Category: Film

Carolina Comments: Viewing & Eating

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NOTEWORTH MOVIES

Continuing to focus on likely Oscar nominees, the Chief Penguin and I watched two recent films on Netflix last week.  Both included music, but one was intense and unconventional; the other was reflective and the winding down of a career and a life.  The films are Emilia Perez and Maria.

GENDER TRANSITION AND MORE

Emilia Perez (Netflix, in Spanish with English subtitles)

Emilia (usatoday.com)

Emilia Perez is a wild, operatic, intensely emotional movie with music, dancing, and some humor.  It’s based on an opera libretto that was adapted from a novel.  

Manitas del Monte, a drug lord with a long history of violence lures Rita Moro Castro, a young lawyer looking for greater recognition and more professional challenges, to oversee his disappearance and transition to a new life as a female.  His wife Jessie must believe he is dead and go into hiding with their two children.  His new life as Emilia is a rollercoaster ride full of surprises and twists.   The soundtrack is great, several dances add levity, and yet there is also mystery and darkness.  

The cast is superb with Karla Sofia Gascon, a trans woman, as both Manitas and Emilia, and Zoe Saldana as the glamorous and selfless Rita.  The film is truly unconventional, but I highly recommend it—if you are seeking something different.

A DIVA REFLECTS BACK

Maria (Netflix)

Angelina Jolie as Maria (nytimes.com)

Greek and American soprano Maria Callas was one of the most noted and talented opera singers of the 20thcentury.  Maria, the film, takes place in Paris during the fall of 1977 with flashbacks to some of Callas’ performances during her stunning career.  Now suffering from a diminished voice, she valiantly rehearses with the faint hope of performing once again.  

While Callas, as convincingly evoked by Angelina Jolie, is the focus, this diva’s life is made comfortable by the care of Bruna and Ferruccio, her stalwart household help.  Her relationship with Aristotle Onassis is also touched upon.

The plot line is simple and measured and interspersed with marvelous singing.  Angelina Jolie does some of the singing, but when Callas is in her prime the recordings are primarily of Callas.  It is not a perfect film but should be enjoyed by opera buffs and Callas fans.

SPIES ON TV

The CP and I are also always on the lookout for good drama and crime series on television.  We recently watched the somewhat different British thriller series called Black Doves.

FRIENDS, LOVERS, & AGENTS

Black Doves (Netflix)

Sam, Helen, & Reed (netflix.com)

When undercover spy, Helen Webb’s secret lover Jason is assassinated, her original trainer, Sam, is sent to London to keep her safe.  Helen nominally leads an ordinary life as a politician’s wife and mother of two children.  Yet, she is part of a covert group called the Black Doves and regularly reports to Reed, her handler.  As Sam and Reed and now Helen become involved in the mystery of who killed the Chinese ambassador to Britain, there is violence—shootings, killings, and kidnappings.  

It is often hard to follow the plot and the motivations of the secondary characters.  What is noteworthy and most enjoyable is the richness of some of the relationships.  Helen and Sam have a genuine longstanding friendship, and there is the bittersweet once-upon-a-time love between triggerman Sam and the upstanding Michael.  

I kept thinking we should abandon this series, but we kept coming back to it.  The cast is wonderful with Keira Knightley as Helen, Ben Whishaw as Sam, Sarah Lancashire as Reed, and familiar faces from Bridgerton and The Crown.   Overall, I recommend it, knowing it will not appeal to everyone.

CARY DINING

Shinmai (N. W. Maynard Road near Lowe’s)

Interior, Shinmai
Salmon bento box

This attractive Japanese restaurant is small, but its menu is extensive.  I dined here for lunch this past week with the Adventurous Eaters.  Our group of 17 took up almost the entire restaurant.  While ramen is a Shimmai specialty, there are plenty of other noodle dishes featuring soba and udon noodles as well as dishes with fish or crab.  Some of us sampled gyoza (little spicy beef dumplings), vegetable tempura, lemongrass ribeye, okonomiyaki (a squid pancake not often seen on menus), a chicken and cabbage bowl, and the teriyaki bento box with salmon.  

