Two Girls From Texas in a Car: April 2016

SUNDANCE CONTINUES

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

Director Whit Stillman Cast: Kate Beckinsale,Chloe Sevigny, Tom Bennett, Stephen Fry

Set in the opulent drawing rooms of 18th century English Society, Kate Beckinsale plays a beautiful widow. She is incredibly conniving and wants to find a wealty suitor for herself and her daughter.

Adapting Jane Austen's unpublished early novella, "Lady Susan", Kate Beckinsale convincingly plays a witty, beautiful, engaging widow. Tom Bennett is hysterically funny.

EXCELLENT (There are serveral manners that slip through).

WEINER

Director - Josh Kriegman,Elyse Steinberg

Unprecedented access to Anthony Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin (Hillary Clinton's top aide)

What begins as an unexpected comback as mayor of New York turns into a media ripping him apart when an additional text is found.

Weiner teeters the line between political farce and personal tragedy.

One feels sorry for Huma Abedin - she is a martyr.

EXCELLENT ( How pathetic is the media interference 24-7 into politicians lives??)

Another theatre venue......

CERTIAN WOMEN

Director Kelly Reichardt Cast - Laura Dern,Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams,Jared Harris

I have no idea why the film kept repeating horrible nothing scenes.

HORRIBLE ( It gave us a chance to take a nap during the day)

INDIGNATION

Director James Schamus Cast - Sarah Gadon,Logan Lerman,Tracy Letts, Linda Emond, Danny Burstein

Adapting Phillip Roth's novel with warmth and faithfulness. Jewish boy arrives at a strictly Christian school. He falls in love with a beautiful classmate. Phillip Roth's language transcends time.

He really "gets" the adolescent male.

EXCELLENT (Tracy Letts' and Logan Lerman's interaction is remarkable )

GLEASON

Director Clay Tweel Cast: Steve Gleason,Michel Gleason, Rivers Gleason

At the age of 34, fromer New Orleans Sains defensive back Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS and given the life expectancy of 2-5 years. A video journal that began as a gift for his unborn son expands to chronicle Steve's determination to get his relationships in order.

Told through the lens of the NFL icon, it shows the strength of his wife Michel, and their determination to carry on.

GOOD (Incredible story of faith and strong will)

CHRISTINE

Director - Antonio Campos Cast: Rebecca Hall,Michael Hall, Maria Dizzia, Tracy Letts

Christine is an ambitious 29 year old news reporter in Sarasota, Florida, 1974. Relentlessly motivated to succeed she is driven to despair. Ratings in the cellar, issues with the station manager, pathetic home life, she goes to extremes to accomplish her goals.

GOOD (It's a story about how people behave before Prozac)

Moving to the next venue..........

THE BIRTH OF A NATION

Director- Nate Parket Cast - Nate Paraker, Armie Hammer,Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley,Gabrielle Union, Marak Boon, Jr.

When a slave boy, Nat Turner, was taken to meet the elders in the deep woods of 1800's Southampton County , Virginia, it was determeined he would be a prophet. He was encourage to study the Holy Bible and be a preacher to his fellow slaves. Based on true events, this is the long awaited story of Nat Turner, the American-born slave who would lead the most successful slave rebellion in American history.

EXCELLENT (It captures the slavery issue in the south in the 1800's)

Hanging out with friend Tommy Oliver at the festival...

Main Street in Park City

Great time at the festival.......

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2016 PARK CITY UTAH

Welcoming us to Sundance,Mr. Redford

Opening night film at the Eccles Theatre "Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You"

Directors Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady

The most influential creator, writer and producer in the history of television. Norman Lear brought primetime into step with the times. His legendary 1970's..."All in the Family","Maude", "Good Times", and "The Jeffersons", boldly cracked open dialogue and introduced humanism into sociopolitical debates on race,class,creed and feminism. Mr. Lear is 93 and still going.

EXCELLENT RATING - (could have eliminated the little "Norman" in the film)

OTHER PEOPLE

Director Chris Kelly Cast: Jesse Piemons,Molly Shannot,Bradley

Whitford, Maude Apatow.

David, a struggling comedy writer fresh off from breaking up with his boyfriend, moves from New York City to Sacramento to help his sick mother. His father has not accepted his homosexuality,and he feels like a stranger in his childhood home. Molly Shannon and Jesse Piemons are convincing as a mother and son team.

GOOD RATING (the graphic sex scene with Paul and David could have been eliminated, especially since they had broken up)

John Cooper, the artistic director of Sundance.

