Reviews

Just back from seeing " 80 For Brady, " which I am happy to say, was a very pleasant time at the movie theater. It's not out to teach anyone how to play football or even explain the game - it is what it is, a charming story based on the lives of several older female Tom Brady fans and it is packed with talent. The four leads - Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field and the exquisite Rita Moreno just lead the way for a charming adventure at, of all places, the Super Bowl. The gentlemen, including Harry Hamlin, Glynn Turman ( always a pleasure to see him ), the very funny Billy Porter, The Gronk kimself and, of course, Tom Brady pop in and what a delicious milkshake. It's all about friendship, finding pleasure in the most simple of things - like a football game and not over-thinking anything. You walk in and sit down with your popcorn and soda and enjoy a terrific story and seeing that life doesn't end at 40. The theater was about 80 % packed on an early matinee and yes, there were more than a few of us older folks, including some husbands. Throughout the movie, people were laughing and enjoying the adventures we don't always see played out on the silver screen. At the end, the audience applauded and quite a few sat for the credit, but I also noticed as I was leaving, people were talking to others who had also seen the movie and there was quite a bit of laughter and joy. Isn't that what the movie going experience is supposed to be - simple joy and fun ? Not everything has to have a deeper meaning, but I will say this - watching these veterans and the newer Hollywood stars work together for a really positive movie going experience was terrific to experience, in and of itself.

Just saw SATC : The Movie. I thought it was too plot heavy without enough character and the characters we learned to love were given very little screen / dialogue time, such as Anthony, Stanford, Steve, Harry and even Big. The whole thing seemed rushed. The naked male neighbor seemed more of an obligatory and unnecessary mini-plot. The best part was the end scene, where it all seemed very real and more down to earth, as well joyful. It didn't come off as seamless or that there was a flow to the storyline. I hope the next time out, if there is another, they decide to do it as a six episode series and keep it more true to the characters and situations.

Saw this movie as a kid, watching " The Late Show, " which was always a great old b/w movie. Years later, read about the murder of William Desmond Taylor and thought this hit awfully close to home. Taylor was a director of some note in early Hollywood, but also known to be quite the ladies' man. He was murdered in his apartment and the case was never officially solved. After his murder, the career of Mary Miles Minter, a well known Hollywood starlet was pretty much in ruins, due to several pieces of her personal belongings found at the scene of the crime, which is interesting, as studio bigwigs were called to the apartment before the police were called. Also interesting was the rumor that his now missing valet / butler / chauffeur was in reality his brother. The deceased Tayor was not who he appeared to be - he had long before abandoned a wife and child and re-invented himself. Years later, the famed Hollywood director King Vidor became interested in the mystery and worked on it for some years. His efforts were detailed in a book called " A Cast Of Killers, " well worth the read.