The food was very tasty.  On a return visit, I’d like to try more items from the First Flavors part of the menu.   

Note: Shinmai photos and header photo of seesaw park ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Carolina Comments: 2024 Favorite Books & More

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READING: MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR

On average, I read a book or more a week, a mix of literary fiction, thoughtful nonfiction, and the occasional light stuff.  Here are the twelve books I liked the most this year along with the covers of some of them.

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray (historical novel about Labor Secretary & Mainer Frances Perkins; her homestead in Damariscotta has just been named a national historic landmark)

Challenger by Adam Higginbotham (nonfiction, deconstruction of a space shuttle disaster)

Codename Charming by Lucy Parker (just for fun romance between a body guard & a personal assistant to a royal couple)

The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear (the last Maisie Dobbs mystery)

Forty Autumns by Nina Willner (family memoir, living on both sides of the Berlin Wall)

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan (Ku Klux Klan dominance in 1920’s)

Gray Matters by Theodore Schwartz (nonfiction, comprehensive brain anatomy by a neurosurgeon)

James by Percival Everett (re-telling of Huckleberry Finn story from slave Jim’s perspective)

Long Island by Colm Toibin (sequel novel to his Brooklyn)

Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson (memoir by this Supreme Court Justice)

Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips (Pulitzer Prize winner, post-Civil War novel)

An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin (memoir of her & Dick Goodwin’s involvement in 1960’s national politics with JFK and LBJ)

WATCHING: MOVIES CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY

White Christmas

In honor of the season and because, surprise, we had never seen the entire film, the Chief Penguin and I watched White Christmas.  Two men and two women, in a break from their usual singing and dancing commitments, take the train from Miami to Vermont to a charming inn to see and enjoy snow.  The inn is being overseen by their retired Army general friend and is suffering from a lack of guests.  Principals Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, along with Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen, decide to bring their entire show to the inn.  

Set in 1954, it’s sentimental, patriotic, and dated, but also fun.  Songs are interspersed throughout with masterful dancing by Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen, and finally, near the end when there’s snow outside, you get to hear “White Christmas” in Bing’s mellow tones.

Anora (Prime Video or Apple TV, $19.99)

Ivan & Ani (phoenixfilmfestival.com)

As my regular readers know, the Chief Penguin and I try each year to see the most noted films and particularly those that have a chance of being nominated for an Oscar.  Anora showed up on a list of five possible nominees and, since it was available online, we watched it.  Not our usual fare, for sure, but worth it for the stellar performance by Mikey Madison as Anora or Ani, as she prefers.  Also of note is Russian actor Mark Aleksandrovich as Ivan.

Ani, a stripper in a gentlemen’s club, lives a hard life in a downtrodden Brooklyn neighborhood. When she engages the attentions of Ivan, son of a Russian oligarch who asks her to be exclusive, she snaps up this chance for the high life.  How this Cinderella tale plays out once Ivan’s family knows about them is action-filled with an ending rife with ambiguity and open to multiple interpretations. The film is billed as a comedy, but I didn’t find it especially funny; expect lots of foul language and sex.

Note: Header photo of bookcases ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Book covers all from Amazon.com except for Lovely One from Random House.

Chilly Manhattan: Diversions

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BEARING THE COLD

Our first several days here in the Big Apple have been cold, cold with highs of just over 30 degrees and the occasional gust of wind.  Not days for long walks, so we tend to hibernate and catch up on reading or watch promising new films or the latest seasons of favorite drama series. Here are my thoughts on a new film and a nonfiction tome about the brain.

NEW MOVIE:  POMP AND POLITICS VATICAN STYLE

Conclave (Apple TV+)

Based on a novel by Robert Harris (author of Pompeii), Conclave is the story of choosing a new pope.  It is a deliberate, secretive process, often rife with tension, competing priorities, and wildly divergent candidates.  As dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence manages the selection process.  As played by Ralph Fiennes, Lawrence is thoughtful, concerned with doing it the right way, and sometimes conflicted about his role and his own desires. 

