Movies Movies Movies

17 Wednesday Jun 2015

Tags

"About Elly", "Clouds of Silas Maria", "Gemma Bovery", "Love & Mercy", "Spy", "Testament of Youth", "The Farewell Party", "When Marnie Was There", "Wild Tales", "Woman in Gold", Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Melissa McCarthy, Paul Fieg

Here are mini-reviews of four recent movies we found enjoyable, plus links to some we saw over the past six to nine months that are now available in some theaters.

Spy****

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This one surprised and delighted me.

A mainstream movie, it stars Melissa McCarthy in a ‘take down’ of virtually every spy movie you’ve ever seen, especially the 007 ones. It’s a laugh out loud film about a woman who emerges from the basement of ‘Agency’ headquarters to track down and beat the bad guys.

McCarthy is terrific in her role and somehow walks the line between being funny and absurd. She’s helped by a good supporting cast (Miriam Hart, Jude Law, Rose Byrnem, and Jason Statham) and a script and direction by Paul Ferg that kept me laughing (despite myself).

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Posted by Richard | Filed under Escapes and Pleasures

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Join Me – Nats Tickets in July

16 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Richard in Go Sox

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Dodgers, Giants, July Baseball, MLB Baseball, Nats' Tickets, Strasburg Bobblehead, Washington Nationals

Empty seat

There are three games in July that are available to friends and foes to either join me or to use my tickets for upcoming Nats’ games.

“The Precious Ordinary”

13 Saturday Jun 2015

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

"Benediction", "Eventide", "Our Souls at Night", "Plainsong", Kent Haruf

KENT HARUF - 1943-2014 Kent Haruf – 1943-2014

This post is going to sound a lot like one from a couple of weeks ago — Summer Fiction Update — wherein I thanked a friend and MillersTime reader for introducing me to a writer I didn’t, but should have, known.

Ellen: “At Least We Won’t Have to Worry About an August Slump”

11 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by Richard in Go Sox

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Baltimore Orioles, baseball, Boston Red Sox, Camden Yards, Ellen Miller Photos, Fenway, Os, Sox

Mostly it’s bad news for Red Sox fans, and it doesn’t seem as if it’s going to get too much better. Other than having a few young players who could be future stars — Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, and Eduardo Rodriquez — there’s not much to like about this season.

However, there is one bit of good news: Ellen Miller is getting interested in sports’ photography. At least baseball photography.

We (foolishly) went to a Sox vs Orioles game the other night, with the usual result. But Ellen brought her camera and long lens, and here are a few examples of her first serious baseball pictures.

Grind: Extra Fine (Small Circles & Effect: High Contrast), Brew: Color Gels (1/2 Pic & Full Blended Circles), Serve: Stirred (Flash Burn Tone & Brown Bag Texture)

Summer Fiction Update

09 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Richard in Escapes and Pleasures

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

"Gilead", "Home", "Housekeeping", "Lila", Marilynne Robinson, National Book Award Finalist, Pulitzer Prize

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How is it that even though I read a lot and think I’m attuned to books and writers of value, I did not know of Marilynne Robinson?

The Marilynne Robinson who won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for her novel, Gilead and whose other books have won or been finalists for numerous awards (National Book Awards, etc.).

Thanks to friend and MillersTime reader Robin Rice, I have spent the last two weeks reading Gilead, Home, and Lila. And rather than waiting for the year’s end listing of MillersTime readers’ favorite books, I thought of bringing your attention to Robinson and her writings now (in case you have been as clueless as I was).

What Pres. Obama Believes About American Exceptionalism

05 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by Richard in Articles & Books of Interest, The Outer Loop

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

"Selma", 50th Anniversary of Selma to Montgomery March, Obama's Remarks at Selma, Pres. Obama, Selma to Montgomery March, Video of Obma's Selma Remarks

The Washington Post recently had a lengthy article about the background to the speech President Obama gave in March at the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march.

That article sent me to read the entire transcript of his speech and then to watch the video of that speech. I was reminded why I thought the election of Obama was so important.

While we must wait for historians to judge what kind of president he has been, it can be said that his words and his oratory have been powerful.

As the presidential election ‘season’ is emerging, we are and will hear much about patriotism, about what it means to love America, to believe in America, to say America is exceptional.

If you want to understand what Pres. Obama has learned and believes about our country, take some time to click on one (or more) of the three links below. The first is to the WaPo article. The second is to the written transcript of the Selma speech. The third is the video of the Selma speech.

Sheryl Sandberg Marks the End of “Sheloshim”

03 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by Richard in Articles & Books of Interest, Family and Friends

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

"Lean In", "Sheloshim", COO, David Goldberg, Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandburg, the Chief Operating Office of Facebook, the author of the 2013 book Lean In, and the mother of two children, has just posted the reflections below on her Facebook page, following the end of her 30 day mourning period for her husband David Goldberg, 47, who died in a recent accident.

Through Ellen’s Lens: A Weekend of Babysitting

01 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by Richard in Family and Friends

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Ellen Miller Photos, Grandchildren, Grandparents. Ellen's Lens

When Ellen and I agreed to ‘watch’ the three grandchildren (6, 4, & 2) for a weekend while their parents attended a wedding out of town, I thought, “Well, at least I’ll get a good MillersTime post out of it.”

You know, one where I ‘gently’ chide the parents, ‘herald’ the wonderful grandparents, and feature the antics of the three young ones. As the weekend started, I jotted down some events that I knew would bring smiles (to readers, if not to the parents).

But then a ‘funny’ thing happened. All three kids somehow ‘performed’ well and were a joy. Plus, we didn’t even lose the youngest, as we have in the past. So rather than my expected post, I thought simply featuring Ellen’s photos would be the best way to ‘memorialize’ the weekend and entertain those of you who enjoy such things.

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