Year’s end notables

The Explainer on Slate.com notes, “Which Movie Critics Really Matter?” to help us figure out which year’s end award to take seriously (I still wouldn’t take the Golden Globes that seriously, but it’s fun to watch on tv).

Consider the following: Some weeks ago, I noticed that the TD Waterhouse commercials no longer had the actor Steven Hill on as the spokesman. Hill, for those not in the know, was the DA Adam Schiff on “Law and Order” (the original incarnation); he was also the original team leader of “Mission Impossible” (but, really, I think “Jim” was the team leader best remembered). Hill played his spokesman role as the crotchedy old guy who made you feel stupid for not saving your money. Then, lo and behold, instead of the old guy, TD Waterhouse has… Sam Waterston? The Deputy DA of “Law and Order” – Mr. McCoy?! (no, not the Star Trek chief medical officer). I was thinking, geez, what’s with TD Waterhouse and “Law and Order”? And, here’s the Slate.com with an interesting analysis, on what TD Waterhouse is doing with the “Law and Order” folks. It is too funny.

(By coincidence, I’m currently watching Sam Waterston on “Much Ado About Nothing” on Channel 25 (NYC’s alternate PBS selection); it’s a television filming of his work from the 1970’s or early ’80’s of a Shakespeare play he did in NYC where made his first claim to fame. Waterston is such a good actor – from “I’ll Fly Away” to “Law and Order” and… TD Waterhouse commercials). Maybe TD Waterhouse like the alliteration they had in common with Waterston.

The comic strip “Stone Soup” (profiling the life of the Stone family) has a funny spin on reflecting and regretting the year’s end. As Grandma Stone says, “What’s DONE is DONE! What will be will be. You all THINK too much! You’re just wallowing in pointless angst. Enjoy the dang sunset…” Yeah, but don’t we like our angst because it makes us think we’re such deep folks? Funny thought – Grandma is right, really.

Lord of the Rings

Finally saw the third movie of the “Lord of the Rings” today. Great movie. Great acting. Sean Astin ought to be nominated Best Supporting actor for his role; I’m not just saying that because his character was good, but because his acting was so strong. He stood out. Viggo Mortenson as Aragorn was also great. I can only say “great” so many times, but it was such a rich movie, despite some plot holes (then again, I have yet to read the books, and I probably should); suspension of belief makes one accept anything so long as the acting itself is believable.

Such a great movie; worth the money and time to see it.

The Day After Christmas

NY Times’ Quotation of the Day of December 25, 2003:

“I understand. It’s not the same kind of world it once was. I think everybody understands that.”
– ROANNA GLYNN, a Los Angeles schoolteacher who was supposed to fly from Los Angeles to Paris, but her flight was canceled.

Yes, our world is what it is, and not what it once was.

Jason Mraz’s “The Remedy” is quite a song. Nice to hear it while I’m doing this particular post. “It amounts to nothing in the end… I won’t worry my life away…” A motto we should all have in an age where it could seem too easy to panic and surrender. Yes, Ms. Glynn, we do need understanding and a whole lot of it.

Whether you’re for death penalty or against it, the Washington D.C. Sniper cases have to give one some pause for thought about the death penalty issue. Consider the NY Times’ “Penalty for Young Sniper Could Spur Change in Law.”

Brent Staples’ editorial in the NY Times has an interesting view of the relevation about Strom Thurmond’s long-secret daughter. I’ve been following the various articles about it on Slate.com and the Washington Post online, and I haven’t been entirely satisfied by the coverage, since the situation seems so very complicated to me – yes, there is the big picture of how we view race and class relations in America, but there are also the very human elements behind the revelation – Essie Mae Washington-Williams had to deal with her own story for all these years; her father’s views about the past may never be known, since he has passed away and left it to historians to figure out what is his legacy; and the rest of his family – their opinions (for there probably is more than one opinion about it) are still unfolding. To me, Staples’ editorial somewhat captured the complications; indeed, I think Ms. Washington-Williams’ story is rich in depth for what it means for so many.

Enjoy the post-Christmas shopping; I know I will…