Night at the Movies

20 Year Anniversary of "Philadelphia" that broke barriers

Contrary to what everyone else does, I don’t listen or read reviews on films. I watch the trailers and/or listen to the filmmaker or actor on NPR then decide if it’s worth my time. More often than not, I make a wise decision. Frankly, I rather write my own review instead of having a preconceived notion when I walk into a film. I don’t want to hear any opinions or what the film is about. I want to be surprised. Moreover, I don’t want anything to spoil the plot or my first impression of the film.

When I watch a film, I try to be objective. That doesn’t happen all the time.

Sometimes my judgment gets clouded when I hear what others think. I admit that I listen to other peoples’ opinions and biases. “This person loved it so I have to love it.” Contrary to what others think, I usually go by my gut in what I want to see. For example, I didn’t go by my gut and listened to others positive remarks about the current film, “Dallas Buyers Club.” Perhaps I had a preconceived notion that I wasn’t going to like it because I am not a huge Matthew McConaughey fan. Objectively, the actors performances were stellar even McConaughey but I have to admit I got tired of seeing his emaciated body – I heard he lost a considerable amount of weight for his role. It was around two hours and it seemed incredibly long to me. It didn’t keep my interest past one hour and a half.

A friend quickly said, “If you think this movie is long, ‘American Hustle’ is so much longer.” She didn’t fully understand what I was trying to say. If a film seems long that means that the editor or filmmaker didn’t peak my interest enough to keep me engaged until the bitter end. My mind wandered and I got antsy waiting for the ending. Again, the film was so hyped up that truthfully it was a disappointment.

In my opinion, “Dallas Buyer’s Club” was no “Philadelphia” when Tom Hanks, a lawyer that got HIV-AIDS and got fired. He won the Oscar. It was a better riveting performance where I cared about the character where McConaughey performance was first-rate (raw and in your face); I just didn’t care enough about the character to keep me interested. Bottom line, I couldn’t wait until it was over. 

The other reason I don’t listen to reviewers is their picky negativity on most films. I understand that’s their job but most times I don’t agree. For example, I had an opportunity to see a “free” film a few years ago for “127 Hours” when a hiker was pinned  between two boulders where his only option to free himself was by cutting his own arm off. It sounded interesting to me then I heard a negative review. My knee jerk reaction and I decided not to see the film. Bad mistake. Later, I heard that it was very good. I ended up getting the DVD and James Franco’s performance was wonderful. He had to keep the audience engaged while he acted alone in the wilderness. After that, I won’t bother listening to reviews.

Other people I know scour the reviews and won’t see a film unless it scores high. Who cares what reviewers say anyway? It is a subjective opinion anyway. Sometimes I love a film and someone else leaves without giving it a chance. For example, the newly released film, “Her” I thought was brilliantly written with strong performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson. It was an unusual premise and it could have easily been done badly but it wasn’t. I enjoyed it for its risk taking ability and dialogue that hasn’t been delivered before. It was quiet focusing on the two main characters’ contending with life’s complexities. Phoenix’s character is struggling with separation then he becomes infatuated with his OS (It’s set in the future). My take on it – the main character is coming to terms with his internal struggles – rejection; how both characters grow as a result of these battles.


For the same reason, I enjoyed “Nebraska” because it was quiet and the relationship between father and son. You instantly saw the pain in the Bruce Dern’s character as he tries to defy all the odds and walk to Nebraska. Dern’s character also has struggles and demons that he needs to address. It kept me thinking about it long after the credits rolled. As a person who over analyzes things, I try to find meaning in these “off-the-beaten-path” indie films. It’s not for everyone but it struck a cord with me.

Lastly, I just saw the three-hour long film, “The Wolf of Wall Street” and I enjoyed it very much. Contrary to the length, it didn’t seem long because director Martin Scorsese kept me engrossed in Leonardo DiCaprio’s character. Just like everyone said, there were a lot of “f” bombs and nudity but that’s what the character of Jordan Belfort was all about. There was a scene where DiCaprio was extremely high and his debilitating performance was hilarious. I had tears in my eyes because I was laughing so hard. Amazing how wonderful and believable he was. I was so annoyed last year that DiCaprio didn’t get an Oscar nomination for his performance in “Django Unchained.” So I almost wanted to see this film to support his interchangeable acting ability; plus, I did hear about the film on NPR from DiCaprio himself how much research he did for the role and how he met with the real Jordan Belfort.

I will leave you with this, if you want to see a film because it sounds interesting then just go see it. I remember picking “Once,” a little, low budget film for my movie group way before it was a play and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to: film, art or books. You grow as a person if you just take a risk and move away your comfort zone. What’s the worse that can happen, you wasted a few bucks?

