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Being a moviegoer since the Ice Age I know you have to see a lot of bad ones until you get a good one and this past week I did with the first being “Circus of Books” and now “A Secret Love”. When a movie opens with Doris Day singing the title tune under the credits you already know you have a winner!

 

“A Secret Love” is just that–a story about 2 women who were lovers for over 70 years and for most of them had to lie about it to their own family. They were to meet at a hockey rink 1947, Terry being one of the first professional baseball players in the USA playing with the Peoria Redwings and proud of the fact that she was never traded. We live with them as they have to lie to their family, make another family with who they can be themselves. We see how lesbian bars were raided and if they were wearing fly front pants/slacks they would be arrested and their names published in the newspaper.

 

We see a couple in love who have to tear their names off letters they write to each other so no one will suspect anything. We watch them as they grow old together with one getting Parkinson’s disease and both go through the aging diseases with the realization they may have to go into assisted living which isn’t easy for Pat to accept.

 

Something older people will smile at, whether single or not, at the couple, having to get rid of ‘things’ and what one wants to cling to and not let go while the other sees it as being foolish to keep.

 

While Terry and Pat aren’t quite comfortable with the camera on them every once in awhile you will see a look of pride coming from one or the other.

 

“A Secret Love” shows a same-sex love story off two women who, instead of having to face hostile homophobia and/or being ostracised going into an assisted living 1 bedroom apartment and leaving the home they have been in for the past 21 years, they have a wedding that not only brings tears to them and those around them but to those who watch this documentary!

 

Love is love and there is no way you won’t feel good seeing this movie!

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Spring finally arrived today after a month of Summer! Most of March and April the temperatures were 90+ degrees while today—and he said it with a straight face–the weatherman said we were having a ‘cold wave’ with a high of 83 degrees and a cool breeze from the ocean plus low humidity!

 

I haven’t been doing too well with the grow kits I got at The Dollar Tree so I decided to get two more and see how they do. So far of the 6 kits I bought 4 are doing well.

 

I took a walk along the canal this afternoon and spotted a bird with a strange colored beak which I will have to find out about and another school of minnows which seem to be all over the canal.

 

 I don’t know why, and I never asked, my health insurance company gives me 2 boxes of frozen dinners plus cups of juice, fruits and some bread, which arrived today. Not complaining but I have so much food in my freezer I am going to have to do some eating!

 

On top of that–in the interest making room for the recently arrived food–I had to eat the pasta with huge meatballs and sausage that Cathy made for me. Though we don’t often listen to our mothers I always remember the command, “Clean your plate or no dessert!”.  Sometimes life really gets rough!

 

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There are so many reasons to see this documentary and I don’t really want to say anything about it that might turn people away from it–including that it is a documentary–but even if you think you won’t like the subjects tackled get through the first 15 minutes and you will be hooked! In fact, don’t read this review until after you have seen the film!

 

Karen and Barry Mason, the parents of a girl and 2 boys, owned a famous (or infamous) porn bookstore in West Hollywood for 30 years. Their daughter, Rachel, wrote and directed this film, even showing how uncomfortable her mother was/is on camera, almost as uncomfortable as she was owning the store. No one in her family, or her friends, knew what kind of store she owned only that it was a ‘bookstore’. The few times she had to be there when she had the kids they had a strict rule to “don’t look around, look down at the floor”.

 

Karen is a devout Jew who has a hard time with what her religion teaches her about homosexuality and yet owning a store that main business came from gay residents of the area plus the employees were mostly gay. In one of the most touching scenes, Karen states that a parent has to be the best parent they can be. Another scene between Rachel and her younger brother is so moving that I ‘lost’ it and had to stop the film for a few minutes.

 

The family, including Barry, acknowledge that Karen ‘wears the pants in the family’ while Barry is a happy go lucky guy who loves his wife and children and is always there for them.

 

The film covers the legal rights to produce and distribute what is called porn whether in magazines, books or films. At one point Barry is offered a deal in the Ronald Reagan/Ed Meese War on Pornography versus the rights of citizens.  AIDS and the Internet also affect the bookstore business while Karen, a mother first, is concerned about her clientele getting sick and/or dying from the former.

 

The story of how they got involved in the bookstore by distributing Larry Flynt’s “Hustler” magazine and get caught up in his legal battles but they never back down is interesting. Then there is Jeff Stryker who would make porn movies and the Masons would distribute them who could have a film just about him. Along with Flynt and Stryker, there are interviews of people who worked in the store and how they looked upon Barry and Karen as ‘parents’.

 

“Circus of Books” is many things from a ‘normal’ family owning a business to the dynamics of a family to constitutional rights to being parents to religion to doing what is right, not judging but most of all meeting a family filled with love for each other and a couple, after a long marriage are comfortable with each other, who they are and what they have done.

 

 

 

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1. “Babylon Berlin”  3 seasons–28 episodes–confusing at times but held my interest enough to watch all 3 seasons!

