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December 19, 2013:

THE ABRUPT NOTES THAT WEREN’T ABRUPT

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers.  Did you see what I did there?  I accidentally put a period instead of a comma – how dastardly of me.  That has made everything suddenly abrupt, so I feel that today’s notes shall be abrupt notes with periods appearing in a. Happenstance fashion (go-go boots and micro-skirt).  The notes have lost their flow and their ebb and also their kander.  I’m starting over because these abrupt.  Notes are giving me a case of the heebie-jeebies.

Well, dear readers, isn’t that better, two commas creating a flowing sentence of great undistinguished content?  Now we’re cooking with gas.  Now these here notes feel like these here notes.  And that’s a good thing.

Yesterday was a wacky little day filled with some sturm und drang, whatever the HELL that is.  I was up at nine, spent an hour dealing with a little scam, which was dealt with successfully and permanently, at least that’s the hope.  That took up a good deal of the morning.  Then I answered e-mails, after which I went and had a cup of chili and a chopped salad with avocado, ham, dressed in a drop of oil and a humungous amount of vinegar – in other words, both items well under six hundred calories.  After that, I picked up a couple of packages, one of which was a belated birthday present from Sandy Bainum and a gift that keeps on giving – a Pie of the Month club thing.  I came directly home, unpacked the pie of the month, which is a cherry apple crumb pie.  I immediately had a small slice and I’m here to tell you it’s one of the best, most flavorful pies I’ve ever had.  Apparently, refrigerated it will last for the next five days and I’m sure I’ll be having more of it and sharing it with a few worthy folks.  I then had an e-mail volley wherein I had to tell it like it is, which I did.  I also had a few telephonic conversations and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I finished watching a motion picture entitled August: Osage County.  I’d never seen the play, which I understand was quite good.  So, I can only judge the film I saw and the film I saw tells me that a good play doesn’t always make a good film, especially when the writing is florid and over the top and hyper-dramatic.  In the right hands it certainly CAN work, but for me, the right hands are not the hands of this director, John Wells, a television writer and producer who’s suddenly a director, this being his second film.  There are so many TV producer/writers who are now film directors, and I have to say I don’t think any of them are any good and that includes the biggest of them.  Since the play was in three acts and ran, from what I understand, at least two-and-a-half hours, I gather there have been cuts in the two-hour film.  It supposedly tested poorly and there was a lot of scrambling around about the ending, which is not really the same as the play, having just read the synopsis of the way the play ends.  But the film is just one of those end-of-year ACTING fests designed to get as many ACTING nominations as possible.  What I gather was darkly funny onstage doesn’t land all that much on film, especially the way the director presents it.  Miss Streep is always fine, and all the actors are fine, in fact, with a couple more than fine, including the actress who plays Ivy, who was my favorite in the film.  In the end, it was a gab fest and I really couldn’t wait for it to be over.  I’m sure some will like it a lot and that’s what makes the horse racing.

I then watched a movie I had no interest in whatsoever, especially from the title – Philomena.  Well, blow me over with some faerie dust if it wasn’t a great little film.  The story is wonderful (based on true events), Judi Dench gives one of her best performances, and that’s saying something, and Steve Coogan, who also produced and co-wrote, is terrific.  I have to admit complete ignorance about Mr. Coogan – I have no idea who he is.  I looked him up and amazingly, despite having a lengthy and apparently successful career, I have never seen him in anything.  The film is quirky, very funny at times, and immensely moving at times.  Sans credits it runs a very tight ninety-three minutes and it may well be my favorite movie that I’ve seen this year, because unlike most of what I’ve seen, it’s just a wonderfully made, simple film, directed by a real director, Stephen Frears.  And it also has what is for me the best score of the year by Alexandre Desplat, a score which actually is allowed to function like real movie music.  It’s a quiet film of lovely moments.  It’s not doing much business here, which is a shame.  I do hope both actors get nominations.  This one is highly recommended by the likes of me.

After that, I finished writing the Kritzerland commentary, so that’s done and out of the way and also out of the way and done.  I had one other longish telephonic conversation and sent one more long e-mail.

Today, I shall write some more of the liner notes, I’ll eat, hopefully pick up some packages and then around six I’ll mosey on over to the theater to welcome back Jane, and watch the show.  Tomorrow, I’ll finish up the liner notes and do a few other things and I think I’ll miss the Friday night performance.  I will go to the Saturday night, and maybe the Sunday to thank Jane’s cover, Christanna.  Then my plan is for next week and the week after to be mine all mine, with only one business call to have and announcing our next release and also shipping out the last three releases on Monday morning.  Next week is also the Annual Christmas Eve Do, so I’ve got to get all that together.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, relax and then attend a performance.  Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films featuring Judi Dench, and what are your favorite films of this year?  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall not have abrupt dreams.

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