Film “Philadelphia”
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/the-pulse/62963-20th-anniversary-of-philadelphia-

Out and About Town

My problem is I can’t say, No! “Do you want to volunteer for the Cleveland Museum of Art’s monthly MIX event?” “Sure,” I say. I’m glad I did because it was a fun event. Thank goodness I got “wristband” duty where you check everyone’s ticket and making sure they are wearing a “wristband.” As I mentioned many times before, I like being at the check in table so I can see all the people attending the event. I ended up seeing friends I haven’t seen and I was thrilled by the diverse crowd. There were some grumbling when the scheduled DJ Rekha was stuck in New York due to the blizzard we had a few days before. It couldn’t be helped. Through the cold and snowy conditions, the event was very crowded – a success.

My usual job at MIX is patrolling the escalators in making sure that everyone who passes has a wristband and not taking drinks into the galleries. You would think that museum goers would understand that you can’t drink amongst artwork that is worth millions. I heard that at the Annual Solstice Party that people think since they are a donor they are excused. “No, sorry.” The artwork is still worth a lot of money no matter what your donor status is.

After my shift, I met up with friends and danced for over an hour to “Bollywood” music. It’s not something I gravitate towards but it was thrilling to see people dancing. The DJ was good on such short notice. As an added bonus, the atrium had this giant disco ball cycling around as it projected different colors along the 1916 building. The next MIX event is February 7, 2014 around the creativity theme.

Believe it or not, one of my favorite things to see at the museum is the weekly flower arrangement that the Women’s Council creates. Every time I stop by, it is breathtaking and different every time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a duplicate arrangement or floral choice. I stand in wonderment how creative these women are to display such beauty.

Even though I can’t utter the word, No, I’m happy to help out at the world renowned institution such as the Cleveland Museum of Art.

When I’m not volunteering, I attend gallery openings.

Photo courtesy of Cleveland Print Room web site

The Cleveland Print Room Vivian Maier: Out of the Shadows
January 10 - February 23, 2014.

My favorite event this week was the “out-of-this-world” photography by Vivian Maier at the Cleveland Print Room. The compositions and light and dark contrasts were captivating. I walked around numerous times to get the full affect of photographs that were not seen until 2007. Maier was a nanny by trade; she shot thousands and thousands of rolls of film during her spare time (100,000 to be exact) – not a professional photographer but I could see her passion through her viewfinder.

I was impressed by the simplicity of her subjects. For example, there was a portrait of an older women wearing a hat, and an outfit right out of the fifties – dressed up walking along the downtown streets. No expression just a person living the simple life like we all try to do.

My favorite was a ticket counter all in shadow where you can barely see a women behind a metal cage. Brilliant use of shadow and composition where you say to yourself, “What’s going on here?” Another photograph showed an explosive view of downtown with all the signs and activity then as you look closer, there is a strand of pearls on a mailbox. Wow! The photographer saw something unusual or nostalgic about that subject and shot it. I didn’t see the pearls at first. The strong use of shadow and sparkling lights drew me in. Similarly, a photo of a table and the viewer (camera) looks up to an old pay phone. It’s quiet but says a lot. It’s ordinary scenes that draws the viewer in through point of view and explosive light and dark.

Honestly, all the photographs drew me in for one reason or another – if it wasn’t the composition or the expression on the subjects faces. That’s what black-and-white photography does for me, it takes out all the complexity and simplifies it by grey tones and black. I don’t know anything about Vivian Maier but I now know how much the simplicity of life was her inspiration. Things we take for granted - a walk around the neighborhood and the beauty that’s there.

I can’t say enough about this show. Check out the web site, there is a documentary film, “The Vivian Maier Mystery” shown at four venues.



Cleveland Print Room
http://clevelandprintroom.com/

2013 - A Year in Review

The lake is frozen. Clumps of sand, dirt and debris is mixed into the giant waves that have crystallized; time has stood still. I stood looking at my lake in wonder – this is why I live so close, to see nature up close and personal. A large body of water iced to the horizon line – an eery quiet over took me as I reflected back to 2013.

I ran through the snow piles and icy path as nature surprised me again. It wasn’t too cold as I headed down to the lake. Just last week the waves lapped onto the shore, not today as clumps of ice stopped the waves right in their tracks. Too early for the ice to appear? Not necessarily, it’s January 2014 after all. My mind wandered in what I accomplished or didn’t – volunteering is what I did mostly and reignite a weekly blog on art shows I attended. Nothing earth shattering, just living a modest life and doing interesting things around Cleveland.

Nothing to do? Well, I disagree.

