Movie Review - The Mountain Between Us

PLOT - When two strangers find that their flights leaving Idaho have been canceled due to an impending snow storm, they decide to charter a plane to Colorado. The pilot suffers a stroke mid-flight and dies when the plane crash lands in a mountain range. Alex, a photo-journalist (Kate Winslet) and brain-surgeon Ben (Idris Elba) both survive, but they must figure out a way to work together to stay alive in an isolated terrain. 

LIKE- My first like happened when I saw the trailer. The team behind The Mountain Between Us, very wisely added the statement "Spoiler Alert: The Dog Lives." to put at easy any animal lovers in the audience. The dog refers to a very adorable lab who belongs to Walter (Beau Bridges), the charter plane pilot. The dog is brought along on the flight and not only does he survive, but the dog is an important character in the story. Who doesn't love a movie with an lovable dog?

Alex goes with her gut and can be impulsive. Ben is reserved and carefully considers every move. This sets up a strong dynamic for two characters who must rely on each other and make bold moves to survive. 

I knew that this was a survival film, but I had no idea that it was also a love story. Winslet and Elba have amazing chemistry. I read that other actors were initially cast in the roles and dropped out, but having seen The Mountain Between Us, I can't imagine any other actors playing Alex and Ben.  What's interesting is how the film shifts from a survival story to a love story without dropping the intensity and tension. The Mountain Between Us kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I was fully invested in the characters: the acting, pacing, writing, et...all of it was in perfect balance. Also, the element of surprise is strong.

I left the theater feeling rather stunned from what I had experienced. Stunned in the best possible sense.

DISLIKE- Nothing. The Mountain Between Us is one of the best films that I've seen in 2017. I will be surprised if it doesn't pop up during award season. 

RECOMMEND- Yes. The Mountain Between Us is intense and beautiful. The gorgeous cinematography is a good reason to catch it on the big screen.

Oklahoma City Trip 2017- The American Banjo Museum

After an emotional morning spent visiting the Oklahoma National Memorial, I switched gears  and headed to the American Banjo Museum. The American Banjo Museum is located just feet from the hotel where I was staying, but due to road construction, I had to take a longer route under a freeway bridge and through the back parking lot.

The back -

The Front -

When I was purchasing my tickets, the very welcoming woman working at the front entrance asked me if I was a musician. After talking with her, I learned that this is primarily a musicians museum. 

I am not a musician.

Furthermore, I lack any talent in the music department. My paternal grandparents were both very musically inclined. My grandfather was actually a musician, composer, and conductor. He worked in Hollywood and in various orchestras around America. His specialty was the clarinet and if you play the clarinet, you might have even used a product that he invented. During the second world war, my grandfather invented a plastic coating for reeds called "Plasticover." Pretty cool, right? My one attempt at an playing an instrument was the violin in third grade. I was so pitiful at it, that when it came time to perform for parents, I held the bow just above the strings and copied the other kids, rather than actually playing. Thus, my interest in acting was sparked! I also took chorus, but only the kind where they let any kid participate. I am absolutely tone deaf. No solos for me. I was always positioned away from the microphone.

So, why the American Banjo Museum? I've been answering this question posed by all of my befuddled friends as I've been telling them about my trip to Oklahoma City. I figured, why not the American Banjo Museum? I'm not exactly a huge banjo fan, but I like it well enough when thrown in the mix. I like blue grass, folk, and country music: where banjos make appearances. I'm someone who can find joy in learning, pretty much no matter what the subject, so why not learn about banjos? Mostly, I was in Oklahoma, I had limited tourist time, and it was close to my hotel. 

I visited on a quiet Friday afternoon, where I was the only guest in the museum. The first set of exhibits, gave a background on the banjo with a short multi-media presentation. I learned that the banjo is a modified version of instruments that slaves brought over from Africa. The banjo was first played on plantations, but spread to white communities after the civil war. The height of its popularity was from the turn of the century to the roaring twenties, when it was used in jazz bands.

Here's one of the oldest banjo's in the collection. It's pre-civil war and unfortunately, it has an association with mistral shows. 

When I mentioned the museum to friends, inevitably they mentioned the movie "Deliverance." There was a Deliverance nod.

Dan and I have a sizable collection of records. We don't have a record player, but we have a game where we go to record stores and try to find covers of inexpensive/bargain albums that make us laugh. One day we will buy a record player and have a party where we actually listen to what we have bought. Many of the albums come from the "World Music" and "Folk" sections. Here are some pictures of banjo albums that made me smile. 

Of all the facts I learned about banjo's, nothing surprised me as much as what I read below. A lot of my friends rolled their eyes when I told them about going to the museum and I suppose it's because the banjo has a reputation for being "twangy", but at one time it was a very sophisticated instrument for the well-breed. Who knew?

As you would imagine, the American Banjo Museum has A LOT of banjos. I did a quick pass through the gallery, stopping to admire the intricate design work on many of the instruments. 