His closest colleague and friend is Aldo Bellini, wonderfully played by Stanley Tucci.  Bellini receives some votes on the early ballots, but not as many as far-right outlier Tedesco or the disgraced Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow).  As the voting drags on, secrets and intrigue simmer in the background.

The initial pacing is slow with strong visuals of the cardinals all in red—-assembling, robing, or just listening to the dean.  A scene where they all carry white umbrellas is especially striking.  The viewer may think she has it all figured out, but there is an unexpected twist at the end.  We found it fascinating viewing.  Recommended!

Note: You can rent or buy this film without being an Apple TV subscriber for about the price of two movie tickets.

WHAT I’M READING

Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery by Theodore H. Schwartz

A talented and creative neurosurgeon, Theodore Schwartz has spent most of his career at Cornell’s medical school and hospital in New York.  His book, Gray Matters, takes up a daunting, but fascinating topic for the lay reader.  It’s a text on the anatomy of the brain; accounts of the injuries and brain surgeries of famous individuals from Abraham Lincoln to Natasha Richardson, Robert F. Kennedy, and JFK; a discussion of sports injuries and CTE; and a thorough explanation of those deadly glioblastomas. Along the way, he provides personal history of how he got from aspiring to be a musician to becoming a brain surgeon.

His writing is both accessible and engaging, and he uses good analogies to help his readers picture the distinct parts of the brain.   While not everyone will be interested in this level of detail about brain injuries, it is comprehensive and informative.  Reading it, I hope never to hit my head hard on anything—pavement or other!  Recommended!  (~JWFarrington)

HOLIDAY CHEER

Since we haven’t yet been down to Rockefeller Center to see the tree, here are two trees from the streets of downtown Cary. Plus penguins!

Racing flag tree
Sugar candy tree up close
Christmas penguins

Note: All photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved.). Header photo is Santa’s reindeer in Cary, NC.

Interlude: Philadelphia & More

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MOVIE THERAPY

Love Actually (free on Amazon Prime)

Emma Thompson with son (nytimes.com)

After a week that left many of us sad, disappointed, bruised, angry, and scared about the future, I decided that we needed a movie that would be fun and take us a bit out of ourselves.  On Friday night, the Chief Penguin and I watched Love Actually, a film from 2003. It has a stellar cast including Hugh Grant as British Prime Minister, Emma Thompson as a beleaguered wife, Bill Nighy as an irreverent aging rock star, Colin Firth as a lonely writer, and Liam Neeson, as a widowed father with the most angelic-looking cute kid. 

I’m sure we saw it when it was released, but I’d forgotten that it takes place in London leading up to Christmas, making it appropriate for November viewing.  It’s funny, inane, irreverent, romantic, poignant, and ultimately, feelgood viewing.  But not for kids.  You will also be hearing “Love is All Around” in your head for hours at least.  

Watching it, I was transported to another time and place.  It felt cathartic.  Recommended if you need to escape!

RITTENHOUSE SQUARE AND BEYOND

Sundial sculpture at entrance, Rittenhouse Square
Fall morning, Rittenhouse Square

Last week we headed north for a family event and had a short time in Philadelphia.  For us, this was a rediscovery of Center City and a reappreciation of how much we liked our time working there and living in nearby Swarthmore.  

We stayed close to Rittenhouse Square and spent several hours in the park soaking up the vibe, observing Halloween partygoers and dog walkers, and admiring the fall foliage.  Having lived in Florida for ten years, I delighted in autumn’s color spectrum, from muted to vivid.  At the park’s entrance corner is the Evelyn Taylor Memorial Sundial by Beatrice Fenton, sited in 1947.

This park has existed since the late 17th century and was one of five open space parks planned by William Penn. From the late 19th century into the early 20th, several wealthy families lived around the square including John Wanamaker of department store fame. Rittenhouse Square has an intimacy not found in Manhattan’s Washington Square. Here, the paths between facing benches are narrower and you feel closer to those nearby.

Being in Center City meant that a stop at our favorite coffee shop was essential. Even I, not a regular coffee drinker, think this coffee is supremely good. La Colombe. We got our fix with cappuccinos and then purchased two bags of beans to take home.