Senior Games

I had a joyous time volunteering for the Senior Games this past July and August. I was a score keeper for horseshoes where I learned quickly that it’s a challenging event. There are two competitors that throw several rounds of horseshoes up and down the field. I started scoring around 10 a.m. and I wasn’t even done by 12:30 p.m. What was so thrilling about the games was how appreciative the contenders were. Every shift I participated in, I got a kind “thank you” for my time.

One of my favorite events was the Women’s hammer throw. If you want to see real athletes, just watch these women throw these hammers. It is a shot put at the end of a wire handle. My job was to retrieve the hammers to the contenders. They were heavy; I can’t image trying to throw it at a decent distance. One women, however, said, “I hope to see you throwing the hammer at the next Senior Games.” What a nice compliment! These athletes were class A in my book.

The other thing I did was ride my bike to as many volunteer shifts that I could. I biked along Euclid Avenue to Case Western Reserve for “horseshoes;” I biked downtown, took the shuttle bus to Baldwin Wallace University and walked to the Berea Fairgrounds for the “hammer throw”; biked to the new Convention Center for the athlete check-in. In total, I biked four times out of five for my shifts. That is my 2014 New Year’s resolution - biking more and using my car less.

I look forward to the 2014 Gay Games this August – I plan on biking there as well.
www.gg9cle.com

New Promotion for CIFF - courtesy of CIFF

Cleveland International Film Festival :  March 19 - 30, 2014
http://www.clevelandfilm.org

It seems so long ago that the festival was at Tower City. I say the same thing every year – maybe I will skip my volunteer stint this year. In actuality, I volunteered for more shifts this last year than previous years. I want to warn you; once you start going down to the festival, you will be wanting to see more and more films. This year I stood in more lines and was not able to see films that were on standby. That is, in actuality, a good problem to have – too many people wanting to see International Films that most likely you will not see anywhere else. No brainer there.

I do commend the festival’s staff in accommodating as many people as they did. They staggered the times as well as possible to eliminate a “crowd jam.” For example, the “Anita” film featuring Anita Hill, who was in attendance was sheer chaos. It was in two theaters and nobody was listening to directions on which theater to enter. As a volunteer, I try to take shifts that are more crowd crazy so when I decide to see a film, I won’t be struggling to find a seat.

The two films that I loved were, “ Pieta” (South Korea) and “Laurence Anyways”(Canada); they stuck with me well after they were over.  

The Cleveland Museum of Art: MIX and Summer Solstice events
http://www.clevelandart.org

The problem I have when I volunteer is I can’t say “No!” I am the type of person who genuinely likes to help. I need “x amount” of people to help at this event – I’m there. I favor the museum parties for the people I see that I haven’t seen or I see Cleveland residents that I probably will never see. The MIX event is attracting more young professionals and families that are interested in art and the social fabric of our city. Kudos! We are privileged to have a world renowned museum that is “free.” During some of my volunteer shifts, the “out-of-towners are amazed that it’s “free.” I have a few friends that have yet to see the new atrium or visit the museum after its eight year long expansion. If you haven’t been to the museum in a while, you are in for a treat.

My favorite volunteer shift was “gift wrapping.” For the holiday season, this year the museum offered free gift wrapping for anyone who bought a gift from the museum store.  I was in heaven. Again, I met a few Greek people and old friends that were just happy to have a gift wrapped by an enthusiastic volunteer. I hate to pat myself on the back but my gift wrapping was better than most. I was brought up to do your best when giving something to others; furthermore, as a graphic professional, presentation is everything.

I highly recommend the always anticipated Summer Solstice event on the fourth Saturday in June. It always sells out so get your tickets in advance.


The Transformer Station - West 29th Street - Hank Willis Thomas thru March 9, 2014
http://transformerstation.org

I had the privilege to be one of the first volunteers for the first opening of a west side contemporary gallery – the Transformer Station on February 1, 2013. A reconverted space into a cutting-edge photo gallery with such exhibits as Todd Hido and the Fred and Laura Bidwell Collection of contemporary photography; currently they are exhibiting the Hank Willis Thomas in collaboration with the Cleveland Museum of Art. I met so many interesting people that attended during my shift – Kent State, Oberlin College, Director of the Akron Museum, writer from the New York Times, Jim Rokakis, etc., etc., etc.

My favorite event at the Transformer Station was the Ohio City Stages concerts - five concerts on five Wednesdays in July. If you do anything this summer, I would highly recommend you pencil this event into your calendar and/or smart phone. They took this giant stage, parked it on Church and W 29th street and played diverse, contemporary music. After the concert, they projected contemporary films behind the gallery on an outdoor screen. I hate to say it, less crowded and better than Wade Oval Wednesdays. My understanding is they are going to extend the concerts to other areas of the city as a Community Outreach initiative.

