James Hathaway – Page 47

Movies: A Star is Born, Boy Erased, Bohemian Rhapsody

Good day to all! WE ARE BACK! We felt like we dropped off the movie planet entirely and now are scrambling to catch up on so many that are quickly dropping out of the theaters. Life can be so complicated for globe trekkers you know…

Nonetheless, we managed to squeeze in a few films this weekend. Enjoy!! J&J

A Star is Born

This is the fourth remake of A Star is Born. The original from 1937 starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. It was groundbreaking for its time. Next came Judy Garland and James Mason in 1954. And most recently Barbra Streisand and Chris Kristofferson in 1976. All were excellent.

The current version closely follows the original story line. That said, everything else feels fresh, honest, plausible resulting in a contemporary update that was exciting and heartbreaking at the same time.

Bradley Cooper is the seasoned rock star struggling with alcohol, drugs and interpersonal family issues. Lady Gaga headlines as the up and coming superstar.

The rest of the cast is a who’s who of the entertainment industry. Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, Rafi Gavon, Anthony Ramos, Dave Chappelle and Alec Baldwin all deliver great performances.

That said, the chemistry between Lady Gaga and Mr. Cooper is amazing. The story is not always easy to watch. There is a fair amount of conflict and heartbreak.

This film is rated R for language, sexuality, nudity and substance abuse. We are on the fence regarding viewers. The film is not suitable for young children. The film is listed as a drama with a run time of 135 minutes.

There is little doubt in our minds this film is headed for a great awards season. See it on a premium screen with a good sound system if you haven’t seen it already.

Rating

Boy Erased

This is a true story about a 19 year old man in Arkansas whose parents plan to banish him from their lives unless he agrees to a ‘conversion therapy program’ designed to “fix” young gay/lesbian/transgender men and women into “normal” people.

It’s not a perfect film on the topic but it is absolutely relevant given that 39 states continue to allow such practices and estimates of 700,000 young men and women have been subjected to such programs.

Lucas Hedges delivers an outstanding lead performance as the 19 year old Jared. Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe are also excellent as the religious parents. Other stand out performances include Joel Edgerton (the Writer, Director and star), Cherry Jones and Flea (yes, the Bass Player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers) as the “policy enforcer”.)

The film is rated R for sexual content including an assault, some language, and brief drug use. It is arguably suitable for youngsters 14 and above. The run time is 111 minutes.

Rating

Bohemian Rhapsody

It’s finally in the theaters as of yesterday, the much touted release of the Freddie Mercury biopic titled as the rock group’s trademark recording Bohemian Rhapsody.

We will be the first to say the story line drifts way off the factual history course right from the get go. The production was plagued by casting issues that stretched over three years. Fortunately Rami Malek was hired for the Freddie Mercury role. His performance is exceptional and inspired. Soon after the production changes sprouted new energy and a clearer focus. These changes in place make the story flow smoother and script feel more natural.

There is a fair amount of time spent on Freddie’s sex life, straight, gay, bisexual… This didn’t really add to the story but in fairness it didn’t detract either. While we learn a lot about the leading character in this film, it is obvious there is still a whole lot more to the story.

This film is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, suggestive material, drug content and language. The run time is 134 minutes. The music and the characters are extraordinary. We see Oscar written all over this film!

Rating

Travel: A Selection of Odds and Ends, Italy and a bit more.

Look closely, one part creepy, one part bizarre. Found on the Presidential Palace, Malta.

The moment Jim discovered cocktails on the ship were free!

It’s a real 1 person car in a real parking space in Tirano, Italy.

Fish drying from a morning catch on Lago Iseo will be sold to local restaurants and made into fishstews for the dinner menu.

Poster from a shop in Verona where people reply to letters from around the world for love advice ala Romeo and Juliet.

There is a reason this audience is keeping its distance! CREEPY!

Hello! That is 16% Grade downhill for miles!

The ultimate door knocker! Gargoyle spits up two, lions, a turtle and a horned devil!

Travel: Day 3, Venice Tidal Floods and Farewell

We were warned about potential flooding and we were able to circumnavigate the flood areas yesterday.

This morning was quite another matter. After breakfast we decided to take a walk to Saint Mark’s Square. The first surprise was the waterfront was hosting a marathon. It was quite the scene. The morning light was ideal. The wind and waves were spirited. The marathon was well attended with an enthusiastic audience.

What most observers did not see was San Marco square was slowly flooding from tidal waters. We soon realized so was much of Venice.

In an attempt to route ourselves around the flooding waters we realized we were slowly but surely running out of high ground.

Add day trippers and thousands of tour groups from newly arrived cruise ships and you can imagine the crowds, confusion and growing angst.

All that said, we managed to find our way back to our hotel, the courtyard also flooded. In the spirit of ‘when the going gets tough, the tough go to lunch’ and so we did. Two Aperol Spritz and a large Greek salad, please!

And now we are back at the hotel, planning our departure from Venice and the end of our incredible Italy adventure.

A big thanks to all our friends, old and new, and family for all the comments and good wishes.

Here are a few final pictures. If time permits we may also send a post with a few “goofy” shots we found funny!

Love to all,

J&J

Humm…no gondolas in service this morning!

A surprise discovery, the famous and hard to find Scala Contarini del Bovolo.

The magnificent St. Marks Square…note the water raising from the drains soon floods the square and beyond.

A beautiful morning with the San Giorgio Maggiore in the distance.

You cannot visit Venice without a view of the Bridge of Sighs.

The canal gates of the Greek Orthodox Church as the flood waters rise.

