3/24/2017: On+Off Topic: HOLIDAY for me

Today, March 24th, 2017 is sort of a significant day in terms of a number of things happening.

#1 it is both the 6-month Wedding and 6-year (unofficially) Anniversaries for me and my wife. The 6th month was the wedding 9/24/16. Something her and I labored over for literally 18 months or more. And the truth is, there's still a few things to take care of (Thank You notes, gift storage, Photo prints, etc). The 6-Year anniversary is unlikely the date 3/24/11, that we went on our 1st date. It's close, and we hung out outside of KFAI at least twice (1 being at Cheapo+Davanni's in Uptown on a Saturday or Sunday, the other being 1 week night at Memory Lanes and then KFAI to practice for her Board Cerification). But months later and in 2012, we stuck with 3/24/11, even though I think the official 1st date was on a Saturday or possibly Sunday (I'm pretty sure a Saturday) in March of 2011 which looking at the Calendar, was likely the 26th. It may have been the 19th. But we went to a movie at the late Block E theater in downtown. The movie: Take Me Home Tonight (Topher Grace). Then we had dinner at The late Cafeteria in Uptown.  Sad how both venues are *late* aka gone/done, etc.

#2 The 22 album You Are Creating: Limb 1 is released along with the Tuxedo II. Tuxedo I can check out, but 22? I preordered the Vinyl, and would hope it would include a download link, but no dice as of right now. Why I have next to no faith in Preorders, even though I pass them along. I do them namely if the artist is small/underground, etc and genuinely needs my help ($). But the idea to expect an early or even on-the-release-date download link if you preorder a physical copy (Vinyl or CD), is really not something I expect. But it still sucks. It has been almost 7 year since the 22 debut album, having to wait a few more hours/days won't kill me. But it still seems unfair and silly on principal. If I ever did it, I would make sure to send the preorders a link, a few days before the release.

#3 The premiere of Wilson, the Daniel Clowes movie based on the Graphic Novel and his adapted screenplay. I'm not sure when I will get to see it. Maybe this weekend, maybe next week. It likely will be soon. It was of course filmed in the Twin Cities including down the street in St.Paul from my wife's place. And I met Woody Harrelson and a couple of other cast from it back in 2015. And last year I met Clowes himself, although he was in town doing a q and a and signing for his new book, not so much for Wilson. But it was very cool to finally meet him.

Where are the reviews? no idea. Chris Stuckmann, What the Flick? Collider Videos, Richard Roeper, Michael Phillips?..can't find them at this point.

It is only showing at Lagoon and Willow Creek in the Northwest Metro suburbs right now. Quite sad. Let's hope it receives more distribution soon; per the known reviews I've seen including at Sundance, have been very positive.

The Messenger (2009)

I went to see this mainly because Ben Foster was in it, and the last thing I saw him in, 2006's "Alpha Dog" he was jaw-dropping.

In a lead role, he was pretty damn good again in this, an equally dark movie at times. He plays a sergeant in the Army home from Iraq with only a short time left of active duty he is assigned to notify the next-of-kin of their loved one's dying in action.

Many of the scenes doing said notifications got pretty emotional and serious, naturally. I imagine how they portrayed it in the film is pretty close to how real it is when that happens.

Woody Harrelson was also very good in a supprting role, as the officer to train him in the process. He provided some humor off and on, for what was many high-tension scenes.

Overall, this is hardly an uplifting movie, but at the same time many movies involving the military and wars can be a lot more dark and violent. I think the director struck a pretty good balance between showing an impact on what they were having to do, humanizing many of the situations the loved ones and even the officers were in. And just in Foster's character's coping with the circumstances he's in, not being used to being home, and doing a new kind of difficult job. A job that he ultimately embraces and finds his own approach.

His time with Samantha Morton was interesting. She was quite good, in a less-common situation as a next-of-kin from a fallen-vet. With a kid and maybe not as strong an emotional bond as others; notice-able after learning about the loss of her husband.

As powerful as much of this movie was, and I'd definitely give Ben Foster a nomination for his performance in this movie, I did find a few of the scenes, especially with Morton's character, to drag pretty long. Silence with no action for some period of time being part of that. But that was probably a minor issue within everything about this movie.

80/100