"Anora"

I saw "Anora" at the Tower on the evening 1/31. It's billed as a Cinderella movie of sorts, but it's quite a strange story. Russian oligarch trash with lots of flash. 

Particularly after "Poor Things" did so well at the Oscars last year, there now seems to be a fast track for Best Actress/Best Picture nominations by doing what amounts to "sex-positive" soft porn. Not everything qualifies, of course. "Sex-negative" or "sex-confused" soft porn will not do. Still, what's good for Emma Stone is good for Mikey Madison, who plays Ani as she struggles for a measure of dignity. 

The director is Sean Baker, who also directed "The Florida Project," which I liked a lot. 

The first third of the movie establishes the gentlemen's club, the fabulous residence of Ani's beau, Ivan, and the quick trip to Las Vegas for a quick wedding. 

The second third of the movie features the alarmed reactions of Ivan's Russian oligarch parents, as expressed through the actions of their hastily-dispatched goons. This is the best part of the movie, where everyone is screaming and fighting and hyperventilating. The physical comedy is the best I've seen in eons, on a par with the short films of the Three Stooges. 

The Three Stooges were never nominated for any Oscars as far as I know. Not enough sex-positivity, I presume. One must be careful when walking that tightrope. Hollywood is difficult to please. 

Everything wraps up in the final third of the movie. In this section, the excellent acting skills of Yuriy Borisov as Igor are prominent. 

I liked the film - I need that soundtrack - but I'd hesitate giving the movie an Oscar. The plot is a little simple. But what do I know? Yuriy Borisov could surprise as Supporting Actor.

 

No Thanks, That's OK

Yesterday, I visited my electrophysiologist, the surgeon who did the cardiac ablation procedure on me last July, for a six-month checkup. 9The surgeon's always seemed a little standoffish, like maybe he'd prefer playing video games than talking to patients, but now that he's worked on me, maybe we have a closer relationship. I detailed two recent nights when I thought my heart was acting up. 

He said the EKG looked fine, but that if I wanted to do another procedure he's ready. 

I wondered; did he mean, like, do some more surgery this weekend? I saw that 2022 David Cronenberg movie, "Crimes of the Future," a dystopian future where people routinely do plastic surgery on each other, or rearrange organs out on the street, like the way some people get tattoos today, just to keep the boredom at bay. 

I said, no thanks, that's OK (I got, like, plans; wash the dishes, do taxes, walk the dog, anything but plunging a soldering iron into my heart). 

It's a little disconcerting knowing there are people in this world just waiting for some scalpel action to save themselves from another round of Fortnite.

Psyched Into Bloom

January 31st. Not even February yet, and this tree was psyched by several weeks of sunny weather into full bloom.

"I Alone Can Fix It"

Look, it's very simple, particularly in a military chain-of-command. Bad stuff that happens on your watch is your fault, and you need to fix it. A plane crash that happens on Donald Trump's watch - any U.S. plane crash for sure - is his fault. Period. It's his fault, and the fault of that Texas sidekick of his, Ted Cruz, working overtime to jam more aircraft into DCA for his personal travel convenience. It's especially Donald Trump's fault given his mantra, "I alone can fix it." So, fix it, Donald! It's time these bastards understand that with power comes responsibility. None of this DEI crap, trying to push responsibility onto people who weren't even there. Before you know it they'll start blaming the figure skaters.

The Coming Rains

Just a quick review before we head into another round of rain. After a very dry January, Sacramento's rainy season stands at about 80% of normal. The coming rains will affect much of California, but once again, not Southern California, where the rain continues to be needed most.

First Protest

I went down to the first of what I have no doubt will be many protests in front of the California State Capitol in the coming years regarding the vile Trump Administration. I thought the demonstration was going to be on the photogenic West Steps, but instead it was just off the sidewalk on 10th Street, and at first there were only ten people in attendance. Later, the group grew to about 40 or 50. The reason the West Steps weren’t used is because it takes time to get a permit, and a week since the Trump Administration started isn’t sufficient time. 

I’m not entirely sure who organized the event. I saw the protest announcement on Reddit. The Sons of Liberty, a kind of liberal prepper group organized on Discord, had at least one person there. 

This protest was not like the big marches eight years ago. The protest was a kind of awkward initiation ceremony for a new generation of protesters. Anyone who wanted to say something could say something, and they did. People stuttered and stumbled, sometimes speaking from the heart and sometimes from half scribbled notes. Natural leaders began to emerge. It was charming and earnest and heartfelt. I loved it all and I’m very encouraged. 

Police on foot and mounted on horseback circled the group from a distance on all sides, and posed for photos of their own. 

Next meeting, February 5th.

Working on the Rovox R-100 "Titanic"

I was tasked with assembling the Rovox R-100 model of the ship RMS "Titanic." This is exciting - the first time I've assembled a ship model since a Viking ship model when I was about ten years old. 

Verisimilitude was very important with the Viking ship model. It had to look just like it was Leif Ericksen's own ship. The Titanic model is more conceptual, though; it doesn't really resemble the real ship. Nevertheless, there is great detail in what's present: a stateroom, an ordinary guest room, a salon at the bottom of the grand staircase, and a bridge. It even has a music box that plays a tune that I can't identify. I hope it's "My Heart Will Go On." 

Tonight, I completed the external shell of the ship, including the LEDs that light the interiors. The assembly instructions wanted me to put together all the furniture first before getting to the structure of the ship, but I said no. That would involve using my large and stubby fingers to put tiny candles in candleholders, glue together and upholster the furniture, assemble floral arrangements, tack down teacups, and do lots of other fine and tedious tasks first. I said no: give me the ship first. 

There have been some mishaps. When I put together the ordinary guest room I failed to remove a couple of plastic strips that I was using for braces. So, these strips are now trapped in the room. They are apparently model surfboards. But why would any travelers on the Titanic have surfboards? 

About 12 years ago, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about the extreme sport of wintertime surfing along the coast of Maine. Surfers pour scalding water into their neoprene suits for maybe ten minutes of totally-tubular frigid fun in the rocking waters of the wintertime Atlantic (before frostbite sets in). I figure these surfboards belonged to a couple of intrepid Hawaiian surfers who, had not the sinking occurred, would have introduced America to this enjoyable extreme sport a century earlier. 

Even though the Rovox R-100 is not a scale model, I like to pretend it is. Somehow the Titanic was released from its Belfast berth without a port side. It traveled almost all the way to Newfoundland without a visible means of propulsion. The stateroom lacked a front wall (so one could admire the giant bed), which admitted a constant stiff gale and sometimes rain, which is just what guests love while trying to sleep on transatlantic crossings. No lifeboats, of course. It's enough to make Leif Ericksen shake his head. 

Next, it's time to assemble the furniture.