Friday Family Blogging

The snow returned to Western New York with a vengeance (virtually everything that fell in the blizzard before Christmas, about a foot and a half, melted off in the weird thaw that came over last weekend). Now there's another big pile that accumulated overnight on Tuesday. Anyway, here are some shots of the effect on humans, starting with Nicky enjoying a handy snow snack:

Helen didn't wait for the snow to accumulate, going after the flakes in flight:

Ben dealt with the blindness that afflicts all glasses wearers once they've exchanged the frigid outdoor air for teh relative warmth of the car:

Next up-- the weekly quiz (and results from last week).

New Year's Day

Yesterday I was nowhere near a computer, so missed the opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year. But better late than never. To make it up to anyone who felt slighted, here's 15 seconds or so of the mighty Niagara Falls (which is where I was, by the way). Let's hope the upcoming year has more characteristics of the river much further upstream, and not right at the cataract.

The Last Movies I Saw

I saw two films in the last couple of days, and much like my previous post under this heading, the two had something in common. The movies were Cadillac Records directed by Darnell Martin and starring Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, and Beyonce Knowles; and Valkyrie directed by Bryan Singer and starring Tom Cruise, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy and Kenneth Branagh. Both are pretty good but could have been better save for I see as a shared flaw (that manifests itself in slightly different ways), namely that they are undermined by their biggest stars.

Both movies are based on true stories, the first an account of the birth and development of the seminal Chicago blues record label, Chess Records in the late 1940s through the 1960s, and the second a retelling of the story of how a group of German military leaders tried to assasinate Hitler in 1944. The raw material in each case is strong, and most of what you see in each film is pretty compelling. I know a bit about the first story, having researched the record industry extensively (it was the subject of my doctoral dissertation). Like most "Hollywood-ized" true stories, there are some fairly jarring lapses in historical accuracy. For example-- where the heck was Phil Chess? The movie centers on brother Leonard, for good reason, but no mention of his business partner at all seemed a bit extreme. The film also suggests that dj Alan Freed had a role in breaking the Rolling Stones in the US (at WINS in New York City, no less), which is a pretty bizarre stretch given that he'd basically been run out of radio some years earlier. The movie also plays loose with the chronology of Chuck Berry's career, having him arrested in Chicago (for a crime committed in Missouri) while listening to a Beach Boys record that wouldn't come out until he was released from prison three years after his arrest. But that kind 0f stuff is to be expected. What really interrupts the narrative flow of the film is the switch in emphasis away from Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf to Etta James (played by Beyonce) at which point the film takes a pronounced melodramatic turn. It seemed that the filmmaker fell prey to Beyonce's star power and as a consequence lost the rhythm and I think the heart of the film. That really isn't a criticism of Beyonce's performance, it's just that it seemed like an appendage to a different movie that had been developing up to that point, with the more subtle portrayals by Jeffrey Wright as Waters and Eamonn Walker as Wolf sacrificed to play up the more conventional star power of Knowles. It didn't exactly ruin the movie, but it made me wish for a follow through to the narrative tension that was as a result left largely unexplored.

The shortcoming in Valkyrie was that its pre-eminent star, Tom Cruise, came across as incredibly lightweight, especially compared to those who surrounded him in this cast. I'm not one of those people who automatically discounts anything Cruise does, but he is hardly at his best in a role that requires a dose of emotional heft. He comes across as an earnest boy scout, while Wilkinson and Nighy create characters of real psychological depth. Again, this isn't a severe handicap, as the inherent drama of the story effectively moves it forward anyway; but I can't help but think it would have been elevated beyond the mere thriller category if the central figure were a bit more interesting to watch (as a comparison, I might cite George Clooney in Michael Clayton).

I'm probably sounding way more critical than I need to be in relation to the films I've written about recently, since I've actually enjoyed them all to some degree (I sure don't feel that I've wasted any money on any of them). It's partly that I'm waiting for something to knock my socks off this holiday season, and so far all the likely candidates have been somewhat pedestrian. I'll keep looking for a knockout and let you know when (being optomistic) I find one.

