A Quote to Start Things Off
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Pictures of Memories I
Sunday, December 15, 2024
You Can't Take It With You - Saturdazzle Adjacent Post
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Saturday, April 27, 2024
A to Z 2024: X marks the spot that pampered dogs have in our heart
For The A to Z Challenge this year, I am focusing on everyday holidays. Each day there are multiple unusual things to celebrate. Every day of the challenge I look for an event taking place that day and pair it with the letter of the day. I have also made up 5 holidays to coincide with the vowel days of the challenge. At the end of each post I will share a special song of the day for that day's letter. At the end of the month, these songs will be assembled in an A to Z keepsake playlist on Spotify. Every day is a celebration, let's unwrap today's together.
April 27th is National Little Pampered Dog Day
That's it. That's all I've got it's 11:54 on April 27th and I've gotten all my posts this month in on time. What I lack in content, I make up for in punctuality.
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The song of the day is Xandadu by Olivia Newton John & ELO from the 1980 film, Xanadu. I saw it when it came out. I didn't like it then, it was more of a xanadon't. But this clip makes me consider giving it a second viewing.
X is 10 in Roman Numerals but today X makes 24 songs on the Spotify Playlist
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To go to the home of the A to Z challenge click here, to see the 2024 master list of participating blogs click here. Enjoy the 2024 A to Z challenge, and Happy Holidays!
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
A to Z 2024: P is for Piñata Day
For The A to Z Challenge this year, I am focusing on everyday holidays. Each day there are multiple unusual things to celebrate. Every day of the challenge I look for an event taking place that day and pair it with the letter of the day. I have also made up 5 holidays to coincide with the vowel days of the challenge. At the end of each post I will share a special song of the day for that day's letter. At the end of the month, these songs will be assembled in a to z keepsake playlist on Spotify. Every day is a celebration, let's unwrap today's together.
April 18th is National Pinata Day in Mexico
P is for Piñata. It is also for Picture. Here are a number of pictures of piñatas from Wikimedia Commons.
Piñata Party in San Salvador, El Salvador
Mexican Traditional Piñata
Piñata in the park
Is it A Plethora or Piñatas? I thinks so.
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Today's Song of the day is Play Game from Tik Tik Boom
16 songs and what do you get?
An incomplete playlist that's not over yet
I still have to finish from Q to Z
I owe 10 songs for this menagerie.
I just published letter O about 15 hours later than I usually do. To make up for it I am publishing this now rather than wait until tomorrow.
A to Z 2024: One More Time and You Get a Parade Day
For The A to Z Challenge this year, I am focusing on everyday holidays. Each day there are multiple unusual things to celebrate. Every day of the challenge I look for an event taking place that day and pair it with the letter of the day. I have also made up 5 holidays to coincide with the vowel days of the challenge. At the end of each post I will share a special song of the day for that day's letter. At the end of the month, these songs will be assembled in a to z keepsake playlist on Spotify. Every day is a celebration, let's unwrap today's together.
Monday, April 15, 2024
A to Z 2024: M is for Microvolunteering
Thursday, April 11, 2024
A To Z 2024: J is for Just Married (26 Years Ago)
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
A to Z 2024: C is for Cinematic Compositions
Monday, March 18, 2024
12 New Movies 2024: #2 Sing
In many of the Special Ed classes I sub in they have what is called Fun Friday, an enjoyable activity in the last couple of periods of the day. Often this is a kids movie. In February the class I was subbing for watched Sing, an animated film from 2016. Because of my previous job at a local movie theatre, I had seen quite a bit of it's 2023 sequel Sing II. But since I didn't work there until 2019 and did not end up taking my own children to it, I had never seen the original.
Matthew McConaughey at the premiere of Sing. 2016 Toronto Film Festival ,
, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link
Monday, February 26, 2024
12 New Movies 2024 Film #1 In The Good Old Summer Time
When It comes to placing content on this blog I continually am reminded of the Peanuts comic strip. Lucy would hold the football for Charlie Brown to kick it and then pull it away from him at the last second . He would fly through the air and land on his back. Lucy always seems to be able to convince Charlie Brown that this time it will be different and each time it ends exactly the same.
In my blog I have these ideas for recurring posts and quite often I start them but then never get to finishing them. One of these actually predates my blogs and that is the idea of watching 12 movies I have not seen before in a year. Of course I complicate this simple plan by stating that the films must be from different eras. Each year by April or May I have forgotten which new movies I've seen and I don't meet my goal. I thought blogging about them might help me keep track, but it only ends up documenting my failure . In some ways I am both like Lucy luring me to try again each year and like Charlie Brown convincing myself that this time I'll be different falling flat on my back when the football is metaphorically pulled from my path.
My wife likes to say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting different results. But that same wife once co wrote a song with me entitled I'm insane, you're insane, who's gonna win. So since I already am (I won) sanity challenged, trying again this year isn't that bad of an idea. Maybe this time I'll at least make it to AAUGHust.
