Last summer was the year of the movie at my house. I got one of those Blockbuster passes that let you have unlimited movies so long as you only rent one movie at a time and I checked out a new one almost every single night.
I definitely got my money’s worth.
I kept the pass even after my regular TV shows started up again in the fall, and I still get at least one movie each week. It’s probably not worth the money at that rate, but then there are weeks like this past one. I saw the Oscars on Sunday and was reminded that it was time for some catchin’ up.
I saw “Skyfall” on Monday night. Definitely one of the better Bond movies. I like the Bonds of the past, but this Bond has a soulfulness that’s been lacking for a few Bonds. Of course, the action and stunts and explosions were there, it’s a Bond flick, after all.
On Tuesday, it was “Argo,” which won for Best Picture. I didn’t see most of the other movies nominated in the category, but this was a fantastic movie. I was on the edge of my couch, yelling at the TV and practically hyperventilating as I tried to “coach” the actors portraying an event that happened 33 years earlier on how they should proceed. I’m not that stupid, it was just that good of a movie.
I was a teenager when all this went down, but I still remember what a crappy time this was in our history. In hindsight, it wasn’t as bad as things could and would get, but at the time it seemed that our superpower nation had been brought to heel by a bunch of unruly college students with guns. And suddenly, the Canucks had pulled a fast one. For a little while, Canada was cool and not in an ironic way. Nice to know that it was our very own Ninja Turtles who played the biggest part in the action.
Honestly, some of the best movies I’ve seen this past year weren’t the big mega budget films, though. If you’re looking for something fun, try one of these little-budget movies: “Butter,” “Ten Items or Less,” and “Trout Fishing in Yemen.” They weren’t nominated for anything, but they were smart, funny movies that left me feeling happy for having seen them.
We also rented “Flight,” recently, which was nominated for two Acadamy Awards but didn’t win. If you’re really well-adjusted, have never known anyone in your life with a substance abuse problem, or have never gotten on an airplane, if you don’t ever watch or read the news or have never stubbed your toe painfully, you might like “Flight.”
Pretty much everyone else will hate it. Denzel Washington is a wonderful actor, but even he shouldn’t have the right to torture his fans like this.
I feel vindicated that it didn’t win any Oscars. Me and Hollywood? We’re sympatico, Baby.
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Janet Jacobs is City Editor of the Daily Sun. Her column appears on Saturdays. She may be reached by email at jjacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “soundoff” on this column? Email: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
Opinion
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Janet Jacobs is City Editor of the Daily Sun
Discussion
Off to the movies
- Opinion
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Dumb people in the news
In the news this week was an on-line press release from the Department of Environmental Protection for the state of Pennsylvania that they’ve lost a nuclear device off the back of a truck somewhere between Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Troxler Model 3430 is a radioactive gauge that takes measurements in the ground. The press release from the DEP states that anyone finding the box should not “tamper” with it.
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Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
This amounts to spying on an American news organization — common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press. -
Flying the “Delta Connector”
I had an unfortunate fall earlier this week and wrecked my back to the point where I cannot spend much time sitting up at my desk to write. Therefore, I am recycling a piece I wrote many years ago about our first trip from Corsicana back to Denver.
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It's my job
A couple of weeks ago, some chowderheads released a study saying that the worst job in America is that of newspaper reporters because of the low pay, long, odd hours and stress.
Number two on the list was lumberjack, which makes sense because trees kill.
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Message from the Mayor: Safety first
The tragic incident that recently occurred in West serves as a stark reminder that disasters can occur at any time or place.
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Angels among us
The winds have dispersed the mushroom cloud that hovered over the small town of West. The dust has settled. The President of the United States, the Governor of Texas and other dignitaries have come to join in the memorial for those who lost their lives.
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Missing the fun
Sad to say, in the 11 years The Little Woman (don’t call me that!) and I lived in Navarro County, we never attended the annual Derrick Days festivities. We followed all the events in the Daily Sun, but we never schlepped into town to “walk amongst em.” I guess, if I were to be honest with myself, I am the reason we never went.
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Need a job? Leave the cat at home
The USA Today has printed an article this past week of advice to newly minted college graduates on how to get a job which basically boiled down to “don’t be stupid.”
This is excellent advice for any situation, but particularly that crucial job interview. -
Plenty to do
I don’t wanna hear anyone griping about “there’s not anything to do around here.”
In fact, there’s SO much to do around here, I’m not sure how anyone can get to it all! -
Letters to the Editor 5/4/13
To the Editor: Education, in my opinion, is the key to solving the problems we face in today’s world. We owe it to every child in Corsicana to provide him/her with the tools to reach their fullest potential.
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