As a summer person, my most active month was June when I attended the Garden Walk, the Waterloo Arts Festival on the last Saturday in June and the CMA’s Summer Solstice Party.

Drawings

Pastel Drawing by Toni - copyright 2013

After twelve years in my basement, I finally put together my drawing table. I illustrated my sister’s house, elephants, tomatoes, grapes and wild flowers that I gave as gifts; I didn’t do as many as I first envisioned but five drawings are five more than I’ve done all these years. I hope to do a few more in 2014.


In closing, I didn’t have a lot of income during 2013 but I volunteered my time and energy by helping many individuals find their way at museums; my computer lab work at the Homeless Shelter and seeing the beauty in Cleveland as I rode my bike mile after mile. Get out of your comfort zone and do something positive for 2014. Forget about those ridiculous resolutions that you will never keep and do something that you are passionate about.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2014

As I sit in Church a few days before Christmas, the priest recites in his sermon that everyone should keep in mind what the true meaning of Christmas really is. It is not shopping until 1 a.m. at all the major retailers. I concur with the priest’s statement. I kept thinking about what he said throughout my day as I stood in my kitchen making dozens of thumbprint cookies. Why do I stand there for hours making cookies? I enjoy baking cookies but mostly it’s the act of giving them to my family. It’s my joy for the holidays –creating something that gives others joy.

For me the meaning of Christmas is not the gifts; it’s being with family members and partaking in eating food that ultimately joins us. It’s sharing and being thankful for all the things that have affected your life.

Every Christmas Eve, I painstakingly roll cabbage into my mother’s famous “stuffed cabbage” recipe.  I never thought in my wildest dreams I would ever make them quite like hers. She had the knack or I think of her talent in creating delectable food. Everything she made was delicious. Moreover, she made everything from scratch that at the time was unlike what other families were doing.

Photo courtesy of http://www.maplespice.com

Most of the time, I was embarrassed when she made (“spanakopita” - spinach filled pie) and asked me if I wanted to take it to school for lunch. “No!” I replied. “Everyone at school will laugh at me.” Now when I think back, I can almost taste her “spanakopita” sizzling out of the oven; the aroma filled the kitchen. I stood in front of the oven anticipating when it will be done.

My mom made the phyllo dough from scratch that would take her most of the morning. She would often ask me, “Antonia, do you think you will ever be able to make it on your own?” So far, I haven’t attempted it but I’ve made “spanakopita” with ready-made phyllo dough. It tastes fine but it’s definitely not the same as mom’s.

Regarding my mom’s phyllo dough, she was the best in making this ultra thin pastry dough. Furthermore when she migrated to the United States, she showed all her friends how to make it from scratch. She learned this skill from her aunt in Philadelphia. I got the better end of the deal because I ate her “pita” - generic term for Greek pie stuffed with various vegetables such as leeks (my favorite): spinach, squash or feta cheese (white goat cheese) all the time. Sometimes she made it monthly or whenever she felt like making it. She complained that it took so long but I know deep down she enjoyed the process of making her own phyllo. I definitely inherited her gift of baking. I don’t think I’ve ever baked anything that was inedible. I guess I’m patting myself on the back like my mother often did. When you have the knack to bake, it’s a unique gift.

Courtesy of http://www.cookingforkeeps.com

Hence that is what Christmas is to me, eating my mom’s cooking. She also made these butter cookies with brandy, almonds and powdered sugar ("kourabiedes"). They melted in your mouth unlike anything I’ve had in a long time. She often made them for parties or wedding showers where everyone ate them knowing who made them. They were amazed how delicious they were. My mother embraced those positive remarks. She often told me in confidence how bad other people’s attempts were – they didn’t cook them right or they didn’t add enough brandy or baking power. Regardless of everyone’s attempt – hers were the best.

My mom has been gone from my life for almost 10 years and I miss her dearly every day. I see her in my “stuffed cabbage,” baked goods and turkey that I make on Thanksgiving that’s not dry or over cooked. I work hard to cook and bake things that others will enjoy eating. I make sure I add the right ingredients so they won’t go into the trash. I was brought up never wasting food so I work just as hard as she often did to make food that is eaten. Most of the time, I throw together a bunch of vegetables, onions, garlic and tomatoes. The basic ingredients everyone needs to make any food taste like “food.”

For this Christmas, I honor my mother who gave me my gift for baking and cherish the people I meet. Be friendly and smile she would always say. Merry Christmas Mom where ever you are. You are forever in my heart.