As I said I try to split the films up so they are not all from the same era. I try to choose 4 films that are older than me and 8 that have come out in my life time
This year I plan to see 2 new to me films from each of these 6 eras
I. 2009 to 2023
II. 1994 to 2008
III. 1979 to 1993
IV. 1964 to 1978
V. 1949 to 1963
VI. before and including 1934 to 1948
I have already watched 2 new movies this year.
I would give this movie a rating between 2 1/2 and 3 stars out of 5. The film takes place in the early years of 20th century Chicago featuring Judy Garland and Van Johnson as two music music store workers who are also engaging in a mail correspondence not realizing that they know each other in what will be called " IRL" more than a century later. This musical is based on the 1936 Hungarian play Parfumerie by Miklos Laszlo which has spawned 2 other movies and one Broadway musical. One theme from the film is that circumstances can effect the way we view the world especially how we evaluate people. I really enjoyed the performances by Buster Keaton (Sherlock Holmes, Jr.) , and S.Z. Sakall (Casablanca) as the shopkeepers nephew and the shopkeeper, respectively. Their presence helps bring out much of the films comedic elements. One aspect of the film I did not enjoy was that many of the musical numbers, although entertaining on their own merit, did not really go with the story that was being told. This led to kind of an uneven feel to the film, which led to my mediocre rating. I would definitely recommend this film to fans of Garland and to those who like to watch different adaptations of the same source material.
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Two Ways To Film The Same Scene
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Avengers: Infinity War Cast Sings "The Marvel Bunch"
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Don't Cross The Snakes
Sunday, April 30, 2023
A Month at the Movies End Credits
Last Month I participated in the A to Z Challenge. My theme was A Month at the Movies.
The Films I examined were ...
Empire Strikes Back, The -1980
When A Man Loves A Woman -1994
You Can't Take It With You -1938
A Closer Look
- 5 of the movies are from before 1964 (before I was born)
- 13 of the films were made between 1964 and 1997 (before marriage)
- 8 of the films were made since 1998 (since I've been married)
Each post contained my thoughts on the film, a positive and a negative Rotten Tomatoes review, a comment referencing what the film had to say about resilience, which was the theme of the A to Z challenge this year, a comment regarding whether this film might be in my top 100 films of all time (a list I'm in the process of revising), and any connections the film might have with other films in the challenge.
Previous Years Challenges
2012: No Theme
2015: Nouns
2015 White Sox Home Run Hitters (Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog)
2016 Y is for You Tube - Dave Out Loud
2016 Cubs Home Run Hitters - Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog
2016 A to Z Superheroes (Sadly I no longer have access to these posts)
2019 Songs of the Sherman Brothers Random Acts of Roller
2020 State and World Capitals Random Acts of Roller
2021 Living in 1921
2022 Wordles, Limericks, and Home Runs (Oh my)
Reflections on 2023
At times I wondered when quoting negative and positive reviews of each film whether people might be confused about how I felt about the film. Other times I felt a little bit of guilt in posting a negative review of a film I adored. However, my intention was to show the reader the spectrum of opinions that a movie no matter how well done can engender. In the end, I was gratified that I could find well-reasoned arguments on both sides regarding the quality or lack thereof for each of my selections.
For the most part, this was another good year at the challenge. I did not interact with as many other blogs as I would have liked to. I don't think I looked at any blogs other than my own for the last week of the challenge. Each year I tell my wife that I should have all the posts written before the challenge starts. I never get anywhere near that goal. This year I had a few fully prepared in advance, but I had set up each post in advance and had added good chunks of information ahead of time. For example, I had the graphics copied to the individual posts about 2 weeks ahead of time and the Rotten Tomato reviews were linked usually the Sunday before the week they appeared. I also in retrospect was wise because I finished Z and Y completely before the challenge, so when Friday hit and challenge fatigue was at its highest, I was essentially finished with the challenge.
FAQ
Did each film represent your favorite film with that letter?
No, some films were, and many films were not. Adventures of Robin Hood is one of several A movies that are in my top 100, whereas Arsenic and Old Lace will probably not make my top 100. Arsenic and Old Lace was the one I chose to feature.
Did you have certain criteria for choosing each film?
I wanted each movie to have had a theatrical release, and I wanted it to be a movie I had previously seen and enjoyed, Other than that I did not have specific criteria.
Did you rewatch each movie in anticipation of the challenge?
No, but I did rewatch some prior to writing my post and watched others on or near the day the post dropped. I watched You Can't Take It With You this afternoon with my wife as a post-challenge treat.
Closing Remarks
I think that there should be a week or so between the end of the challenge and the beginning of the reflection period. Reflection shouldn't be rushed and rest and reflection walk happily together. Of course, I want my reflection to be near the top so more people can read it, so I eschewed the rest and am finishing my reflection on the challenge before the challenge has officially finished.
In that vein, I would not start the A to Z Road Trip until Memorial Day. On the positive side, I think it's grand that there will be at least one post a month on the challenge blog for the rest of the year. I did one of those posts in February 2022 and would be honored to step in again if asked.
Next Year: I plan on an A to Z look at characters from The Chronicles of Narnia. Each year since 1983, I have been reading all the books at least once and this year when I do I'll begin making a list of which characters will appear here in 2024.