2.  “The Innocence Files”–a documentary about innocent men who spend decades, in prison, because of corrupt officials, mislead jurors, wrong identifications and what got them free, how it affected them, their families and, in some cases, jurors who found them guilty. First season–9 episodes–most episodes more than an hour.

3.  Ilana Glazer in “The Planet is Burning”–a stand up special–1 hour. Sorry, I am not a prude but I don’t like foul-mouthed comics, male or female, especially when I don’t laugh once!

4. “13th” –a 1 hour and 40 minutes documentary by Ava DuVernay and how the 13th amendment abolished slavery but had one line in it, “except as a punishment for a crime” which has lead to a massive rise of Black prisoners, especially men, in the system. With a lot of interesting side trips, the focus remains on the fact that over 90% of the Black men incarcerated never went to trial. There are many startling statistics given such as 1 in 3 Black men can expect to serve a prison term.

5. “Lost Girls”–1 hour and 35 minutes–film based on the best selling book by Robert Kolker, a true story about a 24-year-old sex worker who disappears and her mother’s rage to find out what happened to her daughter. The screenplay is restrained in a good way and though far from a pleasant movie it is interesting.

6. “Unspeakable Act”–movie–1 hour and 34 minutes–a true story based on child abuse that happened in Miami in 1984–Child psychologists Laurie (Jill Clayburgh) and Joseph Braga (Brad Davis) interview the very young children who were abused by a couple who ran a child care center. Watching these child actors I couldn’t help but wonder how they were affected by the roles. ( I found this story in the Sun-Sentinel archives  https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1990-01-14-9001190052-story.html

They are asked to explain what happened by using dolls–a new ‘technique’ at the time–and though they don’t know the words to use a lot of it is explicit in a child’s way. This is a 30-year-old movie but still not easy to watch. Clayburgh and Davis are excellent while Gregory Sierra as the husband is chillingly real like.

 

I need some light comedies and/or rom-coms!!

 

 

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#2 I helped John a bit–we didn’t finish–with his thinking of a post showing step by step how to make the boats he makes out of Mahagony pods. He very nicely ‘rewarded’ me with a carrot cake! #3 While he was here there was a knock on my door and Cathy handed me a very heavy plastic carrier with 2 huge meatballs, sausage and 20 pounds–well, maybe 2–of pasta. She is the same neighbor who made me the Easter Sunday dinner. Her meatballs are the best I have ever had and when she makes them she always makes a couple of extra for me.

Now look at #1–that’s my dinner tonight! Do you think they are just the nice and thoughtful neighbors I talk about OR are they in a conspiracy to make me the fattest resident at Gateway?? I will have to ponder that (and your answer) while I eat dinner.

 

#4 Maybe one should follow directions when it says ‘do not put in microwave oven’!

 

#5 Who needs tattoos?? I’ve been taking Warfarin—a blood thinner–for 21 years now and they provide a puzzling black, blue and purple design on my arms which constantly changes. All I have to do is bump my arm and there is a new design plus when I am not careful and cut myself that spot bleeds for weeks. Between my arms and legs I must go through a box of bandages a month! Of course, I could be more careful or wear the very thick hand-guard arm covers that basketball players use and that I bought! Actually it might not look too bad with my mask, gloves and glasses plus my arms might clear up. I just have to remember to put them on around the house and when I go out!

 

On second thought though I do love hot weather all that covering might be too much. #6 Since March 2 the temperatures have been over 90 degrees 5 out of 7 days a week. The only problem I can think of is that when I walk out the door and my glasses fog up with all the humidity I might fall and have ‘tattoos’ for months if not years! (Maybe I better stay in and just sit at the table eating so I don’t bang into anything or fall?)

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1) I have a dog calendar on the inside of my medicine cabinet in the kitchen and when I open the cabinet door to take the meds I see April and how can that not make you smile?!

 

2 & 8) The mod look–just a couple of variations!

 

7) IT IS SPRING!!! And only a high of 97 degrees!!! (but we never go over 100!)

 

3 & 5 Before, 4 & 6 After)  I decided not to cut my hair or shave until this is all over so what to do? I know! Shave and cut the plants!! Just hope I don’t kill them!!

 

Oh yes, my Internet went down for 3 hours–seems the wires in the outside box are getting rotten!

 

And how was your day?

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1 & 2)  I have a feeling that masks and gloves will be part of my summer wear–politicians are rushing to fast to ‘open’ cities. Really, as much as I want to return to going to the theatre am I ready to sit and mingle with 1,500 people, deal with valet parking, waiting for the car in a small space, etc., I don’t think I will be rushing to see “The Donna Summer Musical”!

 

3) I have all of a sudden become a night time tea drinker. Always 1 bag of  Chamomile and 1 bag of a mint herbal tea plus a sweet ‘n low.

