The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
I would classify things in this category that were related to arts, literature, cinema, performance. Things that make us and the world better.
We’ve added a new survey. We’re asking you to name your three favorite Holiday movies for this time of year. If you especially like on that’s not on the list, let me know, and we’ll add it. My personal favorites are A Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Vacation, the old and sappy White Christmas, and the granddaddy of them all, A Christmas Story.
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Based on the novel written by Stephen Chbosky, this is about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs. The introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who welcome him to the real world. I love this movie. It’s amazing. It has a great script, great cast, it’s well directed, awesome soundtrack and undeniable strong performances. This is one of the best coming of age movies I’ve ever seen.
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The true story of the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis–the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. In 1979, the American embassy in Iran was invaded by Iranian revolutionaries and several Americans are taken hostage. However, six manage to escape to the official residence of the Canadian Ambassador and the CIA is eventually ordered to get them out of the country. This is definitely a film worth seeing. I give it an eight.
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I was in Washington most of last week on business. Lay flew in Friday afternoon, and we spent the weekend touring. We did most of touristy things including the Air and Space Museum out near Dulles that Friday afternoon. Saturday and Sunday were spent mostly downtown around the Mall. I’d not been to the Air and Space Museum so that was cool. This was Lay’s first trip at all.
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When long-term congressman Cam Brady commits a major public gaffe before an upcoming election, a pair of ultra-wealthy CEOs plot to put up a rival candidate and gain influence over their North Carolina district. Their man: naive Marty Huggins, director of the local Tourism Center. At first, Marty appears to be the unlikeliest possible choice but, with the help of his new benefactors’ support, a cutthroat campaign manager and his family’s political connections, he soon becomes a contender who gives the charismatic Cam plenty to worry about. As Election Day closes in, the two are locked in a dead heat, with insults quickly escalating to injury until all they care about is burying each other. Because even when you think campaign ethics have hit rock bottom, there’s room to dig a lot deeper.
Read moreI suppose of all the classical music out there, perhaps my favorite is the Pachelbel Canon in D. It’s beautiful melody has soothed me many times, and it seems there’s almost no treatment of music that doesn’t turn out beautiful. Guitar, organ, symphony orchestra, hammered dulcimer…it doesn’t seem to matter, it almost always sounds amazing.
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An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum’s novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films. To become an elite government operative, a man hands himself over to the same agency that birthed the likes of Jason Bourne, but he’s eventually forced to go on the run.
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After their mother passes away, sisters Nicole and Annie reluctantly return to their childhood home to pay their last respects. While staying overnight in the house, the sisters sense a mysterious presence in their midst: noises startling them in the night, objects moving about, a fallen picture of an unknown woman posed next to their mother. Annie begins experiencing a series of intense and disturbing dreams visions that lead her to uncover something terrible about her mothers past that is finally revealing itself.
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Here’s a cute video of one guy did playing a four-hand transcription of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. He says in the comments it took a lot of takes to get it together, but I think he did a pretty cool job.
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In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs.
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Michael Lind has a great story at Salon.com today about how conservatives say one thing, but do another. I know that will come as a shock. Despite their claims of being the people bent on protecting Americans’ freedoms, they are actually the people who have, over the past 60 years, most sought to curtail those freedoms. Lind is careful to make the distinction between true Libertarians and conservatives, and points out that, since World War II, conservatives have opposed every expansion of personal liberty in the U.S. This really is an article you need to read, especially if you are a conservative.
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