NINE My Husband Makes Movies Marion Cotillard

Pity the video does not show her performance...it was lovely

NINE

My friend Johnny (showbiz expert and writer) absolutely loved Nine, which was a fact that worried me slightly as it has become a general rule that every film he has "adored, daaaarrrling", I have hated.
So, it was with an open mind that I went to see this Rob Marshall version of Maury Yeston's 1982 Broadway musical, and I must admit I did enjoy the majority of it.
Adapted from Federico Fellini’s celebrated film 8 1/2, the musical centres upon sixties cool cat Italian film director Guidio Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he faces a crisis of confidence about the filming of his latest self obsessed film. During the run up to camera roll, he has cause to examine the female influences in his life and the mistakes he has made in the climb to fame.
Yes, all the stuff of a marvelous musical....and for the most part it delivers!, with a showy cast to die for, some impressive set pieces and glowing cinematography Nine is impressively in-your-face. Day- Lewis (never one of my favourite actors) is excellent as the destructive Guido, Kate Hudson is a fireball of energy as a vogue journalist who can dance like a vixen, and Penélope Cruz and Nicole Kidman are just fine as mistress and film star respectively. But, for me, it is Marion Cotillard as Guidio's wife, who steals the entire film . When she sings "My Husband makes movies!", she does so with such a cold, demure grace that almost hides her sad fury at his affairs, that she literally breaks your heart. For me, watching her sing this one song, was worth the price of the cinema ticket alone.
Mind you not everything in the film works so well!
Strangely enough the only Italian in the film, Sophia Loren is miscast as Guido's mother and I could have done without Stacy Ferguson's bosoms bouncing around so much.....but I guess those are small complaints in an otherwise entertaining and original film musical
8/10

Fantasy

I am tired and jaded today,which is probably a combination of a late night, several turkey wrestling matches and a busy day of chores. I have dozed on the couch all this evening (dribbling and snoring too!) and have not caught up with phone calls and friends gossip as I should have done!
As I was dozing I dreamt about my fantasy property! We saw it when we were looking for a cottage four years ago, and although it was not for sale at the time, the slightly jaded Victorian cottage set in its own grounds always caught my eye.
Now it is up for sale.....a four bedroom cottage with out buildings, a walled garden, orchard and an additional 3 bedroom adjoining workers cottage all set in 11 acres of land.
The cottage has been untouched and unspoilt by the horrors of new money, and so the sash windows are intact and the period features still on show......tired and dirty to be sure yet proud and quite magnificent!
ok the whole place is for sale for over half a million quid.....but for a couple of long minutes ,as I was snoring my best on the couch.....I dreamt of collecting apples from the orchard as my chickens watched
hey ho

Casino Night

We all went to my sister's house to take part in a Las Vegas "casino" evening last night. I think I lost the theme of the evening, as whereas everyone else was poshed up in DJs and party frocks, I dressed up as a redneck American tourist (no offence to any of my US readers!)
The stomach is padding believe me!!!

We played blackjack and roulette and was supervised by my Brother-in-law's son and his girlfriend who has just been to Nevada, (so were experts !)

As New Year was called in, we went into the garden and the icy weather to watch fireworks roar into the sky. The celebrations were made even more magical by the sudden appearance of a string of graceful fired lanterns that soared slowly over the town and then floated wonderfully over the sea each one illuminated by flickering candles

.... we all stood in semi silence, spellbound by the view......it was lovely

Yellow Poo!

Bloody hell..............I am slung another curved ball! However I won't moan (in light of my previous post-how could I?), but I will let out a slight exasperated sigh!

This morning, when I let the baby turkeys out I noticed that one of the little buggers has bright yellow poo!, which is a sign of the dreaded turkey illness Blackhead disease!

Boris and his previous mate Grace, caught the disease early last year and Grace died days after it was diagnosed by the vet, so I had great cause to worry. Thank God for having a sympathetic vet surgery, for within 30 minutes I had collected antibiotics for the entire flock and an hour later all of the birds had received their first doses.

The whole procedure of tablet administration was a herculean task in itself as the babies have to receive half a tablet twice a day,Gloria needs one tablet twice a day and big old Boris needs one and a half tablets twice a day. Boris is a powerful big bird, and getting the tablet down him resembled something out of all in wrestling days on tv's World of Sport!!! but after five minutes of grappling, down the tablet went!!!!

Let's hope all six birds survive this health challenge...Blackhead has a terrible mortality rate!

hey ho!

photo Boris and Grace as babies with a young Scotty

2010

Now I nearly got sucked into that introspective "black hole", which is NewYear's Eve, when I got to thinking about today's blog entry. As a family group ( and of course that extended group of friends that make up our "urban family"),we have had an OK 2009. My brother and his family has experienced some health concerns and they have dealt with them with fortitude, but for the rest of us, we have coped with the petty tribulations of life as we have always done.
I read the above facebook entry on the hilarious Passive/Aggressive.com web site

(http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/) and it kind of underlines for me, a good way to go forward into 2010.

ie. Shit happens......deal with it......be positive, proactive and try to be nicer.....

Let's hope we can all do the above...oh and let's have a good 2010 eh?

The Day Of The Triffids -

I only managed to see the first episode of this wonderful 1950s novel, and I must say I was so dissapointed with what I eventually saw.. Glossy, crisp and totally devoid of menace, this BBC big budget drama reminded me of the awful recent remake of the tv series "survivors" which was such a hit in the 1970s.
Hollywood (and the BBC) seem to be resorting to the tried and tested when it comes to new projects, and so many of these remakes have been such let downs,and I am sorry to say that the younger movie going public will totally overlook the original productions that on reflection, are classics in their own rights.
The awful remake of SHERLOCK HOLMES is a case in point., I know it will be a real turkey of a movie...but how many people, after watching Robert Downey Jnr grapple with his Englash accent and CGI effects will not bother watching the satisfying Basil Rathbone in the pacy "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror" (1942) when it gets a rerun on TCM
Where is originality in movies nowadays?
Why do we have to suffer these big budget, low tension,re hashes ?
Cannot we be treated to some more risk taking new enterprises? after all,, with the exception of recent "Star Trek" and "Aliens I cannot really think of a original and enjoyable remake in recent years....
answers on a postcard if any of you can"

Sob Story

Worked last night, and gave the whole staff such a sob story of how the pigs are struggling to cope with yet another heavy fall of snow, that they clubbed together and gave me all of the potentially out of date food left over from Christmas!
This morning the girls have Merrily chomped their way through a hundredweight of chapatis,croissants, a sponge Christmas cake in the shape of a champagne bottle, a selection of cheese and several dozen dainty party nibbles!
They especially loved the extra sweet cake, which had chocolate icing, and slurped it up with piggy eyes, tightly shut in glutton filled rapture.
The field population has not ventured far from the houses and coops, so braving the cold I stocked them up with corn and feed and have retired to the warmth of the cottage.
Chris is out at a pantomime with Janet tonight, and I have asked for a rain check from the cinema with Hazel......a night in in quiet solitude will be lovely