10 UNDER 10/AFS and UT RTF

We were back at the Alamo South Lamar this evening to see the 10 UT student documentaries selected by Chale Nafus and other jurors for this annual event. 10 docs under 10 minutes each (some a trifle longer).  Abe and I loved them all.  Subject matters with a large range of human appeal:  a young woman from Oklahoma traveling to Pakistan to marry her fiancee; a Virginia Tech student now at UT talking about the 2007 shooting rampage and his opposition to handguns on campus; a film about stutterers;  developmentally challenged young people in a swimming pool; an artistic film about memory; a gay Hispanic couple with an adopted daughter facing immigration difficulties, and more.  The film making students are always so appreciative of people coming out to see their films and just love talking about them.  I love these shorts and the glimpses they provide about issues that are so appealing and important.  They each delivered a real punch.

TWO FOR THE ROAD/Austin Film Society

Moving along in this Essential Cinema Series of remarriages is TWO FOR THE ROAD starring the exquisite Audrey Hepburn and the once adorable Albert Finney.  The wardrobe for Ms. Hepburn and Mr. Finney reminded me how easily star struck I can become.   I would have dismissed this film in 1967 (we were very busy protesting the war in Viet Nam and could have cared less about couture) but I am so happy to revisit it now. This film  is so very realistic about a relationship filled with so much passion early on which then becomes a marriage filled with life's realities.  Sometimes it is painful to see the unhappiness, resentment, frustration, and loss of warmth between the two.  But throughout the film (as Kimberley Jones forewarned us) there is so much laughter between the two, so much fun being had.  The underlying truth about a long term marriage unfolds in this film.  It's a relationship that markedly changes.  Sometimes frighteningly so. What wins out  is the acceptance of those changes because this is the person you truly love and want to be with.  There is something special about the  familiarity of one other person  throughout your adult life and the ultimate acceptance that mistakes have been made with that person.  I loved watching this film with my husband of 29 years.  Very reaffirming.

Jeffrey's

Six months ago I bought a Groupon deal for this classy restaurant.  And this evening after a day of pure domestic stuff (baking, cleaning, cooking) gym and run to Petco and Old Navy with Abe I was in wife heaven.  Sitting down, someone else cooking, no World News on the tube, and being served a fine meal by a lovely waiter and talking to Abe.  And the bill didn't hurt so much because of that long ago bought deal.  Groupon I love you.  But not as much as Abe.

A SOUTH SIDE STORY/AN AMERICAN MISSION

Just received word that the film made by UT student James Pinedo at Mission Espada is complete.  And will now be sent out to festivals and wherever else James chooses.  I am looking forward to seeing the DVD.  Film has been renamed  A SOUTH SIDE STORY.

East Side Liz returned to 4th Street today for bagels and lox, help Mom connect her laptop to our speakers, help with a playlist, pick up clothes and of course get some much needed sleep.  She is so happy in her new home.  What could be better?

Matt The Electrician

A number of months ago I heard a song on KUT by Matt the Electrician about a Wal Mart employee, Angela.  Seems she saved Matt from catastrophe by replacing a dead battery in his car which allowed him to get to a gig in Dallas.  The song was  clever, heartfelt, well written and sung with a beautiful voice.  Tonight we headed up to the Cactus Cafe where Matt performed with his band.  And played the Wal Mart song! A great performance delivered by a funny, very personable musician who has a really warm style.  The house was full, the audience really appreciative and clearly filled with his fans.   For me the best part was Abe really enjoying this night of music.  Thank-you Matt The Electrician.

HUGO 3D

Scorsese has created a beautiful film that is magical, visually stunning and if you can suspend disbelief for the length of the film I promise an enchanting experience.  Anyone who loves films and film making will cherish this experience.  A boy lives in a clock in a clock tower in a railroad station.  He fixes broken things, he steals things from a toy shop to fix an automaton who draws, he remembers seeing movies with his dad who has died, he befriends a girl whose godfather has a mysterious past with film making.

On a personal note, the young star of this film looks remarkably like Jason Murphy, Liz's friend.   And when we left the theater two people came up to Abe to tell him he looked just like Ben Kingsley in this film.  He did!  And a couple who sat by us then told us they thought we could have both been put  in the film (that's because the wife has curly hair).  Let's hear it for Texas friendliness.   A nice way to leave a theater.

PAUL GOODMAN CHANGED MY LIFE/AFS & Monkey Wrench

Tonight we ventured up to MONKEY WRENCH, a  radical bookstore we'd heard about back in Brooklyn.  Known for it's collection of anarchist, left wing and  radical literature.  A perfect setting to see this documentary about Paul Goodman, a philosopher, poet, gestalt therapist, father, husband, bisexual lover of many people, and OH SO NY and Jewish. A black and white beautifully photographed film which presented this brilliant man in a kind and non-judgmental light.  The people who spoke of him clearly held him in high esteem, and in some cases loved him.  One man, a gay Texan who never met him, recited his poetry emotively with great reverence crediting Mr. Goodman with his acceptance of himself, his place in the world, and his ability to move to NYC.  Abe loved seeing  NYC with it's handball players, CCNY (his alma mater) and Columbia (his alma mater).  I loved the accents, the culture and listening to a man who made so much sense about the world.  Abe and I were so fortunate to be with Reed and Chale watching this film.   And Abe bought a philosophy book to support MONKEY WRENCH.  A fine night!