a walk in the woods

A Walk in the Woods - the book, the movie...

I am a big fan of this book, the true story of author Bill Bryson's adventure on the Appalachian Trail. I have read it a couple of times, listened to the audio version, one of the re-reads came after hearing the news that Robert Redford had bought the movie rights ten years ago. In anticipation of the upcoming movie in 2005, I re-read the book (as I usually do before a book makes its movie debut), envisioning a young Sundance, I mean Robert Redford as Bill, and as Katz I could see the overweight and funny John Candy (who was already gone by then). Actually Redford envisioned doing the movie with his pal Paul Newman, But the movie version never happened. Until now.

I must say I was skeptical that Redford would pull this off, the story of Bryson's hiking the AT in his mid 40s, when Redford is now 79. And Nick Nolte? Seriously?

But I was pleasantly surprised, it actually worked! The theatre was filled with geezers, sorry, folks of a certain age who remember Robert Redford, and the laughter was often and genuine.

I never really thought about where they would do the filming, figuring it would be in a soundstage somewhere, but was again surprised and excited to see our own southern Appalachian mountains right there on the big screen. The Amicalola Lodge, a mere 7 miles away from our house (as the crow flies). The symbolic arch at the beginning of the grueling 8.5 miles approach trail. Crossing Neels Gap and the shoe tree. The long walk across Fontana Dam (the tallest dam in the eastern US) and into the Smoky Mountains.

I have read many books by through-hikers, the predominant theme being rain, wet feet, heavy packs, rain, hunger, blisters. But this story was about getting out and enjoying life, away from the everyday, being awe-inspired by the great vistas, tall trees, and clear streams. And about companionship.

This movie version of A Walk in the Woods is very condensed as compared to the book, which often happens with movies, but it is a good representation of the essence of the story. Thanks, Mr. Redford for getting this story to the big screen, now time to read this book one more time, for the rest of the story.

thumbs up

Movie review - Trouble with the Curve

I haven't met an Eastwood movie I didn't like, and this was no exception.  Eastwood and baseball filmed in Georgia, what more do you need?

Clint Eastwood is showing his age, but he's still got it!  From an emotion scene where he became trembly-lipped and choked up, to his grumpy old man impression GRRRR…, from the cemetery scene to the barroom fight, classic Eastwood all the way.  I don't think I have ever seen him emotional before, and did you know he can sing?  

Sure, there were no horses or 357 magnums, but who needs those props when you have great actors?  Of course there was the flashback (loved it!) to a younger Clint in a fight - possibly a Dirty Harry clip from the cutting room floor?   

Mr. Eastwood had no problem carrying the film on his own, but he had a lot of help from a great supporting cast - John Goodman, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, even his real-life son, Scott Eastwood, was one of the ball players.

This is a movie about baseball and it was filmed all around Georgia, on baseball fields in Jasper and Young Harris, at an old motel in Dawsonville, on the streets of Athens and Atlanta. 

So if you like good movies and good actors and baseball, check it out.  See if you recognize any of the locales.  It has mixed reviews, some calling it a strike out, but I think it is a home run!

Book Review: The Ghost

The Ghost by Robert Harris

The story begins (narrated by the author/ghostwriter) just has he is being offered a job to write the memoirs of the former prime minister of Britain. He usually writes fluff memoirs of athletes or celebrities, so he is immediately drawn to this serious project which will become a part of history. There's just one thing, instead of starting from scratch, he is to continue the writing started by the first ghostwriter (McAra)- who died presumably by accident. The offer is too good to turn down, world politics, great paycheck, all sounds very exciting until he discovers more about his predecessor's death, and now he too may be in danger of washing up on shore.

The moment I heard how McAra died, I should have walked away. I can see that now. (1st line of book)

Usually delegated to the background in his story writing, this time the ghost finds himself immersed in international politics, war crimes, espionage, and danger. Daily revelations about the actions of the prime minister are coming out and being reported on the news. The writer, who has been instructed to finish the book within a month, is under great pressure from the publisher who is ecstatic with the escalation in current events surrounding the prime minister, which will no doubt boost sales. But the greatest pressure is in trying to stay alive and away from all the people who want him and his book's secrets revealed - or hidden away forever.

This is a real page-turner, hard to put down, the story goes very quickly. Even after all the drama plays out (or you think that is all) and the book is published, an even bigger surprise awaits you at the end. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good read.