Z Is For Zootopia
A to Z Challenge 2023
A Month At The Movies
Film: Zootopia (2016)
Directors: Byron Howard & Rich Moore
2016 was a big year at the movies for Walt Disney Studios. According to Box Office Mojo, they had 5 of the top 7 grossing films released in that year. It was also a big year for animated children's movies with 3 of the aforementioned top 7. Zootopia was 7th on the list grossing 341.3 million in the U.S. alone.
Next Time: A to Z Reflection
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Y is for You Cant Take It ...
A TO Z Challenge 2023
A Month At The Movies
This year I am copying from a myriad of other A to Z challengers by reprinting the same synopsis about my theme with every letter. You can skip over this part if you want to.
Film: You Can't Take It With You (1938)
Director: Frank Capra
You Can't Take It With You is your standard issue 1930's screwball comedy with the Frank Capra touch. The below video does a great job in 9 minutes of recapping and reviewing the film.
The son of a Wall Street banker falls in love with the granddaughter of the person blocking the banker's money-making scheme. Stars Edward Arnold, Lionel Barrymore, Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur.
Positive Tomato: It's one of the most amusing and satisfying pictures to be seen in months, and certain to be an enormous hit with audiences. Edwin Schallert - Los Angeles Times
Negative Tomato: It may be disappointment that any Frank Capra comedy should be heavy and overdone which makes You Can't Take It with You seem such a dud. Otis Ferguson - The New Republic
Resiliency: You Can't Take it with you is the oldest movie on this list. It is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year. That its themes would still resonate with audiences today shows how resilient film can be.
Top 100: This is one of those movies that I would tell you I think it would be my the top 100 and then wind up with 125+ films on my list. It is definitely worthy of consideration and may end up making my actual list.
A to Z Connection: This is the third film featuring my favorite director Frank Capra in the challenge along with Arsenic and Old Lace and It's A Wonderful Life. It is also the 3rd film featuring my favorite actor Jimmy Stewart (It's A Wonderful Life and Vertigo). Speaking of 3s, it is the third film along with the aforementioned Arsenic and Old Lace and A Man For All Seasons to be adapted from a broadway play. This is the 5th and final Academy Award winner for Best Picture on my list. The other 4 are A Man For All Seasons, Chariots of Fire, Ordinary People, and The Kings Speech. The Kings Speech has also been produced on Broadway, but in this case, the play was adapted from the film, not vice-versa.
Next Time: Zoo-Dun-It?
Thursday, April 27, 2023
W is for When
A to Z Challenge
A Month At The Movies
This year I am copying from a myriad of other A to Z challengers by reprinting the same synopsis about my theme with every letter. You can skip over this part if you want to.
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
U is for UHF
Hello and welcome back to A Month at the Movies, my contribution to the A to Z challenge for 2023.
This year I am copying from a myriad of other A to Z challengers by reprinting the same synopsis about my theme with every letter. You can skip over this part if you want to.
Weird Al's Apartment in UHF By Mountain Mike Johans…, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47260199 |
Positive Tomato - The individual parts may be greater than the sum of the whole, but man, are those parts funny. Austin Trunick - Under The Radar
Negative Tomato - This is the dreariest comedy in many a month, a depressing slog through recycled comic formulas. Roger Ebert - Chicago Sun-Times
If I were to give UHF a 6 or less-word film review it would be: Walter Mitty meets SCTV. The film is essentially a bunch of parodies with a plot sandwiched in between them. The movie begins with a pretty good Raiders parody.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
O is For Ordinary People
A to Z Challenge
A Month At The Movies
Hello and welcome back to A Month at the Movies, my contribution to the A to Z challenge for 2023.
This year I am copying from a myriad of other A to Z challengers by reprinting the same synopsis about my theme with every letter. You can skip over this part if you want to.
Monday, April 17, 2023
N is For North By Northwest
A to Z Challenge
A Month At The Movies
Hello and welcome back to A Month at the Movies, my contribution to the A to Z challenge for 2023.
This year I am copying from a myriad of other A to Z challengers by reprinting the same synopsis about my theme with every letter. You can skip over this part if you want to.
By Ante Brkan - Dr. Macro, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14857139 |
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cary_Grant_North_by_Northwest_still.jpg#/media/File:Cary_Grant_North_by_Northwest_still.jpg |
- The above painting depicting the aforementioned scene is part of a mural in the Leytonstone (The section of London where Hitchcock was born.) Tube station.
- Alfred Hitchcock featured the motif of the "wrong man" in several of his films.
- Hitchcock and Grant collaborated on 4 films from 1941- 1959. North by Northwest was the last of these films.
- North by Northwest was Hitchcock's 2nd highest-grossing film 2nd only to Psycho. It was Cary Grant's highest-grossing film.
- Leo G. Carrol (who was in 6 Hitchcock films) plays the head of a secret international counterespionage and law-enforcement agency in the film and essentially plays the same type of role in the 1960s television phenomenon The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
These Blogs Are So Last Year
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Does Grief Last Forever?1 year ago
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Growing Up1 year ago