Reliable to the End

In what can only be described as a quintessential "duh" story, George W. Bush decides that his vacation (with what, 2o odd days left in his administration?) is more important than dealing with the escalating violence in Palestine. Granted, there's little good he's likely to do with regard to the situation, but doesn't his attitude convey a message (as has been the case so many times in the last eight years) that we shouldn't care about these things either? Kind of reminds one of Buchanan racing back to his farm prior to Lincoln's inaguration, as the southern states debated secession. What a putz!

Buffalo At Night (Hometown Quiz)

I was downtown last night to see a show, and took a couple of night shots of the city streets near the Market Arcade. Here's one with three major downtown landmarks lit up in the skyline-- can you identify them all?

Here's another shot, of the corner of Franklin and Chippewa. This place is really hopping in the summertime, but on a chilly Monday night in December, not so much. But I think it's still a nice picture:

Maybe the Last Christmas Picture

Nick, Eileen & Raechelle were visiting over the weekend, so here's a picture of Rae under Gramma's Christmas tree. I know the Washington branch of the family doesn't get to see her very often, so here's a little chance to check out how much she's changed (or not).

Oh yeah, Hershey came too-- my nomination for the best dog in the family (sorry Abby!)

(Belated) Friday Family Blogging Quiz

Okay, here's a picture that was taken sometime in the last six months. I had inadvertantly switched a setting on my camera, and then got bumped as I hit the shutter button (those two factors accounting for the swirly effect). Who do you think it is?

Put your answers into the comments section, and the winner will be announced at the end of the week.

The Last Movies I Saw

Earlier this week I caught two films within 24 hours of each other that had some intersting points of comparison. The first was Gus Van Zant's Milk, about the first openly gay person to win elective office in the US and starring Sean Penn in the title role. The other was the documentary Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer, directed by Robbie Cavolina and Ian McCrudden. The first is an intense and virtually flawless in terms of performance, narrative power, and core message and deserves to stand with other earnest civil rights dramas produced over the years that compelled audiences (especially American audiences) to recognize that the basic values of freedom and democracy are meaningless without a true commitment to equality as well. In other words, it is a noble and even "important" film that deserves all the accolades it has received, and likely will continue to receive throught he awards season. But I liked the Anita O'Day picture much more, not least because it makes many of the same points (from a much less obvious starting point) as Milk, and does so in a more invigorating way (at least to me).

As a documentary, Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer, might lead most viewers to expect something akin to the usual PBS American Masters special-- lots of archival footage intercut with talking heads, laying out a pretty straightforward account of the subject's life. But that is not the way the movie is set up, although it certainly contains those elements. The filmmakers decided to convey something critical about O'Day's story through the design and editing of their shots in a manner that I don't recall seing before. There is a visual rhythm that approximates O'Day's unique style of phrasing when she sings (which is commented on by a number of the aforementioned talking heads). The interviews with O'Day herself, which span the entirety of her long career reveal an artist totally at ease with herself and self-deprecating about her talent, and again, the visual style of the film seems to reinforce that easygoing attitude. It creates the appearance of swinging breeziness; but, if you stop to think about it, you realize how much thought and craft have gone into achieving the effect. That quality only fades in a couple of instances, when the film portrays a full song performance (as opposed to the much more numerous clips) by Miss O'Day, with the climax coming with her rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown" as it appeared in the 1960 concert documentary Jazz on a Summer's Day. At that point, there's no mistaking the artistry of this performer.

I mentioned that the film also shares some thematic qualities with Milk, which it does in segments on O'Day's relationships with black musicians and in tracking the expectaions on a "girl" singer in a predominately male milieu. But it does so in a much more subtle way than Milk, and while I really don't mean this as any kind of criticism of the Van Zant picture, I think it allows for Anita O'Day to present a much more well-rounded portrait of its subject. But I'm splitting hairs here-- try to see both and I doubt either will disappoint.