MORRIS FROM AMERICA

Director Chad Hartigan Cast: Markees Christmas, Craig Robinson,Carla Juri, Lina Keller.

The film revolves around a 13 year old African American boy named Morris and the relationship he has with his father. They are new residents of Heidelberg, Germany - the father is coaching a soccer team. Morris falls in love with a German girl and goes on a tumultuous journey to find himself and his relationship with his father.

EXCELLENT RATING (heartwarming and sincere)

SWISS ARMY MAN

Directors: Daniel Kwan,Daniel Scheinert Cast: Paul Dano,Daniel Radcliff

This was a pathetic film with Paul Dano stranded on an island and Daniel Radcliff's corpse washes up on the island. After 20 minutes of hearing Daniel Radcliff 's dead corpse farting, we left.

Really pathetic.

HORRIBLE - (I would be ashamed to be featured in a film where I farted the entire time)

WEINER-DOG

Director - Todd Solonda Cast: Greta Gerwig,Kieran Culkin, Danny DeVito,Ellen Burstyn, Tracy Letts.

Weiner-dog tells several stories featuring people who find their life inspiried or changed by one particular dachshund who spreads a certain kind of comfort and joy.

He is paired with peculiar family situations, and brings happiness and focus in their lives.

GOOD (Spoiler Alert!!! - did you have to keep running over the dog 4 times???)

HUNT FOR THE WILDERNESS PEOPLE

Director: TaikaWaititi Cast: Sam Neill,Julian Dennison, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley

Raised on hip-hop and foster care, deviant city city Ricky gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. Uncle Hec (Sam Neill) travels on a journey in the bush to escape social workers. Comedy with a touching story between Sam Neill and Julian Dennison as they cement their relationship.

EXCELLENT (The countryside was fabulous)

TALLULAH

Director - Sian Heder Cast: Ellen Page,Allison Janny, Tammy Blanchad, Evan Jonigkeit

Young Lu lives in a van and is fiercely independent in her hand to mouth existence. Lu has an encounter with a negligent mother who forces her to "babysit" her 18 month old daughter. Lu takes the child to her boyfriend's home and convinces the mother that the child is her grand daughter. Allison Janny is great as the mother of the boyfriend, and Ellen Page plays a carbon copy of her character in "Juno".

EXCELLENT ( I would like to see Ellen Page play a different character in another film)

Our twice daily walk from the Marriot to the Eccles theatre....

We're havin' fun now!!!!

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Director - Kenneth Lonergan Cast - Casey Affleck,Michelle Williams,Lucas Hedges, Kyle Chandler

Casey Affleck plays a brooding loner who works in Boston as a handyman. His brother heart has given out suddenly, and he's been named guardian to his 16 year old nephew.

Casey Affleck gives a star performance worthy of an Oscar nodd.

The story is complex and crosses all ranges of emotion.

EXCELLENT ( The writing is superb)

Matt Damon featured is one of the producers of the film.....

SPAIN- COSTA BRAVA-MEETING NEW AND OLD FRIENDS

This is the Catalan Independentist flag. The Catalan National Assembly voted for independence on 2012. The measure did not reach a majority , and is still a possibility in the next election.

CASTELLO D'EMOURIES

The Gothic parish church of Saint Maria has the structure and dimensions of a cathedral.

It is one of the most interesting examples of Catalan Gothic religious archetecture. It's construction started in the XII century, and continued throughout the XIV century. In the XV century, the facade with the outstanding marble porch was built.

The Gothic Meciterranean interour contains single Romanesque baptism fonts. An outstanding alabaster main altarpiece from the XV century. Two sarcophaguses of local Counts, a Gothic stained glass window, and many other fascinating features.

BEGUR

I met friends here for lunch.

The Aiguablava is one of the most prestigious beaches along the Costa Brava.

EL PORT DE LA SELVA

MONASTERY OF SANT PERE DE RODES

The orgins of the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes are lost in the mists of time and legend.

Archaeology has revealed the existence of a large building in the 6th century.

The monastery's golden age began in the 10th century, when a noble called Tasi and count Gausfred of Empuries took an interes in Sant Pere.

After large donations it became an abbey in 944.

The church we can now see was built in the 10th and 11th centures, and the monastery became the most important centers of spirtual, political and economic power of the day. It was able to commission works of great artistic value, such as the doorway by the master of Cabestany.