Happy Halloween

 I saw the original Halloween starring Jamie Lee Curtis.  Michael Myers was scary then. I don't think I'll subject myself to him in 2018.

 My parents had me watch Psycho a long time ago. Classic Hitchcock. Creepy, scary, and knife slashing shower scene.

 Scream - amusing

The Spiral Staircase - another super oldie that my folks had me watch a long time ago. Our television was in our basement - the old paneled rec room.  Talk about scary back in the day.

Boo!!!

Happy Halloween. No need to comment.

Monday Mania

Let's have a spook-tacular week

Book Review - Woman in the Window

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn is a taut thriller with shades of Hitchcock and other black and white noir films. What’s up with Anna Fox? She’s a recluse, watches old movies,

chats with her husband and daughter (?), and spies on her neighbors. Does she witness a murder at the Russell home?

What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger?  Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one- and nothing – is what it seems. (cover blurb)

This book kept me hooked and questioning Anna. Is she reliable despite drinking a heck of a lot of wine. Did she meet a Jane Russell? Or is the wife of Alistair Russell the real Jane Russell? Is Ethan the innocent confused son?  Lots of questions to answer with a very unreliable source.  What happened to Anna and her family? Oh, that is key to the Woman in the Window.  Will the police, the psychiatrist, the physical therapist, etc be able to piece together answers to this puzzle?

Slick writing, sophisticated suspense. I recommend this book and dare you to piece together the answers. It kept me hooked until the end and then you say “Whoa!”   Enjoy the ride.

Wednesday Wow - Rachmaninov

A friend, Trish, invited me to join her for a night of Rachmaninov and the Fort Worth Symphony.
I couldn't say no. I took an Uber into Fort Worth, basked in the glory of Bass Hall, and soaked in the beauty of classical pianists. I admit I know nothing about classical music. Many refrains of Rachmaninov are no doubt part of movie soundtracks - I could recognize refrains.

The three pianists sounded awesome to my untrained ears. Plenty of dramatic arm flourishes, rapid riffs up and down the keyboard, and the symphony sounded beautiful. I thought the conductor was thoughtful and encouraged the group.

I did read the review in the paper and OMG - I was SO wrong. Apparently the conductor had no clue, the symphony drowned out key elements, and the pianist I liked the most - Yeol Eum Son, was over dramatic and not worthy.

Big sigh.  Best to not know anything.  Just bask in the glory of sound, feel the music, and Uber home content.

Support your local symphony and musicians. Do not over think. Let the music wash over you.

The Old Man and his Gun is a charming movie based on a true story. Forest Tucker liked to rob banks. He was good at it, too, until he got caught and then he was pretty good at escaping prison (including building his own boat and sailing out of San Quentin island). But that’s back story. 1981, We meet Forest (played by the excellent Robert Redford) as a dapper dressed, polite older gentleman robbing banks in Texas, Arkansas, and beyond. He appears elusive until John Hunt (Casey Affleck), a Dallas cop, digs deep to pursue the man. It’s a cat and mouse game, and really fun to watch.

Meanwhile, Forest meets Jewel (the sublime Sissy Spacek). He says he robs banks, but she doesn’t believe him. They meet at a diner when he’s in town, and ultimately spend time chatting and sitting on her lovely ranch front porch. Oh he spins quite a few stories, says only married once a long time ago with no kids. Says he’s a salesman. No matter what, he speaks with a twinkle in his eye and a thoughtful manner. Their screen time together is so pleasant.

So, in ninety minutes you get to meet the bank robber, his buddies (dubbed by the news as The Over the Hill Gang), his lady friend, and the cop. You get the build-up, the behind the scenes planning, the cop figuring out the puzzle, and you root for everyone concerned. Yes, the old man has a gun, but this is not a violent movie. So, sit back, enjoy the ride, watch a masterclass in acting, and enjoy the dialogue and the silence too.  The Old Man and his Gun is quite a true story- you just can’t make this stuff up.

Movie Review Madness - A Star is Born

What doesn’t Bradley Cooper do?  He acts, he flashes that sweet smile and those clear baby blue eyes, and he’s managed to come off as a real nice guy. Now he’s directed his first feature film AND he sings in it. In a 2018 remake of A Star is Born, Cooper is Jackson Mayne, an alcoholic musician with tinnitus, who’s not keeping it together. His brother, Bobby (Sam Elliott), does his best but Jackson is self-destructing. Then one night after a show, in search of a drink, he has his driver stop outside a place. It’s a drag bar, but the young lady featured to sing had been a former server. Everyone is enthralled with Ally’s performance, and Jackson falls hard.  Ally (a superb Lady Gaga) has tried to get in  the business, but she’s unconventional looking. She’s heard the critiques about her nose, etc,  and doesn’t need the verbal abuse.

Of course, in movie world – boy meets girl, boy gets girl up on stage, girl takes the crowd by storm, and conquers the music world very quickly. We watch Ally’s rise and root for her. Lady Gaga can belt a song and can really act too – she’s the real deal. Meanwhile, even though in love, jealousy rears its head. Jackson’s alcoholism is on a collision course with Ally’s success.  A Star is Born is solid. The story has good bones and this version works. The music is current and the singing is excellent. Cooper and Gaga have chemistry. My only usual complaint – it runs a tad long. I think Cooper could have edited or tightened it by fifteen, twenty minutes. Still, I’ll say Bradley Cooper can do it ALL – a director is born! Sing it loud.

Wednesday Wow - State Fair of Texas time

 Gorgeous Friday 10/5/18 at the great State Fair of Texas - 2018.  Ray and I began on the big Ferris wheel.  Whee!!!

 Auto show shiny

 Football rivalry - The Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma  Sooners coming up that Saturday

 Yes, we ate our Fletcher's corny dogs. That's tradition

Just took a picture of one of the stands featuring a new fried concoction.  I went back to last year's winner - Fat Smooth - a fried beignet. It did not disappoint.

11 am to 7 pm - over 10K steps, and maybe 10K calories.  That's the Wednesday Wow - Texas does it up BIG