Friday Family Blogging

I enjoyed a wonderful Christmas yesterday over at the Rosieks (sister Sally & clan), and have a lot of great pictures to share. Unfortunately, I'm working on such a slow connection that I think I'll wait until tomorrow to put up some more pix (including a quiz). But in the meantime, here's one to tide you over: a multigenerational peek-a-boo:

Remember, more to come tomorrow, so check back then.

Merry Christmas!

To all readers of this blog, I hope you have a great day, full of good fellowship, good cheer, good times, good food, etc. etc. and follow through with a wonderful, peaceful new year!

How the Mighty Have Fallen

One of the highlights of coming home for the holidays is partaking of the local gastronomic delights. A sub from DeBellos, pizza from Bocce's, hot dogs from Ted's, chicken wings at Duff's... and, once upon a time, almost anything on the menu at local fast food institution Mighty Taco. Unfortunately, I'm sad to report that there has been a change at the last named, and in particular, the once spectacular bean burrito (spectacular in price, heartiness, and overall satisfaction) has been reduced to a fairly ordinary snack. I don't know exactly what happened (I'll have to inquire the next time I visit), but I suspect they have changed the cheese they use (it used to be monterey jack) and altered the recipe for the beans to make them vegetarian (whereas in the past they had a slight hint of bacon added). Mighty Taco remains fast, cheap and convenient (open later than most other such establishments), but the sad fact remains that they no longer are the special treat I once anticipated for weeks prior to a visit to Western New York. I guess nothing lasts forever. [sigh]

The Lubitsch Touch

It's the perfect season to stay up late to watch old movies on TV. Last night I caught The Shop Around the Corner, starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan (loosely remade a few years ago as You've Got Mail). It's a fantastic movie, one of many directed by the German emigre Ernst Lubitsch which reflected his unparalleled ability to mix humanistic comedy with engaging romance. One of the seemingly simple features of this kind of movie is that directors like Lubitsch allowed their actors to play off one another, something that seems very rare in the quick-cutting, short-attention-span-assuming work of contemporary filmmakers (I know there are exceptions-- to be fair Lubitsch was something of an exception in his own time-- but they generally are not found in mainstream Hollywood product, a category that included Lubitsch films sixty years ago). Watching Stewart's reactions as Sullivan unknowingly breaks his heart is moving in a way that I can't remember experiencing in any recent movie. But the real highlight of the film for me was watching the great character actor Frank Morgan in the role of the cuckolded shop owner, Mr. Matuschek. Morgan builds a persona that is by turns comic and tragic, but in all cases conveying a fully believable decency and grace in his relations with the other characters of the film. Near the end of the film, when he invites the new delivery boy Rudy to join him in dinner, the scene unfolds in a manner that is entirely consistent with the character's development through the story, representing both the positive elements that comprise his basic character and the lessons learned from his terrible mistakes. It's a thing of beauty that has virtually nothing to do with the plot, but everything to do with embodying the spirit that makes the movie so special. It's a great example of what has come to be known as the "Lubitsch touch."

A Little Holiday Cheer

You may have already seen this, especially if you check out the "Blogs I Like" on a regular basis (since I got it from Mark Evanier's blog). But if not, it's worth a peek if you some help getting intot he Christmas spirit. Just click on this link.

Happy Birthday Natalie & Gerik!

Today is niece Natalie's birthday, and I hope it turns out to be a great one (I think that her school closed on account of bad weather, so it's off to a good start). I won't mention how old she is because she may be getting close to that point where you're not supposed to ask or tell ;-) Here's a picture of Natalie with Ben & Helen:

And also a slightly belated happy birthday to nephew Gerik as well. I don't have a recent picture handy, but imagine the little kid in this photo about twice as big. Many happy returns Gerik, and I hope you got a snow day too!

