Holiday Cheer?

Another Flagstaff Good Morning,

We were suppose to start getting snow last night but it did not happen in town. I should be cautious about complaining too much about lack of winter weather as my niece Kelly and her family are right in the middle of the massive power outages in New Hampshire due to Ice Storms.

Tonight, here in Flagstaff, there is the annual Christmas parade downtown. Up until this year, if I wanted to watch it, I could just step outside my door. I haven't done that the last couple of years.
Now my residence is a couple of miles from there which means, in all probability, I will not make the effort. Since Tasha and Jason have my old apartment maybe they can get in the holiday spirit for their first wedded one together by enjoying the parade.

My Christmas cheer has been waning quite a bit over the last few years. As a non-Christian, actually non-believer, my orientation to the holiday has always been tied up with family and the festivities. Last year was nice because I got to stay with my daughter and grandsons for the first time. I was able to again watch children open their gifts. But, that was an exception, and I am back to the status quo. I will be staying on the couch at my sister Norma's apartment.

For my mother's last ten years of life she and I spent very quiet Christmas Eves and mornings together alone. In the afternoon we would head up to my sister's for dinner and I might get to see Tania and the boys later in the day/evening for an hour or two. I remember the years prior when everyone dropped by Mom's place on the Eve. She was our "center." My mother has been gone two Christmas' now and I miss her. Christmas meant more to me when she was here on earth.

I wish everyone a good holiday and hope that niece Kelly and her family are safe and well.

As the "Monty Pythons" use to say, "Now for something completely different . . ."

Movie Review:
I keep expecting more good movies to emerge since this is the time of year when all the studios shoot for big "Oscar" releases. You would think that every weekend they would be hitting the theaters. But that does not seem to be the case. There were the few good ones before and around Thanksgiving, The Changeling, for one. They seem to be waiting to pile up on Christmas Day. Besides, there does not seem, from the previews, many that look all that good.

Keeping all of this in mind, I went to see the opening, in Flagstaff, of The Day the Earth Stood Still. I have to say that it is no where near as good as the 1951 original with Michael Rennie. The earlier movie was a much more daring premise for its time. Remember the rabid McCarthyism was taking place and to put a film out that was anti-nuclear/war was a brave endeavor. In the new film the threats to the earth are up-dated and I applaud their attempt here but it is to heavy handed. They picked the right person to play the Alien representative. Keanu Reeves is about the most "wooden" of actors on the scene today. But, He is no Michael Rennie. There is no nuance in Keanu's portrayal. Jennifer Connley does a good job in the role played originally by Patricia Neal. I am prejudice here though; I like her.

As for movies I am looking forward to; they are Valkyrie, with Tom Cruise, Gran Tourino, with Clint Eastwood, Nixon and Frost, with Frank Langella, and a French Christmas film I cannot remember the name of that has a number well known artists to include one of my favorites, Catherine Denuieve (sp). The latter will never come to Flag so cannot count on seeing that one before DVD.

Cheers.