of aborigine tribes (Wushe Incident)  facing the heavily armed Japanese to preserve their land, their culture, their honor and  their ancestry.  The director, Wei Te-sheng, read about the incident in a history book and it stuck with him.  The courage of 300 natives facing off against a powerful army for 50 days is a story waiting to be told on screen.  And thankfully this filmmaker told it with the use of aboriginal descendants and the exquisite terrain of Taiwan.  A shout out to Chale Nafus, Program Director who provided us with 5 pages of historical background and filmmaking process.  Why wasn't Chale my H.S. history teacher?  He tells a story about people that I've never known anything about and keeps you awake at the same time!

ZERO DARK THIRTY

Jessica Chastain and Kathryn Bigelow elevate the role of women in cinema to the the highest level imaginable in their work in this film.  This film is purely about the search for Osama Bin Laden by one agent analyst and her persistence to find him and kill him.  The character, Maya, is comfortable using "fuck"  in her communications with all levels of government and makes her intentions known to all who will listen.  She is a beauty who never uses her femininity to get her way.  She uses strength, intelligence, persistent courage and endless, endless hard work.  I loved this character and loved the film.  Kathryn Bigelow is a fabulous story teller and the screenplay by Mark Boal is so authentic.  There is no posturing in this film.  Just a story told about how a group of people went courageously into the night to kill an evil man.  And the woman who would not give up until her task was completed.  Jessica Chastain's acceptance speech this evening at the Golden Globes exemplified the serious, hard working actor she is.  She deserves every accolade coming her way.

DOWNTON ABBEY

GORGEOUS!  Sets, costumes, characters, acting, and class distinction in your face!  Thank-you Chris Humphrey for announcing your addiction....this is a great find!

THE IMPOSSIBLE at the Violet Crown

A true story of a family's survival of the tsunami that hit South East Asia in 2003.  While Abe played tennis and watched football I soloed this.  And I am thankful I did.  This is a heart wrenching frightening film about the unexpected that challenges you like the biblical Job was challenged.  A story about a family's fear of loss and separation.  And the unbelievable physical challenges they face...and the separations!  OMG.  No one around me wasn't crying.  Naomi Watts, Ewan Mc Gregor and the three young child actors deliver performances that are breathtaking in their truth and honesty.  What can I say?  Do you want to sit at the edge of your seat with your heart hurting?  Then by all means see this film.  Meanwhile I will not let Abe see this film if I can help it.  He wouldn't step out of the house!  Shhhh...don't tell him I said that but it's true.

The Hobbitt

What do you do on a cold rainy day in Austin?  Why of course you go see this magnificent fantasy of a film with gorgeous special effects, unbelievable characters, costume and make-up and Sir Ian McKellen as a wizard! That's what you do with your husband of 30 years who was tickled to get a free popcorn as well!

John Ramsey/Cap City Comedy Club

I recently read a piece about John Ramsey, an attorney, speaks Swahili, spent a year in Kenya, and who actually did stand-up in Kenya while working as a lawyer.  He was also voted Austin's funniest comic one year. Saw a 5 minute u-tube clip (his performance in Kenya) and thought he was really talented.  So last night we headed up to Cap City Comedy Club with Liz to catch his show.  The emcee and starting comic were really talented and it set the stage for JR.  He was very very funny and his humor is intelligent.  The food was good bar food and being from NYC this was a really inexpensive evening.  Reviews on Yelp cry about 2 drink/food minimum and my response is "support the arts and their venues." Tickets were extremely reasonable.

LES MISERABLES

SCHMALTZ!  Schmaltz with fabulous music, exquisite voices and acting (sans Russel Crowe) and a testament to the power of self sacrifice to grab audiences and make them cry.  What a huge cinematic endeavor.  Tom Hooper has grabbed us with this extraordinary film with extraordinary talent and beautiful images.  Alas, it's a musical and not my favorite genre.  But on New Years Day at the beautiful Violet Crown where I ran into the young woman who helped me with Josh's move here and hugged me and shared how she thought Abe and I were such good parents made this a very special day.  A beautiful experience.  Abe recommends it.