The weather was gloriously warm initially and then there was a cold spell, but we walked and walked traversing familiar streets and checking in on old haunts.  

Curtis Institute of Music
Crowds in Reading Terminal Market

We have fond memories of when violinist Leila Josefowicz was a student at Curtis. We routinely got to hear her play before a concert tour and hosted her and her family for several Thanksgiving dinners.  This year, the Curtis Institute of Music is celebrating its 100thanniversary.

We checked out the famous LOVE sculpture, now mounted on a frame for easier photos, and watched families see themselves on screen in faraway places in Philadelphia’s new video portal, Bridge to a United Planet.  

My friend Hilda and I would occasionally meet for lunch at Reading Terminal Market, a crowded and wonderful assortment of ethnic food stands, produce markets, and meat and fish counters.  Although the Reading Terminal Station is now Jefferson Station, the market retains its Reading name.  We threaded our way through the throngs on a busy Saturday, inhaling smells of baking bread and garlicky pizzas and just plain salivating at all that was on offer.  

Continuing our exploration, we strolled past Independence National Park and made our way to Washington Square and the former home of Curtis Publishing.  Washington Square is quiet and just enough removed from the Center City bustle to be peaceful.  

We walked back up to Rittenhouse Square through the Thomas Jefferson University campus.  Silhouettes of the man hang above the street, and he looks jaunty with a bit of a swagger in a life-size statute. 

Jefferson – Lloyd Lillie (1987 cast)

DINING IN THE CITY OF LOVE & PRINCETON

While in Center City, the Chief Penguin and I enjoyed some great food at restaurants all new to us.

Gran Caffe L’Aquila

This combo of Italian restaurant, café, and shop, Gran Caffe L’Aquila, is on Chestnut Street.  We liked it so much after our first night in town that we returned for our last dinner.  We sat outside on Halloween in one of their sidewalk private dining spaces.  I ordered and loved the agnolotti filled with meat and veggies in a butter sage sauce, topped with truffle gelato.  It may sound heavy, but it was marvelously light.  C.P. indulged in his favorite veal saltimbocca and pronounced it the best ever!  

On our return visit, we ordered the same entrees (yes!) and added flash fried artichokes and the house salad with endive and radicchio to start.  Yum!

Ambrosia

Located just a few steps from Schuylkill River Park on 24th Street, Ambrosia offers outside dining in cubbies as well as inside tables.  C.P. had the crispy gnocchi with squash and pancetta while I found my crispy skin salmon with arugula perfectly done.  Thanks to our friend Ed for introducing us here.

The Love

It’s somehow right that the City of Brotherly Love has a restaurant named The Love.  It’s near Rittenhouse Square and is wildly popular.  The menu features American cuisine, and fried chicken is a specialty.  In the opinion of two diners, the chicken was fabulous and delicious!  My shrimp & scallop “cacio e pepe” was equally satisfying.  The hush puppies with a bit of Aleppo pepper hit the mark too. 

The Dandelion

In large cities like Philadelphia and New York, restaurants serve brunch, not lunch, on Saturdays and Sundays. I’ve never been a brunch person, so I look for menus that include a few non-egg, non-breakfast items. Fortunately, The Dandelion, a kind of upscale British pub, serves salads and sandwiches in addition to omelets and eggs Benedict.  We sampled the Waldorf salad and the chicken paillard salad along with fish and chips and enjoyed our meal.  In addition to downstairs seating, there is a fairly large upstairs dining room that was full, but not cheek by jowl.  

Winberie’s in Princeton

I’d call Winberie’s in Palmer Square an upscale casual place.  We were part of a large group for dinner where we were bowled over by what we ordered.  The Chief Penguin, a connoisseur of chicken pot pies, ordered theirs and couldn’t stop exclaiming how good it was–from the flaky crust to the amount of tasty chicken inside.  I tried the shrimp and penne Genovese which was delicious and included spinach, pine nuts, and red chili flakes.  

The menu also offers the usual range of burgers, salads, along with fish, and plenty of veggie options. 

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved) except for the movie image.