THE AMERICAN DRAGON

CLOSE TO THE BOOK

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Millions have read Larson's book, I heard somewhere it sold 65 million copies.  Millions have also seen the original Swedish series, so the David Fincher directed version is a big deal.  It is a big film by comparison to the original.

Big name talent, big scope and vision and still works as a tense, dramatic intrigue where ultimately a girl gets her sense of justice and then gets rocked by her own heart.

Mara Rooney as Lisbeth is superb. Christoper Plummer and Stellan Skarsgard as the good and bad Vangers are both
perfect.  Daniel Craig is a convincing Blomkvist. 
Portions of the book made me cringe, even after decades in journalism. The film does the same thing and certainly is not for everyone.  After all is said and done,
Lana and I thought the book was better than either film.
I understand how directors make choices and by necessity need to leave pages out of a script.  Fincher was mostly true to the book, but the nuance, texture and sidebar story material of the book, make that telling better than the movie, as big and well done as it is.
The opening credit sequence though, to my sense
was needless, pointless and out of sync with the cinema that followed.
Another late post today, but the new computer is up and 
I'm in learning mode.  This computer will do things I haven't even thought of, so as I say, I'm learning.
See you down the trail.

LEARNING NEW TRICKS

SANTA BRINGS THE FUTURE

Late with this post and composing it from

my daughter's computer.  The old lap top is being

loaded into a new computer.  It was time.  The old G4

had been half way around the world with me and was at

least a decade old.  A couple of novels and 

countless articles helped put the miles on it.

The data is being transferred to a new desk top model-bigger screen, easier to see, and ultimately better for 

 the neck and shoulders.

As the service guy turned on the old lap top he 

said "Have you been using this recently?"

"Yes."

"Really? I see why you are you're buying a new one."

So, I hope it will be quicker as well.

Odd how impatient I've become waiting for something

as spectacular as a file to load.

REEL THOUGHTS

Same daughter, Katherine, had a day off

and wanted to see the Sherlock Holmes flick.

We made it a near birthday outing.

It's a great "popcorn" movie.  Directed by Guy Richie it's got lots of action, some of it in stop motion which is fun and

a gritty "old Europe" look.  We like Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law and they are a good team.

It's an action packed, rock'em sock'em movie but a 

fun view.  It is a long way from the purists taste

in Holmes, but gets in a couple of nice points

about war, war profiteers and the coming of a

"defense industry."

See you down the trail.

TEXTURES OF CHRISTMAS

EVOCATIONS AND SCENES FROM A PARTY

 Do you find a kind of feel or texture 
in the scenes of Christmas?

 Beauty with dimension.

 Allow yourself to play director, pull back from

a view and discover surprises, like

Norbert the keyboardist in socks.

He needs that sensitivity for the pedals.

At this party, I was struck by the beauty, color and 

visual texture of the clothing.

 Each of the "Christmas scenes" we've seen so often

 offer a sense of feel.

 Being a sentimentalist I am warmed

by visions of peace, light and joy.

See you down the trail.

SUSTAINABLE PLEASURE & BOB SCORES 100%

A NEW KID IN THE APPELLATION

The great looking design by San Luis Obispo

architect Heidi Gibson is the tasting room of

the new Shale Oak winery.

It's on a turn on Oakdale Road that just a 

couple of years ago was acreage for sale.

When ever I passed it I would tell Lana

"There's a great spot for a new winery."

New indeed!  And forward thinking.

As the Shale Oak philosophy states

"Sustainability in every facet."  They talk of

"holistic stewardship" of the vineyards.

Those are concepts and practices that 

are dear to Paso Robles wine growers and

drinkers.

Visible are the rain harvesting and water run-off

reclamation systems.

Their LEED certification is pending. Shale Oak

employs solar photovoltaic panels.

Regional natives are being used in landscaping.

Their beautiful tasting room looks out at vineyards

and Red Soles, a great "mom & pop" winery of distinction and elegant charm.

The winemaker, Kevin Riley, is known in the area

for a quality product. We left with a couple of bottles

and look forward to future visits and purchases.

Products from re-cycled, local and "green"

sources are sold.  We like the "ethos" of Shale Oak

and the commitment to doing it properly.

Even at that, I probably would not have posted

like this, had it not been for that "dream" that

always occurred as I drove by, usually on the 

way to Pipestone, another sustainable, organic

and top quality Paso wine.

Shale Oak promises to be a great addition to 

California's best appellation.