In addition to the mystery/thriller story, there was also an underlying story that I found interesting, the profession of ghostwriting.

Of all the advantages that ghosting offers, one of the greatest must be the opportunity that you get to meet people of interest. ~Ghostwriting by Andrew Crofts

Robert Harris, the author, quotes from a ghostwriting handbook, Ghostwriting by Andrew Crofts. At the beginning of each chapter of The Ghost there is a quote from this handbook which I found added a lot to the story, helping me to understand what the ghostwriter was trying to achieve and the process used in writing someone else's story.

Ghostwriters (or ghosts) must extensively interview their clients and try to glean as much information as possible, searching lost memories and feelings, trying at the same time to understand the reasons for the client's actions, so when the story is written it sounds genuine.

I have often been told by subjects that by the end of the research process, they feel as if they have been in therapy. ~Ghostwriting by Andrew Crofts

The ghost is not given any glory for his work, is not listed as an author of the book, and is not invited to the book launch parties. It is a thankless job, but hopefully the ghost is paid enough to make it all worth it (in this story he is paid $250,000).

If you are going to be the least bit upset not to see your name credited or not to be invited to the launch party then you are going to have a miserable time ghosting altogether. ~Ghostwriting by Andrew Croft

The reason I went in search of this book is that it has been made into a movie,  Ghost Writer. We saw a preview for this movie a while ago, it looked like it would be pretty good, and we kept waiting for it to come out at the local theatre, but it never did. It is now scheduled to come out on DVD on August 3rd.

Now that I know the story, I am looking forward to seeing the movie (and see how different it will be). In case the movie is bad, at least it has some redeeming qualities - Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor... will keep you posted.

Maddie's Movie Reviews

We watch a lot of movies, and I was going to review some of them, but granddaughter Madison beat me to it, check it out here!

what are your kids reading

The recurring theme of vampires is once again popular with the younger generation. What is this facination with vampires? What are vampires anyway? Are they real?

According to Wikipedia: Vampires are mythological or folkloric revenants who subsist by feeding on the blood of the living.

Our grandkids and all other kids their age are very excited about the upcoming vampire tale movie Twilight releasing on November 21st. They are great fans of author Stephanie Meyer and have read all of her books so far.

We watched an interview with the author on CBS last month, she said the idea for the story came to her in a dream:

"The girl, who would become Bella in the novels, was just an average teenager. The boy, Edward, was a vegetarian vampire, constantly fighting his desire to drink human blood."

I have never been a fan of the vampire stories, but I can remember back in grade school my friends rushing home after school to watch vampire Barnabas Collins on the daily gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. Does anyone remember that?

So vampires are back once again, the kids are reading and excited about reading, hey this might be the best thing since Harry Potter!

election 2008

Who will get your vote for President?

Amazon is conducting Election 2008: Best President on DVD. Cast your vote now, results on November 5th!



I am torn between my two favorites, Kevin Kline as President Bill Mitchell in Dave and Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd in The American President



Sure these two are fictional presidents, but isn't that the best kind? They are also great movies! This is about as close as I will get to talking about politics, so get out there and vote, either for your favorite movie president or the for the real thing.

Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason. ~Author Unknown

still making memories

We all grew up with Andy Griffith and have a lot of good memories watching him over the years.

Twice this summer I was pleasantly surprised to see him performing, his snow white hair shining and that smiling face.



The first time was on this music video with Brad Paisley Waitin' on a Woman.



And again starring in a movie we recently rented, Waitress with Keri Russell.

He was great in both, he is 82 years old and can still deliver his lines. It was like seeing an old friend. It was good to see you again, Andy, glad you are doing well and still making memories.

memorable movie quotes

Movies are a big part of our entertainment. We love to watch movies, go to the movies, rent movies, and not just for the popcorn. Some movies we have seen so many times we can recite the lines along with the actors. Some movie lines just seem to stick and we find ourselves using them in conversation.

I saw this guess the movie quote idea over at cousin Barry's blog a while back, and have been thinking about it, so here are quotes from some of my favorite movies, can you guess the movie?

• In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight.
  
  
• Clear the mechanism.
  
  
• So you're my Uncle Joey. Better get used to these bars, kid.
  
