Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sunday Funnies & Arts












As always, click to enlarge...

The Young Victoria. D: Jean-Marc Vallee. Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany. A smart, witty script and a fine cast led by indie favorite Blunt lift The Young Victoria above the usual costume fare. While it's hard to care about backstage machinations of royalty, the contemporary overtones of the story of a proud, intelligent young woman's ascent to power amidst the intrigues of those who do not exactly wish her well ring true. Victoria's halting romance with Prince Albert and their efforts to create an equal partnership provide the film's emotional ballast. With a terrific cameo by the great Jim Broadbent, whose booming voice rattles china and mirrors...

Roy bids fond farewell to Kate McGarrigle, who last week lost a years-long struggle with cancer. Reviewers consider Kate & Anna McGarrigle, her 1975 debut with sister Anna, to be a folk-rock classic. I'm partial to 1998's The McGarrigle Hour, in which the sisters gathered with friends and family to create a durable, intimate parlor-folk album in which the principles trade off lead vocals for seventeen original favorites, well-chosen covers (especially "What'll I Do" and "Young Love"), and traditional folk songs. The ambiance is so present and compelling that one is half convinced that the album was recorded in a living room lit by kerosene lamps...

Does anyone else think that Men of a Certain Age the best new show to hit television in years?...

I ain't gonna quit until I'm laid in my tomb, and even then they'd better shut it tight...

Random snap from Lakewood, Ohio...

The Ladies and Men of Unity and the Lady Rollers second line parade starts today at 11:45 a.m. NOLA time. More here...

Surely, I thought, this must be from The Onion. But click on the link and weep...

Brendan Behan: A drinker with a writing problem...

You finally work up the courage to get your first tattoo. Naturally, you'd want it to demonstrate your commitment to the World Health Organization. At least that's what Pretzels' doctor thought...

Bayou Coquille trail in winter...

Another Old Movie blog remembers the classy, elegant screen beauty Jean Simmons...

Kate McGarrigle sings "Go Leave" in 1984:

3 comments:

Roy said...

Andre Bauer may be an idiot, but his thought isn't original. Newt Gingrich was saying the same thing back in the '90s, and other conservative "pundits" going far back in the 20th century have said the same. It's called "social Darwinism" (although I'm sure Charles would have blasted anybody who would link his purely biological theory with political ideology) and it's been around for a while. As disgusting as the idea is, people really do believe that if you let the poor starve to death it will make room for the economically fit, who are seen as somehow more deserving of survival.

I had to laugh at the tattoo; I'm still trying to imagine someone who really never heard of The Who. Wild!

Jacqueline T. Lynch said...

Nice tribute to Kate McGarrigle. And, thanks for the link.

Cowtown Pattie said...

Men of a Certain Age is terrific.
'Course you have to BE of a certain age to appreciate it...