UPDATE FROM BOB

Frequent readers of LightBreezes have followed Bob Foster's 

progress in living with leukemia. As he undergoes pre-treatment

for a bone marrow transplant he is keeping busy.  He and 

I have begun preliminary work on a film treatment and

he's "tested" his brain cells.

I passed the "Amateur Extra Class" license exam today with a grade of 
100%. By upgrading my license to the highest level of Ham radio, I  
fulfilled a promise I once made to my father.

In 1964, Dad purchased a "BC-348-Q" WW 2 shortwave radio receiver for 
me. It cost $45, a lot of money for us at the time. The fact the radio 
came from a B-17 aircraft made it seem magical. Dad bought the radio 
only after I sincerely - as sincerely as a 14-year old boy can be - 
promised to one day earn the highest grade of Ham license. The old "348" 
opened the world to me. Many a night I sat, headphones clamped to my 
ears, listening to voices from Europe, Africa and South America. 
Interest in becoming a Ham would come and go. Slowly, I learned the 
Morse code. By age 20, I earned a "Novice" Ham license. By age 30, I was 
a "General Class" operator. Today, 47 1/2 years later, I fulfilled my 
promise to my father.  I am now an "Extra Class" operator. Thank you, Jesus.

Oh, Dad died last summer. I sure wish I could have called him today with 
the news.

--Foster

See you down the trail.

BRILLIANCE-A FILM AND SUN ON A BEACH TOWN

ACTING BRILLIANCE

REEL THOUGHTS

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

I came out of this film somewhat stunned.

Michelle Williams as Marilyn was mind blowing.

The acting, even to the bit parts was a tour de force.

I simply did not see it coming.

It is a bright, clever and even poignant film.

Based on the book by Colin Clark, who spent

time as a junior director in Laurence Olivier's company as the famed actor tried his hand at directing Marilyn,

the film is a reminiscence and portrait.

There are moments in the film where you forget

you are watching Michelle Williams play Marilyn.

So brilliant, nuanced, subtle and beautiful!

Williams mastered a technique with her eyes

that seemed to channel Monroe.  If Meryl Streep got

praise for her Julia Childs, Williams should get

a crown for her Marilyn. 

Boozy, pill sedated, insecure, manipulative,

William's Marilyn provides an intimate look

into the mega star that  became an icon.

In this film, you "get" how she became what 

she did. Williams was incredible.

But so was Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier. Olivier fans might quibble a bit with some of the quirks, ego and insecurity, still it was great acting.  Young Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark and Harry Potter's Emma Watson were great.

Then there were the superb "bit players"-Judi Dench was masterful as Dame Sybil Thorndike.  Julie Ormand as Vivien Leigh, and Zoe Wanamaker as Paula Strasberg were also masterful.  Michael Kitchen and Derek Jacobi had even smaller parts, but their cameos also shone.

This is an actor's film and Director Simon Curtis presided in such a way to let some real cinema magic happen.

There are bigger, more important films this year,

but this is sweet, luscious and so well acted.

DAY BOOK

Cayucos Bright

The great surfing and retro beach town just down the 

coast, wears the sun well.

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) THAT WAS US ZEITGEIST 2011

A GOOGLE WORLD LOOKS BACK

WE MADE IT

In our television news shops we tried to give viewers

a little something extra during this time of year-

reviews.  These looks back remind us of what

has made the fabric of the year. It's

always fascinating to see it all, put side by side.

So in this cyber age here's an enjoyable

recap, with a beat and mined by Google and 
enabled by YouTube.

Enjoy.

See you down the trail.

READING THE CLOUDS

MORE THAN JUST SUNSHINE

Working in television news in the midwest we

would joke about weather forecasting in

in California.

"More sunshine and blue sky followed by 

blue sky and sunshine....etc."

Now I know better.  There is probably nothing like the 

weather extremes in the heartland-tornadoes, blizzards, thunderstorms, scorching heat waves, floods and rapid changes.  Still the weather from the Pacific, influenced by

mountains, winds from the east or north west, and the 

changeable currents of a coast make for our own

fascinating weather.  True many, many days are 

sunny with blue skies, but we do get interesting

cloud formations from time to time.  And that is unusual.

 The mountains on the horizon and mostly in the clouds are Rocky Butte, Black Oak, Vulture Peak and Red Mountain.  They top out around 3,200. They can get an icing of snow this time of year.
You may recall and wish to link here to the June post when we took you to the top of Rocky Butte

 THE QUESTION OF THE CAT'S TAIL

Wonder why our newest, Hemingway, at the far right,

curls up his tail while Nesta and Luke let theirs out.

Any theories? 

See you down the tail, er trail!