Now I’ve got an endless amount of traditions. The big out of town ones are: NH sees me blueberry picking and visiting Reegan and her family. Maine has me popping up in the springtime for the Ferry Beach retreat with Cece and the kids and then usually later in the summer for a mini-high school reunion hosted by Maggie. Vermont I make a pilgrimage with Dawn, Bill, and Ashley for the Sugar Bush Open Houses in February, and Strolling of the Heifers in June. CT sees me making a winter trip to opening night to see the latest production my cousin Tyler is staring in. And I make it to NY at least once a year, every fall for the Chatham Film Festival, visiting Emilia and the gang.
The second thing I was enjoying on the crisp Saturday morning drive was the landscape. I really am a New Yorker true and true - born and raised in the Adirondacks. I have an affinity with that landscape that just resonates and reassures me that I’m back home. I can enjoy the vast deserts of the Middle East, or the gorgeous mountains in Costa Rica. Even the gorgeous days in San Francisco and the quaint New England towns. But up-state New York along the Hudson River seems most familiar and beautiful - especially as the leafs are just at their height turning their brilliant colors.
Emilia, Fred and I went to college together and both are New Yorkers born and bred (although technically Fred has some Colorado in him, but not much from what I can see). And they live in a cute old house in a cute old working town in a cute part of eastern New York. Driving back and forth between their place and the film festival you’re in the rolling hills of farm land and forests and it’s just beautiful.
The film festival was ok this year. I think the mediocre rating is due to the sneak peak choice. The height of the 5 day film festival is the Saturday night 8 pm film. The theater is packed - not a free seat and everyone is waiting in anticipation until 7:59 when they announce what the big film will be. Last year it was Fair Game (the Valerie Plame story), the year before that it was Atonement. Generally action/drama films with some big Hollywood star. This year I got caught up in the speculation. I thought it might be Margin Call since last year there were so many political movies. But I think it’s being released this week which means it’s out of the running - not much of a sneak peak if it’s only a week early. Emilia and Fred had dibs on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. You know what it ended up being? The Decedents. A decent movie, but nothing grand. Granted it had George Clooney in it, and I quote “I could watch George do laundry” (forget if Emilia or her sister Sara said that). But it was no prime time Saturday night movie. It’s a regular old wait until it comes out and rent it on Netflix movie. So that was a little disappointing.
The movie I liked, which hadn’t gotten great reviews overseas, but I still had a feeling I would like because of its quirky approach to a serious subject matter was Habemus Papam (if you’re latin is a little rusty - We Have a Pope). If I were to review the movie in one word, I would choose ‘whimsical’. It had a lot of funny moments but didn’t really have a great over arching story line that left you mulling things over afterwards. It’s strength was its cinematic moments. From the slow-mo volleyball action shots of the sequestered cardinals playing their “world” tournament. To the funny dialogue the Italian broadcaster has who is covering the who-will-be-the-next-pope story. If you want something light to watch on a Saturday (or rather Sunday) afternoon, I’d recommend this film. BTW, I couldn't find a photo of the cardinals playing volleyball, the picture above is the soon to be pope having a session with a psychologist.... in front of all the cardinals.
The last film I saw was Coriolanus. Which surprisingly enough my spell checker just corrected for me. Not something I was expecting (I forgot the O). Now, I know this is sacrilegious to say (funny that it’s for this film and not the Pope film written and directed by an atheist), but I just don’t appreciate Shakespeare. If I would have to guess, I’ve probably seen around 50 or so Shakespeare productions, ok maybe more like 30 (feels like 50) - mostly plays, and a lot of the comedies, and way too many Midsummer Night’s Dream. I think the film was well done, but I just didn’t buy the storyline. It seemed like a lot of egos and testosterone getting in the way of a quality life. Why, ask you, did you go see another Shakespeare production, if you’re not such a big fan? I’ll answer you: I’ve been brainwashed. I was inducted young - we went over to UVM every summer and saw the comedies. I’m guessing I was probably about 6 when that started. Then in college I had a bunch of theater friends (Emilia and Fred included) and it doesn’t seem like you can be a true theater person without loving the Bard. And I’ve continued to stay “cultured” and kept up my viewings. Plus, try enjoying a play in the park in the summer - 9 out of 10 times it’s a Shakespeare production. The language is challenging for me (so I read up on the plot of Coriolanus in modern English moments before watching the film - that helped), the acting seems so staged, or as I just learned this weekend, “acting with a capital A”, and the storylines are good but not great. Give me a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead any day. I love that play. And that’s with a capital L. That’s about as close to appreciating Shakespeare as I’ve gotten.
For this production, it did have a great cast - Vanessa Redgrave, Ralph Fiennes and my fav, Gerard Butler. But surprisingly Vanessa seemed to give a one-note performance. Ralph was very hard to watch as a bald and bold General without every other minute being reminded of Lord Voldermort. And Gerard was fairly flat too, it’s sad to say. However, if I’ve learned anything about Shakespeare plays, I would bet people will love this movie and rave about it. It’ll probably get an Oscar nod in some shape. So take what I say with a grain of salt - I’m after all, not the intended audience. But I gave it a shot.
And lastly, I have to comment on something that threw me this weekend. Going to the film festival is more about catching up with Emilia and Fred and seeing a few movies on the side. Got to hang out at the retail store Emilia works at, shopping while chatting away. It’s nice that we’re old friends and can just fall into the old ways. Emilia’s parents live in Chatham and her sister Sara comes up from Boston for the festival so it’s a full party. And it’s just fun to sit back and watch all the characters. I feel like I’m such an extrovert at work and being an introvert, I find it works well if my weekends can be spent with others that are in the spot light of life. I love reality TV after all, and there’s nothing better than watching it “live”. Not to imply there’s a lot of drama, there’s just a lot of storylines going on. What threw me was before one of the films, we were sitting waiting for the movie to start and I was catching up with Fred. We were talking and he was referencing stuff that happened to me but that I didn’t remember sharing with him. Not that I wouldn’t, just I hadn’t had the opportunity. It was very odd and then it hit me. He follows my blog. It’s strange to have people know your stories without you telling them. But then if that’s the case, I really shouldn’t have a blog. It was very strange and has happened to me a few times. After the initial oddity of the moment, it quickly transitions to nice warm fuzzies that people are interested enough to read my ramblings. So, to reward them, I have to give a shout out - cause who doesn’t love seeing their name in print. And, one better, I’ve thrown up a picture. I’m not at my personal computer and have limited access to photos out in the cyber world. I found this one in a random search. To clarify for all those who don’t know Fred - he’s the one dressed as a bear. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know since he doesn’t keep a blog!
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