  
• No one has said "whoopsidaisies" for fifty years and even then it was only little girls with blonde ringlets.
  
  
• You're a lawyer too? I was already a bloodsucking parasite. All I needed was a briefcase!
  
  
• You got more talent in one lugnut than a lot of cars has got on their whole body.
  
  
• You're going to jail, Bart. Say good-bye to the wife and Tater Tots.
  
  
• Hitting that baseball has spun your life off in an entirely new direction.
  
  
• The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she is treated.
  
  
• You want me to strap her to the hood? She'll be fine. It's not as if it's going to rain or something.
  
  
• Swing away Merrill.
  
  
• My dad's been captured by a ho!
  
  
• I am your number one fan.

Of course, these are just my favorites, there are a lot more famous movie quotes out there. What is your favorite?


~photo Popcorn by Grant Heilman found at All Posters

just rent it

the days are short, the nights are long, it is cold, there is nothing on TV, so the movie rentals are keeping the mailman busy...



License to Wed ~ Newly engaged Ben Murphy (John Krasinski) and his fiancée, Sadie Jones (Mandy Moore), plan to live happily ever after. But first they have to pass the marriage prep course by Reverend Frank (Robin Williams). I admit the trailers seen for this did not look that good, but boy was I wrong! It was hilarious, Robin Williams was at his best in this one, a must-see!


Catch and Release ~We kept passing this one by, as it was dubbed 'tearjerker' by Netflix, but finally watched it, and it was very good! Jennifer Garner stars as "a woman who must deal with the untimely death of her husband and the revelation of secrets he kept from her". The many secrets discovered in the days and weeks after her fiance's death are both surprising and entertaining. Also starring Juliette Lewis (the daughter in Cape Fear) and Timothy Olyphant (the bad guy in Live Free or Die Hard). Life is messy...love is messier.

The Contract ~ Two of my favorite actors, John Cusack and Morgan Freeman, with those two this movie has to be good, and we weren't disappointed. Described as a drama and thriller - "While on a hiking trip to reconnect with his son after the death of his wife, Ray Keene stumbles into a nightmare scenario of paid assassins and ex-military guns-for-hire." Morgan Freeman was the bad guy, well not too bad. A great movie for edge of seat and popcorn!

In the Land of Women ~ Adam Brody stars as a "guy who takes a vacation from his recent breakup and develops a relationship with a mother and daughter he didn't expect". Meg Ryan stars, and Olympia Dukakis gives a hilarious performance as the dying grandmother. This movie was described as comedy, drama, romance, and it delivered all of those. Relationships abound (mother/daughter, grandmother/grandson, older woman/younger man), all making for a very entertaining movie.

Music and Lyrics ~ Hugh Grant stars as Alex Fletcher, a washed-up '80s pop star. He is trying to write a new song and finds the perfect music writing partner in Sophie, played by Drew Barrymore. Costarring Brad Garrett (Raymond's brother) and Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock from the Sun). Another romantic comedy, but a surprisingly fun story, with the added perk of seeing Hugh Grant shake his booty!



So stock up on popcorn, rent some movies, and try to beat the winter blahs!

the bucket list

Carrie hung out with the old folks on Sunday, free dinner and a movie sounded good to her. Little did she know she would be in the 'old folks' theatre watching The Bucket List. The place was packed with senior citizens!

The movie was very good, not a surprise, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, and directed/produced by Rob Reiner.

The premise of The Bucket List is about making a list of things you want to do before kicking the bucket. So now we are all thinking about making a list. Carrie is way ahead of us already on her list:

Go to Australia, Fiji, New Zealand - been there done that
See the Grand Canyon - been there done that
Get married - been there done that, got the dress
Skydiving - been there done that

I guess I better get busy on my list. What is on your Bucket List?

Christmas movies

Stacked on top of the TV, ready for holiday viewing. Classics old and new, we look forward to spending the next few weeks with the Griswolds, Ralphie, Clarence, Scrooge, and all the gang. Make some popcorn, hot chocolate, and gather round for some good old holiday fun!