You've heard of player-pianos? Not to be outdone, a player-banjo was created. Apparently it wasn't very good though. 

There was a special exhibition featuring Roy Clark. I have to confess that I had never heard of Roy Clark before my visit to the museum. I learned that he is well-regarded as a banjo player, was on Hee-Haw, and seemed to be a humble man who is respected by many. He also favors elaborate bedazzled leisure suits!

My banjo education continued with Your Father's Mustache. 

Your Father's Mustache is the name of a chain of 1920's themed nightclubs that began in Boston in the early sixties. Your Father's Mustache featured banjo bands and was the second most successful nightclub chain of the era. The museum has a mock-up of the club with retro signs and information. The way this is set up, I think they probably actually use this space for museum performances and events. 

The museum hosts the Banjo Hall of Fame. I didn't recognize many of the names, but I took a picture of exhibit featuring "Georgette Twain: Queen of the Banjo,"  because she was one of the few women in a male dominated field and her dress is pretty!

I saw a banjo signed by FDR!

The museum is small and since I'm not a musician, I probably spent less time than a musician would have admiring the instruments. It took me about forty-five minutes to enjoy the museum. If you're in the Oklahoma City area, I highly recommend visiting the American Banjo Museum. It's fascinating, educational, and engaging. Plus, it's only eight dollars for adults. A bargain!

I'll close with this picture of a snazzy banjo themed suit. 

Movie Review- Blade Runner 2049

PLOT- Blade Runner 2049 is set in Los Angeles, thirty years after the original 1982 film. In 2049, certain models of replicants (robots engineered to look like humans, but with superior strength and intellect, used as labor) have been engineered to be submissive. Detective K (Ryan Gosling) is tasked with tracking down and killing older model replicants, those that have rebelled against the system. In the course of his job, Detective K discovers an impossible secret that sends him on a dangerous mission to find out the truth about both replicants and himself.

LIKE- It has been a long time since I've watched the original Blade Runner, but it's such an iconic movie, that I was thrilled for the sequel. Also, it didn't hurt that it stars Ryan Gosling and has Harrison Ford reprising his role of Rick Deckard. You've got young and old hot Hollywood stars in this film! Yes, please! And, both very good actors too, not just eye candy. Although Ford's part is fairly small, his interaction with Gosling is the best part of the film.

I loved the creativity in Blade Runner 2049. Joi (Ana de Armas) plays a virtual love interest for K. Joi exists as a holographic image and can change her look on a whim. When we first meet her, there is a playful scene where she greets K home after his long day at work. K is a bit of a recluse and has a deep connection to Joi. Their relationship is one of the many ways that the film toys with the idea of humanity in machines. K is even teased by another replicant for falling for Joi; a hierarchy amongst machines.  Rarely does Joi seem like she is less than a fully realized person with emotional and desires. There is a particularly wonderful scene when K presents Joi with a device that he has bought for her that allows her to go outside. She stands in the rain and seems to actually feel it touching her body, bringing her actual joy. Joi's sweet nature and happy spirit bring a measure of levity to this dark film.

On the flipside of Joi is the character Luv ( Sylvia Hoeks) a replicant and the primary antagonist in Blade Runner 2049. Luv is beautiful. She is also ruthless and relentless in pursuit of her goals. Hoeks is truly frightening and has the best fight sequences of the film. I'm certain that we will see her in more action driven movies, she great in the part. She's fierce! Every time she was on the screen, I was creeped out!

I live in Los Angeles and I frequent Las Vegas, so I got a kick out of seeing the post-apocalyptic versions of these cities. It's bleak! Poor San Diego is a dump site! The fun part was seeing Vegas as it is imagined in the future, including a lounge with a holographic Elvis performing. It was the right mix between how we view Vegas now and what it might include over the next couple of decades. 

Blade Runner 2049 has plenty of unexpected twists. I did not anticipate the big reveal at the end and I liked how the reveal allowed the audience to go along for the ride with Detective K. We discover the truth, as he discovers the truth. The writing is strong.

DISLIKE- At two hours and forty-four minutes, Blade Runner 2049 runs long. It feels long. Although I was mostly engaged, the pacing is uneven. Dan commented about the film's score. Normally, I don't pay much attention to the score, unless it's iconic, like the Jaws theme. In Blade Runner 2049 it was a lot of loud, jarring sounds. It was too on-point and distracting. We were making fun of it as we walked out of the theater.

RECOMMEND- Yes, if you're a fan of the original. I can't imagine anyone seeing this without seeing the original first, although it's not entirely necessary. The film gives you enough backstory to watch it as a stand-alone. Blade Runner 2049 is a big, epic action/Scifi/effects extravaganza, worthy of a big-screen splurge. We drove ninety miles each way to watch it on an Imax screen in Palm Springs. Worth it.