The courtyard in front of out hotel as the water rises. Note: the yellow building is La Fenice Opera House.

Travel: Venice, Italy Day 2

Today was a great day of exploration and quiet discoveries. Incredible art and sculptures on display for only a few Euros while other venues are sold out at outrageous prices.

On the down side, we experienced our first human gridlock. Hordes of visitors and tour groups overwhelmed many passages and narrow corridors along with smaller Compos, small squares.

On the upside…the food has been delicious, everywhere. Today’s lunch was a nice mixed salad and an off-the-charts spaghetti with baby clams in a light butter and olive oil with garlic and chopped chives. A chocolate tart and a tiramisu helped finish off the last hunger pangs…along with a 1/2 liter of white wine!

We won’t overwhelm you with pictures but here are some we liked from today along with a surprise.

Tomorrow is our last full day before we make our way to an airport hotel for our early flight home Tuesday and back to reality!

Love to all!

J&J

Waiting for customers near the Academia Bridge.

By mid day, many of the canals had no sidewalks that were not flooded. Foot traffic was “rerouted” causing crowding in many areas.

Frari Church (Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari) filled most of our afternoon. It is a massive church filled with artwork by artists like Donatello, Bellini, Titian and dozens more. It is like visiting several museums all at once.

Here are just a few of our favorites.

The Assumption 1516-1518, by Tiziano Vecellio.

Madonna with Child, 1339 by Paolo Veneziano.

Madonna with Child and Saints by Giovanni Bellini, 1488

Travel: Treviso and Venice, Italy

Hi all! Yesterday we made a quick visit to Treviso, Italy. It was our last stop on our organized travel. This morning our fellow travelers either began their homeward travels or extended their travels to destinations of their own.

We had planned three extra days in Venice before our homeward flights this coming Tuesday. So late this morning our guide, a driver and John and me drove to the Venice Airport and onward to the water bus station and the 90 minute ride to San Marco, Venice.

The weather has cooled with overcast skies but thankfully no rain. After a short walk to our hotel, we had a nice lunch in one of the nearby compo squares. We were immediately reminded that Venice is one of the most expensive cities in Europe right now.

Here are some photos from yesterday and today.

The last apples of the season were crisp, juicy and delicious.

Treviso greeted us with plenty of canals and a charming old town.

We said goodbye to Treviso and our travel mates and began our journeys home or somewhere onward.

The Grand Canal greeted us after the 90 minute waterbus ride from the airport.

The crowded Academia Bridge this afternoon.

Travel: Bolzano, Italy

We traveled to Bolzano by train this morning. We visited the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology to see Otzi the Iceman exhibit and his 5,300 year old remains.

It was interesting but underwhelming. We apologize but no photos were allowed.

On the other hand, the town was an excellent example of post World War I monuments, Fascist architecture and an interesting mix between Germanic and Italian worlds.

We had lunch and an afternoon visit at a traditional agratourism site nestled in the nearby countryside with Tyrollean cusine, plenty of wine and Grappa.

The town center and today’s farmers market.

Mussolini built this monument in 1927 when he claimed the South Tyrol area as part of Italy.

Travel: The Dolomites, Italy

We have spent the last couple of days in the Dolomites. A mountain range in Northern Italy that separates Austria and Italy.

While Italian is still the primary language along with German, Ladin, a very regional language, is still protected and spoken by about 45,000 inhabitants.

The area is enormously popular for its winter sports. It is also popular year round with hikers and bikers.

Food has been much more German than Italian, heavier and heartier than what we are used to. This is also serious wine country with excellent big reds and whites available at shockingly low prices.

Here are some photos we liked.

Four ranges of the Dolomites host hundreds of ski slopes, hiking trails, and countless recreational sites.

Travel: Trento and Bressanone, Italy

We enjoyed a full day of discovery yesterday, starting from Verona and driving into the mountains of Trentino and the Alto Adige, the South Tyrol region of the Dolomites. Our hotel is about 40 miles south of Innsbruck, Austria.

The weather has cooled significantly with temps in the low 30s at night rising to the mid 50s in the afternoons. The best news is the nice sunny Fall weather has followed us all week.

The Fall colors are popping out everywhere, especially as we explore higher elevations.

An ornate fountain in the center square of Trento.

The river and countryside just before sunset.

The view from our room in the late afternoon.

Travel: Mantua, Italy

Greetings everyone! It was another great day. We took the train to the city of Mantua and its 48,000 inhabitants. It is a UNESCO World Heritage City highlighted by the Duomo (Cathedral of San Pietro), the Basilica of Sant’ Andrea and the Palazzo Ducale.

This is only three of over 25 significant sights worthy of a visit. Mantua is easily reached in 45 minutes Southwest of Verona.

Here are some of our favorite pictures from the day.

The Main Street leads from the train station to the center of town. The buildings are from the late 15th century.

The Palazzo Ducale, part of a much larger museum complex.

Cherubs on the dome of the Basilica of Sant’ Andrea built in 1472.

The frescoes in the nave of the Basilica.

Travel: Verona, Italy

Today we traveled by coach to Verona, Italy. It was a quick trip on the A4 autostrada.

Verona enjoys its status as the crossroads of Northern Italy for over two thousand years. It’s home to the worlds third largest amphitheater built in 30 AD.

It has been overlooked by travelers for years until recently. Today thousands of visitors fill the streets, alleys and marketplaces.

We found the city to be relatively compact with an impressive Roman amphitheater, a vibrant city center including a Duomo, an ancient marketplace and excellent restaurants.

Here are a few pictures from our outing.