 

4) Was just getting some sun on the canal walk and saw a flash if ‘silver’ go by–quickly pulled out my camera, took a shot and when I got upstairs I saw I had taken a picture of a school of minnows!

 

5 & 6) Talking about Mother Nature it looks like she came through again! I grew this pepper plant from a seed of a pepper I had bought for a salad and every month for over a year I get ONE pepper–no more, no less–one pepper a month!

 

7) About 2 months ago I took a seed from another pepper and recently it showed about a dozen blooms. Maybe I will get more than one pepper from this group?!?

 

8, 9 & 10) Looks so beautiful out the window BUT there is a wicked 20-minute storm going on a heavy downpour being blown around by 30-40 winds and the trees looking fierce. 10 minutes it was as if nothing happened. We need rain as we are in a drought but then the hurricane season is coming along!

 

11 & 12) One of the many unsung heroes! He is delivering free boxes of food to old folks. Each box contains 7 breakfasts (oatmeal, sausage, egg and a fruit cup) and 7 (frozen) dinners and a smile.

 

 

 

 

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I’ll now this is all over when I am sitting here, having just come home from sitting in the Classic Gateway Theatre seeing a movie and then going either to Subway or Arby’s for a late lunch, and writing a big-screen movie review but until then….

 

1. “Change in the Air” is a movie about ????? Okay, a strange stranger (Rachel Brosnahan, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) comes to town and walks around with a big bag.  We get to see a few old-time pros who are always a joy to watch such as Olympia Dukakis, Macy Gracy, M. Emmet Walsh, Aidan Quinn (WOW! Think about it–he is an old-time pro!) for about 90 minutes looking at the stranger and then a bunch of birds fly away–end of the movie!

 

2. “Coffee & Kareem” is so bad that you will laugh at what you are watching while you shake your head at loads of violence plus attempts to get laughs every which way including really bad slapstick. This is a movie for you if you haven’t heard the “F” word in a long time. The amounts of times is used here in an hour and 28 minutes will last you forever! I like  Taraji P. Henson in “Empire” but here she makes me cringe.

 

3. “Love Wedding Repeat” No matter how many different endings, and repeats of those endings, involving the main characters does not save this ‘romantic-comedy’ that is not romantic or funny. For an English comedy they don’t even make the ‘dirty’ words sound elegant which right there tells you how bad this one is–all 100 minutes of it!

 

4. “Ozark” I have followed Laura Linney’s career since 1993 when I saw her for the first time in the TV series “Tales of the City” and she has not made a misstep since then whether in more TV, movies or the theatre. She is in almost every scene of this series which just ended its 3rd season and each season has 10 episodes each running about an hour. She is excellent but she has some very stiff competition from the other women in the series and the men really have to work, looking like they aren’t working, to keep up with them. Jason Bateman is solid as the man who has to uproot his family from Chicago to the Ozarks and that is all I will tell you about the plot. It is part love story, part drug cartel story, part redneck story, part gambling story, part kids growing up story and more. Along with Bateman Tom Pelphrey as his brother-in-law gives solid support to the women.

Janet McTeer gives a strong performance as a lethal lawyer, Lisa Emery is an independent don’t mess with countrywoman while Sue Shelby, as a therapist, is wise and very funny but I couldn’t take my eyes off Julia Garner every time she was on the screen even in many scenes with Laura Linney!

Not all 30 episodes are strong but a majority are if not for all the manipulations that go on then for the acting and wanting to know what is going to happen. I want to see season 4 when it comes!

 

5. If you want to see what John Finlay looks like with a set of teeth and find out what happened with/to that just above the crotch tattoo then watch the short follow up to “Tiger King” otherwise skip “Tiger King & I” which is as bad as the title.

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The New Zealand Prime Minister last week declared that the Easter Bunny (and The Tooth Fairy) are essential workers and I agree!

Two Easter bunnies visited me on Sunday, April 12, 2020.

 

Actually the female bunny is called a doe so Cathy was my doe who brought me a complete Easter dinner (not exactly kosher but it wasn’t for Passover!) with freshly baked ham topped with a slice of pineapple and a cherry plus a side of corn kernels and a side of mashed potatoes!!

 

I have often posted about John Black’s art and this is just another example so as male bunny aka buck jack this Easter Bunny I have a new plant to water!!  Actually it is not really as the leaves are made of a plant’s carpal modified leaf.  It is very delicate and I have to remember to NOT water them! (I am going to post another story about John and his art soon as he wants to explain some things that people asked about the last post!)

 

Have I told you I am a lucky guy with my neighbors?!?!

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I always raid The Dollar Tree in March when they put out their seed packets. This year they had some new items such as a carpet of seeds in a roll that you plant as is and they come in Zinnia Mix and/or Fragrance Bouquet so I have, of course, bought both.

Also bought Grow Kits with one consisting of Daisy seeds and the other Coneflower seeds–whatever the latter is!!

Let’s see what blooms in May! :O)