Humorist Jean Shepard's nostalgic view of Christmastime in Indiana during the 1940s is a holiday classic. Nine-year-old Ralphie desperately wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas and wages an all-out campaign to convince his reluctant parents (Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon) that the toy is safe. Meanwhile, as Ralphie prepares for the big day, his brother has a strange relationship with food, and his dad fights the never-ending furnace battle. 1983


It's a wonderful film. Frank Capra's inverted take on A Christmas Carol stars Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, a good man who's spent a lifetime giving up on his dreams in order to keep life in his small town humming. When a guardian angel named Clarence finds a despondent George poised to jump off a bridge, he shows George what life would've been like had he never been born. 1946



Families suck. That's the opinion of 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), whose family unwittingly leaves him behind when they go on vacation. In no time, Kevin makes the most of the situation, watching forbidden flicks and pigging out on junk food. But when a pair of bungling burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) set their sights on Kevin's house, the plucky kid stands ready to defend his territory -- by planting booby traps galore! 1990


When Santa falls down drunk in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, reluctant Macy's supervisor Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara) offers the job to a bearded Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar) purporting to be the real Santa! During the Christmas season, he shares a flat with Doris's neighbor (John Payne), who has eyes for Doris. Kris hopes to unite the two while winning over Doris's skeptical 6-year-old daughter (Natalie Wood). 1947


Cold-hearted TV exec Bill Murray is about to discover the true meaning of Christmas -- the hard way. This wild, woolly spin on Dickens's A Christmas Carol sees Murray visited by three high-spirited spirits … and while there are laughs aplenty, Murray's reformation and redemption are immensely powerful. With hilarious support from John Forsythe, Karen Allen, Carol Kane and others, Scrooged is a modern Christmas classic. 1988


Deck the halls with boughs of laughter -- the Griswolds are back! Clark (Chevy Chase), Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) and the kids (Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki) gear up for the holidays in this installment of the "Vacation" series. As per usual, all the good intentions in the world can't save the family from disaster...or Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid, who practically steals the show). 1989


Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play war buddies turned entertainers who fall for a pair of sisters (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen). The boys follow the girls to a resort, which is owned by their former commanding officer, and he's in danger of losing the place. What better reason to stage a show than to keep the resort out of hock? 1954

movie time

"Don't you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence? There's one marked 'Brightness,' but it doesn't work."
~ Gallagher

There is not much on TV as usual, so rent a movie and make some popcorn!





I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry with Adam Sandler and Kevin James.

Another very funny movie from Adam Sandler and company, laugh out loud funny! Great flick with a lot of familiar faces if you are a Sandler fan.




Fracture with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling.


Classic Hopkins, a smart cunning character who shoots his wife, but the young DA must prove it, and that is where the fun begins. Lots of twists and turns, very entertaining.





Mr. Brooks with Kevin Costner and William Hurt

Kevin Costner as the bad guy?

He pulls it off (along with the help of his alter-ego) in this psychological thriller. A little spooky and weird, but great suspense.





Georgia Rule with Jane Fonda, Lindsey Lohan, Felicity Huffman.

Fonda is great as always, Lohan's character was too much like seeing her on the nightly news. Lots of family conflict and skeletons coming out of the closet. A little too dark for me.

watching the radio

We have been watching Prairie Home Companion radio show on DVD. It is recorded in front of a live audience in Minnesota and sent out over the radio airways every Saturday night.

Garrison Keillor hosts the show, introduces the guests, sings, and does commercials. He is most noted for telling great stories of his fictional home town of Lake Wobegon, where "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."

We saw a show from 1992 with singer Emmy Lou Harris with a young Vince Gill playing in her backup band. Another show featured the Everly Brothers.



The 2006 movie about the show features Keillor along with a long list of stars including Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin. Both the movie and DVDs are available for rent, great entertainment!

Read more about Prairie Home Companion here and here.

Keillor has also written several books and hosts The Writer's Almanac website.

Yippie-ki-yay

It's the 4th of July and John McClane is here to save the day, once again.

Can Bruce Willis really pull off another Die Hard movie? You bet.

If you like action, a LOT of action, and if you don't think too much about whether all this could really happen, you will like Live Free or Die Hard.

I got up from my movie seat sore from bracing myself for all the car crashes, dodging bullets, running from helicopters, airplanes, driving a big rig, and getting shot at. And you will never guess who McClane finally ends up shooting - but I don't want to spoil it for you.

I admit I went into the theater thinking that this was just another sequel, just another shoot-em-up action flick, but I came out all pumped up, bring 'em on!

Yippie-Ki-Yay-Mo...