Seems I Was Wrong

Leave it to the Rosieks (Tom, Natalie & Ben) to take up the implicit challenge in my earlier post and prove me wrong. This afternoon we battled gale force winds, and constant flurries of snow to plow through three innings of kickball:

Unfortunately, the conditions were not conducive to the usual offensive fireworks when we square off for some playful punting, and the match ended in a weather shortened scoreless draw (though we did last through three innings!). As I thought, a green field really does seem a prerequisite for such a game, not that we didn't have some fun this afternoon.

By the way, the winner of last week's Friday Family Blogging quiz was Lil Sis, who correctly identified the baby on Grampa's knee as Ben Rosiek (yes, the same strapping lad preparing to pummel his papa's pitch in the above photo). Congrats to Lil Sis, and thanks to all those who guessed. I'll try to get another quiz up as soon as possible.

Friday Family Blogging

Hot off the presses (taken not three hours ago), here's the latest picture of Emma:

Such a jolly baby, and it isn't even Christmas yet! More to come....

Remember Last Summer Redux

Well, I'm back in WNY for the holidays and I couldn't resist revisiting the scenes of my post of a few days ago. Now, the only thing on the front porch is snow (which I've already cleared three times today!):

And I'm not anticipating any kickball games on this pitch in the near future:

I know some of you suggested outdoor winter activities, but I still plan to pine for the sunshine and warmth of summer.

Political Comment

I just read that Caroline Kennedy will be visiting my hometown of Tonawanda, NY today as she solicits support for her campaign to be named to fill the soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat of Hillary Clinton. Since this is the first time I have ever heard of a candidate for such a prestigious post actually looking for support in Tonawanda (that is, by actually visiting the place), I just want to say that I hope it helps net her the appointment. I have no idea what her other qualifications may be (aside from her name, obviously), but if she is perceptive enough to recognize Tonawanda as a critical place where one can understand the needs and priorities of the state, that's good enough for me! [smile]

Reality and Reality

I've never been able to watch a so-called reality TV show for more than about five minutes without getting really irritated. All those shows that throw a group of people together in some kind of convoluted attempt to spark drama hardly qualifies as "reality" in any valid definition of the term. A couple months ago Harper's magazine had an interesting article addressing the issue of how we have collectively abrogated our supposed right to privacy, as so many of us give that up if it means getting onto the tube for our alloted fifteen minutes of fame (or infamy) Even those who only watch are implicated in the process-- unwittingly perhaps, they too are tacitly signaling that the value of privacy is determined by a rate of exchange in the currency of entertainment. No wonder that the Bush administration felt little hesitation to launch its program of monitoring our phone calls and other communications-- we'd basically signaled our acceptance of the premise that nothing should be secret. Even as responsible civil liberties advocates complained about the breach of privacy, most Americans yawned.

But as much as I dislike Reality TV, I have to admit that I love reality comics, pioneered by Harvey Pekar's American Splendor (that's Harvey above; you can find a nice interview with him here). The difference is, I think, immense, with the comics actually more closely aligned with literary memoirs. They tend not to exaggerate circumstances (that's the domain of the action and super-hero genres), but rather to present the life of the protagonist as both ordinary and, often, universal. Pekar's work certainly speaks to a core element of humanity, acknowledging the struggles-- physical, mental, and emotional-- with which we all deal. He certainly reveals things about himself, many unflattering, that most would keep secret, but his story seems designed to spark a degree of identification, and ultimately a kind of camaraderie as we face life's endless challenges, big and small (and not of the type thought up by some overpriced producer who thinks it might be funny to watch people eat bugs).

You can have your Survivors, Big Brothers, et. al. I'll take Harvey Pekar, Chester Brown, Keith Knight, Lynda Barry, Joe Sacco and others of their ilk if I'm looking for a true dose of reality.

Remember Last Summer?

All this snow and cold makes me very nostalgic for last summer, when the days were long, the grass was green, and you could sit on the front stoop and wonder if that iguana was ever going to come down.

Boy, could I go for a good old-fashioned game of kickball in the backyard!

Is there a winter equivalent for this kind of leisurely activity?